John Jarvis Seabrook
John Jarvis Seabrook | |
|---|---|
| 5th President of Claflin College | |
| In office 1945–1955 | |
| Other names | J.J. Seabrook |
| Preceded by | Joseph B. Randolph |
| Succeeded by | Hubert V. Manning |
| 2nd President of Huston-Tillotson College | |
| In office 1955–1965 | |
| Preceded by | Matthew Simpson Davage |
| Succeeded by | John Quill Taylor King Sr. |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 12, 1899 Orangeburg, South Carolina, United States[1] |
| Died | May 1, 1975 Austin, Texas, United States |
| Education | Clark College (BD), Gammon Theological Seminary (BD), Howard University (LLB), Boston University (LLM), Allen University (LLD) |
| Occupation | Academic administrator, theologian, pastor, university president emeritus |
John Jarvis Seabrook (April 12, 1899 – May 1, 1975)[1] was an American theologian, Methodist pastor, and academic administrator. He was the president-emeritus of Huston–Tillotson University, a HBUC in Austin, Texas; and the president-emeritus of Claflin University, a HBUC in Orangeburg, South Carolina. He also went by the name J.J. Seabrook.[2]
Early life and education
[edit]John Jarvis Seabrook was born on April 12, 1899, in Orangeburg, South Carolina, to Black parents Amanda (née Jarvis) and John Seabrook.[1]
He graduated in 1930 with a B.A. degree from Clark College in Atlanta; in 1930 with a B.D. degree from Gammon Theological Seminary (now Interdenominational Theological Center) in Atlanta; L.L. B degree in 1926 from Howard University in Washington, D.C.; L.L.M. degree from Boston University; and L.L.D, degree from Allen University.[1][3][4] He also did additional coursework at Garrett–Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois.[3]
Career
[edit]Seabrook served as the president of Claflin College (now Claflin University), a historically black university in Orangeburg, South Carolina, from 1945 to 1955.[5][6]
Seabrook served as the president of Huston-Tillotson College (now Huston–Tillotson University), a historically black university in Austin, Texas, from 1955 to 1965, he was the second president following Matthew Simpson Davage, and shortly after the merger of Huston College and Tillotson College.[7] He was succeeded as president by John Q. Taylor King.[8]
Death and legacy
[edit]He died May 1, 1975, while arguing before the Austin City Council on the naming of Austin's MLK Jr. Boulevard (formerly "19th Street").[9] In East Austin, east of Interstate 35 (a region historically populated primarily by minorities),[10] the street was to be named MLK Jr. Blvd; west of I-35, it would remain 19th Street. Dr. Seabrook wanted there to be a single name in both East and West Austin. While speaking to the council of the need to unite the city, Dr. Seabrook collapsed, suffering a fatal heart attack.
On May 15, 2010, the same council approved naming of the MLK Jr. Boulevard bridge over I-35 after Seabrook.[11] A $55,000 scholarship at Huston–Tillotson University has also been set up in Seabrook's name, $55,000 being the proposed cost of changing the road signs on the former 19th street to MLK Boulevard in 1975. This cost was one of the arguments at the time against changing the name of the road.[12]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "Seabrook, John Jarvis". Who's Who in Colored America. C.E. Burckel. 1950. p. 616 – via Google Books.
- ^ Barnes, Michael (September 4, 2016). "The fight over Austin's MLK Jr. Boulevard". Austin American-Statesman. Archived from the original on 2024-09-03. Retrieved 2025-01-08.
- ^ a b McMillan, Lewis Kennedy (1953). Negro Higher Education in the State of South Carolina. Orangeburg? S.C. p. 128 – via Google Books.
- ^ Biographical Encyclopedia of the World. Institute for Research in Biography. 1948. p. 4280.
- ^ "Claflin's seventh president follows in tradition begun in 1869". The Times and Democrat. 1984-11-25. p. 41. Retrieved 2025-01-08 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Exhibition celebrates Claflin's 125th anniversary". The Times and Democrat. 1994-09-16. p. 1. Retrieved 2025-01-08 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "John J. Seabrook New President of Huston–Tillotson". The Call. 1955-07-29. p. 4. Retrieved 2025-01-08 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Huston-Tillotson College: History of the Institution". Austin American-Statesman. 1986-03-02. p. 391. Retrieved 2025-01-08 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Bridging East and West Austin". The Statesman. Retrieved Jan 17, 2011.
- ^ "A History of East Austin". University of Texas School of Architecture. Archived from the original on 2011-07-20. Retrieved Jan 18, 2011.
- ^ "Bridge over Interstate 35 to be named after Dr. J.J. Seabrook". The Statesman. Retrieved Jan 17, 2011.
- ^ Hackleman, Reagan (January 17, 2011). "The Man Behind MLK Blvd". KXAN-TV. Archived from the original on 2011-01-22. Retrieved Jan 17, 2011.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
- 1899 births
- 1975 deaths
- American academic administrators
- American Methodist clergy
- African-American academic administrators
- African-American Methodist clergy
- Allen University alumni
- Boston University alumni
- Clark Atlanta University alumni
- Garrett–Evangelical Theological Seminary alumni
- Howard University alumni
- Huston–Tillotson University alumni
- People from Austin, Texas
- People from Orangeburg, South Carolina
- Presidents of Claflin University
- Presidents of Huston–Tillotson University