 William Tate UGA desegregation files
Collection DescriptionHistorical NoteWilliam Tate (1903-1980) was the Dean of Men, University of Georgia, 1946 to 1971. In 1981, the University of Georgia Tate Student Center was named in his honor. Tate attended Fairmount High School and the Georgia Military Academy. He then entered the University of Georgia, earning a Bachelor's degree in 1924 and a Master's in 1927. He went on to do graduate work at Columbia University, Harvard University, and the University of Chicago. From 1924 to 1929 he was an instructor in English and Debate Coach at the University of Georgia. From 1929 to 1936 he was Head of the English Department and Track Coach at the McCallie School in Chattanooga, Tennessee. In 1932 William Tate married Susan Frances Barrow, a granddaughter of University Chancellor David Barrow. They had two sons, Ben and Jeff. In 1936 Tate returned to the University of Georgia as Dean of Freshmen and Assistant Professor of English. He then went on to become Dean of Students, Assistant to the President, and in 1946 became Dean of Men, a position he held for twenty-five years. He is widely known for his role in overseeing students during UGA's desegregation by the first two African American students, Charlayne Hunter and Hamilton Holmes, in 1961. Scope and ContentThe materials in this collection document events surrounding the desegregation of the University of Georgia in January 1961. The clippings, legislative reports, petitions, and correspondence that comprise the collection serve as both a record of the steps involved in desegregating the University and the span of public opinion--both local and nationwide--on the events at the time. Dean Tate's role in overseeing and responding to student conduct in the aftermath of desegregation is a major topic of the collection. Administrative InformationConditions Governing AccessSome materials in this collection are closed to the public due to FERPA restrictions. Preferred CitationWillilam Tate UGA desegregation files, UA00-016, University Archives, Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries. Related Materials and SubjectsSubject TermsRelated Collections in this RepositoryThis particular collection was formerly part of the William Tate papers UA97-085. | ||||||||||||||||||||