James Alford Professor • Educational Leadership and Professional Studies View CV James E. Alford, Jr. is an Associate Professor and Director of the Higher Education Administration Program in Leadership Studies at William Paterson University. He has done extensive research on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, closely examining the historical trends and movements that have led to their overall development. Dr. Alford's scholarly publications include works on leadership, student activism, and alumni involvement at historically Black institutions. As a graduate of a Historically Black University, he has dedicated himself to bringing about awareness and understanding of these institutions and the significant role they have undertaken and are still undertaking in preparing African Americans for success.As the Director of the Higher Education Administration Program, Dr. Alford is committed to preparing and training highly competent professionals in the field of educational leadership. Serving as the Program’s first Director, he has chosen to use his platform to build much needed bridges between faculty, staff, and students as a way to create a culturally sensitive community that values educational excellence while simultaneously bringing attention to the ongoing plight of those who have been historically and systematically oppressed. Prior to joining the faculty at William Paterson, Dr. Alford served 14 years as a higher education administrator. Professional Interests Historically Black Colleges and UniversitiesStudent and Alumni Activism/InvolvementLeadership in Black Higher Education Degrees PhD History and Education , Columbia University New York , NY MPhil , Columbia University New York , NY MEd Educational Leadership , University of New Orleans New Orleans , LA BA Business Management , Dillard University New Orleans , LA Specialization Higher Education Administration/History and Education Representative Publications “DEVELOPING IN THE RACE A MANLY SELF-RESPECT”: THE ROLE OF ALUMNI REFORM AT LINCOLN UNIVERSITY; , Issues in Race & Society ; 2021 Campus Uprisings: Understanding Injustice and the Resistance Movement on College Campuses; Black Students Matter: A History of Activism and Protest at HBCUs from 1920-1940; Teachers College Press; 2020 http://1600 Valley Rd. TRAINING THE HANDS, THE HEAD, AND THE HEART: STUDENT PROTEST AND ACTIVISM AT HAMPTON INSTITUTE DURING THE 1920s; , Issues in Race & Society ; 2019 http://1600 Valley Rd. The Black and Hispanic/Latino male teacher networked improvement community: Promising practices to recruit and retain male teachers of color; AACTE; (pp ). Wayne ; 2019 http://1600 Valley Rd. HOW DOES NETWORK IMPROVEMENT SCIENCE (NIS) IMPACT THE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF BLACK AND LATINO MALE TEACHERS; , NERA Repository ; 2017 Representative Presentations Training the Hands, the Head, and the Heart: Activism and Protest at Hampton Institute, 1920-1950 History of Education Society’s Annual Conference (HES) Columbus , OH 2019 Re-Imagining Our Competency Areas: Helping Students Connect the Dots NASPA - Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education San Antonio, TX 2017 Media Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Black Colleges and Universities http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/films/tell-them-we-are-rising/ The rich history of America’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) began before the end of slavery, flourished in the 20th century, and profoundly influenced the course of the nation for over 150 years — yet remains largely unknown. With Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Black Colleges and Universities, the latest documentary from Stanley Nelson (Black Panthers, Freedom Riders) and Marco Williams, the powerful story of the rise, influence, and evolution of HBCUs comes to life. A haven for Black intellectuals, artists, and revolutionaries — and a path of promise toward the American dream — HBCUs have educated the architects of freedom movements and cultivated leaders in every field while remaining unapologetically Black for more than 150 years. These institutions have nurtured some of the most influential Americans of our time, from Booker T. Washington to Martin Luther King, Jr., W.E.B. Du Bois to Ralph Ellison, Toni Morrison to Oprah Winfrey, Alice Walker to Spike Lee to Common. A key driver of Black social, political and economic progress, HBCUs were also a place of unprecedented freedom for African American students and a refuge from the rampant racism that raged outside the campus walls. Tell Them We Are Rising captures this important history to tell the dynamic story of Americans who refused to be denied a higher education and — in their resistance — created a set of institutions that would influence and shape the landscape of the country for centuries to come Notable Courses Taught ELHE 6001: Higher Education from Past to PresentELHE 6002: Student Development TheoryELHE 6004: Law and Policy in Higher Education Email 973 720 2598 By appointment
