Dr. Asa Grant Hilliard, in his words, considered himself “a teacher, a psychologist, and a historian,” first and foremost. The late scholar and proponent of African history and culture was born August 22, 1933 in Galveston, Texas.
Hilliard attended the University of Denver, earning his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate in education from the institution, all while working odd jobs at a railroad before working as a teacher in the public school system. Hilliard relocated in 1963 to San Francisco State University to join its faculty, remaining there for 18 years.
As a pan-Africanist, Hilliard traveled often to West Africa and became a founding member of the Association for the Study of Classical African Civilizations. Much of this was informed by his time in Liberia in the ‘60s, where he served for two years as the superintendent of schools in Monrovia.
Hilliard was also an education consultant for Detroit Public Schools, and he also introduced a somewhat controversial teacher-training guide, “African-American/Portland Baseline Essays.” for the state of Oregon. At issue for some was Hilliard’s assertion, much like fellow scholar Dr. Molefi K. Asante, that Africa was the main root of knowledge and civilization. He was also a champion of all indigenous cultures having greater representation in school curricula.
The Omega Ps Phi fraternity member was the Fuller E. Callaway Professor of Urban Education at Georgia State University. He served in dual capacities in the Department of Education Policy Studies and the Department of Educational Psychology and Special Education.
In 2001, Hilliard was named Development Chief of Mankranso Village in the Ashanti region of Ghana. He was bestowed with the name Nana Baffour Amankwatia II, which translates to “generous one.”
One of Hilliard’s lasting marks was his belief that all children were capable of academic excellence by way of study, and devoted and well-trained teachers, a subject that informed much of his volumes of research and writing. Hilliard was married to Patsy Jo Hilliard, the first Black and female mayor of East Point, Georgia.
Dr. Hilliard died in 2007 while in Egypt.
HEAD BACK TO THE BLACKAMERICAWEB.COM HOMEPAGE
