In honor of our celebration of Black History Month, we are proud to present Dr. George Pruitt’s From Protest to President, which describes an inspirational odyssey of a young, Black activist coming of age in Mississippi and Chicago in the tumultuous 60s and 70s, culminating in a notable thirty-five year presidency at Thomas Edison State University.
From barbershop encounters with Malcolm X to death threats at Illinois State University and gunfire at Towson State, Pruitt provides a powerful narrative poised at the intersection of social justice, higher education and politics. He recounts leadership experiences at Historically Black Colleges and Universities and public universities across the country, as he advocated for autonomy at Morgan State and fought to preserve Tennessee State University.
His steadfast activism, integrity and courage led to groundbreaking work in providing access to higher education for working adults and the military. From his days as a student protester in high school and college to his appearances on Capitol Hill, Pruitt has earned the reputation as a candid and influential leader in higher education.
