Luther C. McClellan, Memphis State Eight member, dies at 83

Pioneering Student was First Black Person to Graduate from the UofM, in 1962

July 15, 2024 — The University of Memphis is honoring the life and legacy of a trailblazer, Memphis State Eight member Luther C. McClellan, upon the news of his passing July 12. McClellan was 83.

“The University of Memphis is deeply saddened by the passing of Luther C. McClellan,” said UofM President Bill Hardgrave. “As a member of the Memphis State Eight and the first African American graduate at our institution, Luther was a trailblazer for our university and a beloved member of the Tiger Family. His perseverance paved the way for many and allowed the UofM to become the institution it is today. He will be missed and forever remembered.”

McClellan was the first Black person to graduate from Memphis State University, in 1962. As a member of the Memphis State Eight — the first group of African American students admitted to the University in 1959 — he helped integrate Memphis State University.

McClellan, who graduated from Manassas High School in Memphis, earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and later received his MBA from Monmouth University in New Jersey.

“It was my opportunity to get an education and I was not going to let that escape me,” McClellan recalled at the 60-year commemoration of the Memphis State Eight’s integration of the University in 2019. “I just challenged myself to focus on doing my work. If another student wanted to speak to me, that was fine with me. That was my stance on it, and it worked for me. My classmates weren’t going to buck the system and become my friend, but I do think they knew that all people were created equal.”

Along with McClellan, the other members of the Memphis State Eight are Rose Blakney-Love, Eleanor Gandy, Sammie Johnson, Marvis Kneeland Jones, Bertha Rogers Looney, Ralph Prater and John Simpson. Johnson passed away in 2011; Gandy and Love in 2017; Simpson in 2019; Jones and Prater in 2022.

At the 2021 dedication of the Alumni Mall now bearing his name, McClellan spoke of the strides made at the UofM since he had graduated.

“I applaud the University of Memphis for all of its efforts to make sure we are integrated, diverse and that all students get a fair opportunity to succeed,” McClellan said. “I am so proud to be a graduate.”

After graduation, McClellan became an Air Force officer specializing in radar countermeasures. He worked as a computer expert at the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and as a program director at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). He retired in 1998 with more than 30 years of experience working for the FAA and Air Force. He also retired from the Air Force Reserves as a major.

The Black Alumni Chapter of the UofM Alumni Association awards the Luther C. McClellan Scholarship annually to as many as three deserving minority students. This award recognizes students who have shown outstanding academic achievement, leadership qualities and community involvement.

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