from THE EDITOR Dwight Floyd: & Leadership of FAMU's Past Presidents, Series Part 8: George W. Gore, Jr.[1950-1968]

DWIGHT FLOYD
the Editor

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- George W. Gore Jr, son of a minister, was born in 1901 in Nashville, Tennessee. He received an A.B. degree in English and Journalism from Depauw University, a Master’s degree from Harvard University, and a PH.D from Columbia University. Before coming to FAMU he served 23 years as Dean of College at Tennessee A&I College (now Tennessee State University). He was a member of numerous social organizations, professional organizations, and honor societies including multiple fraternities and lodges.

In 1937 he founded the Alpha Kappa Mu Honor Society, which now stands at 156 chapters. He was on the Board of Directors of a bank in Nashville, a trustee at Kent School of Law, a member of the National Executive Committee Boy Scouts of America, and a member of the Board of Trustees at the Florida Normal and Industrial Memorial College in St. Augustine (now Florida Memorial). He served as editor of the Broadcaster and the Quarterly Review of Higher Education for Negroes; and published numerous scholarly articles.

Gore ushered in tremendous growth in the physical plant and academic programs at Florida A & M University. He carried the momentum from work initiated by previous presidents J.R.E. Lee, William H. Gray, and Acting President H. Manning Efferson. As President, Gore faced the first serious threat of the closure of Florida A&M University. He would take the law school and the FAMU Hospital to greater heights only to see both closed. He would be blamed by some for not saving these programs although he faced an overwhelming financial dilemma because of them. Gore served for 18 years to see FAMU through the Civil Rights Movement, the diminished capacity of black self-determination, financial dilemmas and formal threats to the progress and existence of FAMU.

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