Pioneering Leader Clifton R. Wharton Jr., First Black President of Michigan State University, Dies at 98 in New York City

Clifton R. Wharton Jr., the first Black president of a major U.S. public research university, has died at the age of 98, Michigan State University announced. During his presidency at MSU from 1970 to 1978, Wharton witnessed the university grapple with the Vietnam War protests and saw the rise in the number of Rhodes Scholars from the institution.

His death occurred last Saturday in New York City, where he resided with his wife of 74 years. According toThe Detroit News, the cause of Wharton’s death was cancer. His legacy at MSU endures not just in the university infrastructure and academic advancements but also in the spiritual fabric of the institution.

After leaving MSU, Wharton reached another pioneering milestone by becoming the first Black chancellor of the State University of New York, and later, the notable first Black CEO of a Fortune 500 company, handling the reins of TIAA-CREF. In the course of his career, Wharton accrued appointments under six U.S. presidents and in 1993 served as deputy secretary of state in the Clinton administration,CBS News Detroitreported.

MSU President Kevin Guskiewicz highlighted Wharton’s devotion to creating opportunities for people, stating “his focus on developing people might be said to be his most outstanding legacy,” as obtained byLansing State Journal. It was a belief deeply held by Wharton that leadership often took a backseat to nurture individual growth within the institution. This philosophy contributed to his capacity for steering the university through tumultuous times and his efforts to broaden access for economically disadvantaged students.

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