Robert Benjamin Hayes (May 13, 1876–?) was an American educator, academic administrator and college president. He headed

Philander Smith College Philander Smith University (previously Philander Smith College) is a private historically black college in Little Rock, Arkansas. It is affiliated with the United Methodist Church and is a founding member of the United Negro College Fund (UNC ...

's natural science department, and served as the president of George R. Smith College from 1916 until 1925.

Biography

Robert Benjamin Hayes was born on May 13, 1876, in

Navasota, Texas Navasota is a city primarily in Grimes County, Texas, United States. The population was 7,643 at the 2020 census. In 2005, the Texas Legislature designated Navasota as the "Blues Capital of Texas" in honor of the late Mance Lipscomb, a Nava ...

, to African American parents Laura (née Clayton) and Lucius Hayes. He studied at public elementary and secondary schools in

Chetopa, Kansas Chetopa is a city in Labette County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 929. Chetopa was named for Chief Chetopah, an Osage Indian chief. Later, the community name was shortened. History The commu ...

, and

Guthrie, Oklahoma Guthrie is a city and county seat in Logan County, Oklahoma, United States, and a part of the Oklahoma City Metroplex. Its population was 10,191 at the 2010 census, a 2.7% increase from 9,925 in the 2000 census. First known as a railroad st ...

. He was the first Black child to attend high school in the

Oklahoma Territory The Territory of Oklahoma was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 2, 1890, until November 16, 1907, when it was joined with the Indian Territory under a new constitution and admitted to the Union as ...

. Hayes graduated with a

bachelor of philosophy Bachelor of Philosophy (BPhil, BPh, or PhB; or or ) is the title of an academic degree in philosophy that usually involves considerable research, either through a thesis or supervised research projects. Unlike many other bachelor's degrees, the ...

degree (1903), and

master of arts A Master of Arts ( or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA or AM) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Those admitted to the degree have ...

degree (1903) from

Baker University Baker University is a private university in Baldwin City, Kansas, United States. Founded in 1858, it was the first four-year university in Kansas and is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Baker University is made up of four schools. Th ...

Baldwin, Kansas Baldwin City is a city in Douglas County, Kansas, United States, about south of Lawrence. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 4,826. The city is home to Baker University, the state's oldest four-year university. History ...

. He headed

's natural science department from 1903 until 1916. Hayes served as the president of George R. Smith College, from 1916 until 1925. Under his leadership, students from George R. Smith College participated in the State Constitutional Convention of Missouri. Starting in 1925 after George R. Smith College burned down, he served as the

Dean Dean may refer to: People * Dean (given name) * Dean (surname), a surname of Anglo-Saxon English origin * Dean (South Korean singer), a stage name for singer Kwon Hyuk * Dean Delannoit, a Belgian singer most known by the mononym Dean * Dean Sw ...

New Orleans University New Orleans University was a historically black college that operated between 1869 and 1935 in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. It was founded by Freedmen's Aid Society and the Methodist Episcopal Church. It merged with Straight College in ...

. He married Hattie P. Melton in 1909, and together they had five children.

References

1876 births Year of death missing Philander Smith University faculty Presidents of George R. Smith College Baker University alumni Academic staff of New Orleans University People from Navasota, Texas American academic administrators 20th-century African-American academics 20th-century American academics {{US-academic-administrator-1870s-stub