Robert Michael Franklin Jr. (born February 22, 1954) is an American author, theologian, ordained minister, and academic administrator who served as the tenth president of

Morehouse College Morehouse College is a Private college, private, Historically black colleges and universities, historically black, Men's colleges in the United States, men's Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Atlanta, Georgia, ...

from 2007 to 2012. Franklin is a visiting scholar in residence at

Stanford University Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University, is a Private university, private research university in Stanford, California, United States. It was founded in 1885 by railroad magnate Leland Stanford (the eighth ...

's Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute. In January 2014, he became director of the religion program at the

Chautauqua Institution The Chautauqua Institution ( ) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit education center and summer resort for adults and youth located on in Chautauqua, New York, northwest of Jamestown, New York, Jamestown in the western southern tier of New York (state), N ...

Early life and education

A native of

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

, Franklin graduated from

Morgan Park High School Morgan Park High School is a four-year public high school and middle school located in the Morgan Park, Chicago, Morgan Park neighborhood on the far south side of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States. Opened in 1916, Morgan Park is a part o ...

. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from

, Master of Divinity from

Harvard Divinity School Harvard Divinity School (HDS) is one of the constituent schools of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The school's mission is to educate its students either in the religious studies, academic study of religion or for leadership role ...

, and a Ph.D. from the

University of Chicago Divinity School The University of Chicago Divinity School is a graduate professional school at the University of Chicago dedicated to the training of academics and clergy across religious boundaries. Formed under Baptist auspices, the school today is without ...

. In 1973, he received an English Speaking Union scholarship to study abroad at

Durham University Durham University (legally the University of Durham) is a collegiate university, collegiate public university, public research university in Durham, England, founded by an Act of Parliament (UK), Act of Parliament in 1832 and incorporated by r ...

during his undergraduate studies. He is also the recipient of honorary degrees from

Bethune–Cookman University Bethune–Cookman University (B–CU or Bethune–Cookman) is a Private university, private Historically black colleges and universities, historically black university in Daytona Beach, Florida. Bethune–Cookman University is affiliated wit ...

Bates College Bates College () is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Lewiston, Maine. Anchored by the Historic Quad, the campus of Bates totals with a small urban campus which includes 33 Victorian ...

, and

Swarthmore College Swarthmore College ( , ) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1864, with its first classes held in 1869, Swarthmore is one of the e ...

Career

Franklin became 10th president of Morehouse College on July 1, 2007. Prior to coming to Morehouse, he was presidential distinguished professor of social ethics at the

Candler School of Theology Candler School of Theology is one of seven graduate schools at Emory University, located in Atlanta metropolitan area, metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. A university-based school of theology, Candler educates Minister (Christi ...

and senior fellow at the Center for the Study of Law and Religion, both at

Emory University Emory University is a private university, private research university in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It was founded in 1836 as Emory College by the Methodist Episcopal Church and named in honor of Methodist bishop John Emory. Its main campu ...

. Franklin is also former president of the

Interdenominational Theological Center The Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC) is a consortium of five predominantly African-American denominational Christian seminaries in Atlanta, Georgia, operating together as a professional graduate school of theology. It is the largest ...

in Atlanta. He was a program officer in the Human Rights and Social Justice Program at the

Ford Foundation The Ford Foundation is an American private foundation with the stated goal of advancing human welfare. Created in 1936 by Edsel Ford and his father Henry Ford, it was originally funded by a $25,000 (about $550,000 in 2023) gift from Edsel Ford. ...

and served as Theologian in Residence for the

, both in New York.

President of Morehouse College

Franklin took office as the 10th president of Morehouse College on July 1, 2007. In 2009, the college received reaffirmation of its accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. In a project initiated by his predecessor, Walter Massey, Franklin oversaw the completion and opening of the $20 million Ray Charles Performing Arts Center and Music Academic Building, a 75,000 square foot facility named after the musician. Franklin led and supported cultivation efforts such as establishing the Renaissance Commission, a group of 150 volunteer stakeholders, that increased the total number of new donors by an average of 1,000 per year. The college generated in excess of $128 million (grants and contracts, private fundraising and federal appropriations) during Franklin's tenure.

Civic engagement

Franklin is a member of

Alpha Phi Alpha Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. () is the oldest intercollegiate List of African-American fraternities, historically African American Fraternities and sororities, fraternity. It was initially a literary and social studies club organized in the ...

fraternity, and the Kappa Boule of

Sigma Pi Phi Sigma Pi Phi (), also known as The Boulé, is an African American professional fraternity. Founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1904, it is the oldest Greek lettered fraternity for African Americans. The fraternity does not have collegiate ...

fraternity. He serves on numerous boards, including the Character Education Partnership and Public Broadcasting of Atlanta ( WABE radio and

television Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...

). Franklin is a member of the

Council on Foreign Relations The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an American think tank focused on Foreign policy of the United States, U.S. foreign policy and international relations. Founded in 1921, it is an independent and nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit organi ...

; the executive committee of the

Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce Metro may refer to: Geography * Metro City (Indonesia), a city in Indonesia * A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center Public transport * Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urban area with high ...

; the

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO) is an American orchestra based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The ASO's main concert venue is Atlanta Symphony Hall in the Woodruff Arts Center. History Though earlier organizations bearing the sam ...

(executive committee); the HBCU Capital Financing Advisory Board; and the

Naval War College The Naval War College (NWC or NAVWARCOL) is the staff college and "Home of Thought" for the United States Navy at Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island. The NWC educates and develops leaders, supports defining the future Navy and associa ...

Board of Advisors.

Publications and commentary

Franklin is the author of four books, ''Moral Leadership: Integrity, Courage, Imagination'' (2020), ''Crisis in the Village: Restoring Hope in African American Communities'' (2007), ''Another Day's Journey: Black Churches Confronting the American Crisis'' (1997), and ''Liberating Visions: Human Fulfillment and Social Justice in African American Thought'' (1989). Franklin has appeared on the

NPR National Public Radio (NPR) is an American public broadcasting organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It serves as a national Radio syndication, syndicator to a network of more ...

program ''

All Things Considered ''All Things Considered'' (''ATC'') is the flagship news program on the American network National Public Radio (NPR). It was the first news program on NPR, premiering on May 3, 1971. It is broadcast live on NPR affiliated stations in the United ...

'' and provided televised commentary for Atlanta Interfaith Broadcasting. Franklin worked to produce an official congregational study guide for the 1998 animated film ''

The Prince of Egypt ''The Prince of Egypt'' is a 1998 American animated musical drama film directed by Brenda Chapman, Steve Hickner, and Simon Wells, and written by Philip LaZebnik, from a story by Kelly Asbury and Lorna Cook. Produced by DreamWorks Pictur ...

''. He also worked as an advisor on the production of ''The Bible'', a

History Channel History (formerly and commonly known as the History Channel) is an American pay television television broadcaster, network and the flagship channel of A&E Networks, a joint venture between Hearst Communications and the Disney General Entertainme ...

miniseries.

2020 Georgia special election

In 2020, Franklin announced his candidacy for 2020 Georgia's 5th congressional district special election to succeed

John Lewis John Robert Lewis (February 21, 1940 – July 17, 2020) was an American civil rights activist and politician who served in the United States House of Representatives for from 1987 until his death in 2020. He participated in the 1960 Nashville ...

. Franklin is a member of the Democratic Party. Franklin placed second in the September 29, 2020 general election. As no candidate earned 50 percent of votes cast, Franklin and the first-place finisher,

Kwanza Hall Kwanza Hall (born May 1, 1971) is an American politician and businessman who briefly served as a member of the United States House of Representatives for Georgia's 5th congressional district. He previously served as a member of the Atlanta City ...

, advanced to a December runoff election. He lost the election on December 2, 2020.

Personal life

Franklin is married to Cheryl Goffney Franklin, an

OB-GYN Obstetrics and gynaecology (also spelled as obstetrics and gynecology; abbreviated as Obst and Gynae, O&G, OB-GYN and OB/GYN) is the medical specialty that encompasses the two subspecialties of obstetrics (covering pregnancy, childbirth, and t ...

physician. He has three children and two grandchildren. Franklin holds ordination in two Christian denominations: the American Baptist Churches USA and the Church of God in Christ.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Franklin, Robert Michael Jr. 1954 births 21st-century African-American academics 21st-century American academics Alumni of Durham University American Pentecostals Church of God in Christ pastors Emory University faculty Georgia (U.S. state) Democrats Harvard Divinity School alumni Harvard Divinity School faculty Living people Morehouse College alumni Presidents of Morehouse College University of Chicago Divinity School alumni University of Chicago faculty Writers from Atlanta Writers from Chicago Candidates in the 2020 United States House of Representatives elections