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May 2, 2013 Volume 34, No. 29

Services Saturday for first MU African-American professor

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A white ribbon was wrapped around the signs for the Arvarh E. Strickland Hall Wednesday. Arvarh Strickland, a professor emeritus of history, died Tuesday. Photo by Madeline Beyer.

Arvarh Strickland, who became the first black professor at MU in 1969, died Tuesday.

Strickland retired as professor emeritus of history in January 1996. The university renamed a campus building Arvarh E. Strickland Hall in October 2007. This was the first building named after an MU African-American faculty member.

Visitation begins at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at Missouri United Methodist Church, 204 S. Ninth St., followed by services at 11 a.m.

"We celebrate Dr. Strickland not because he is African-American, but because he is a great historian, scholar, teacher, colleague and citizen," Deputy Chancellor Michael A. Middleton said Wednesday.