In Memoriam: James Solomon, Jr., 1930-2024

James Solomon, Jr., former vice president at Morris College and one of the first three Black students to attend the University of South Carolina, passed away on November 29. He was 94 years old. At the age of 17, Solomon joined the United States Air Force and served for the duration of the Korean War while stationed in Okinawa, Japan. He returned to the United States after the war and earned degrees from two historically Black institutions: a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Morris College in Sumter, South Carolina and a master’s degree in mathematics from what is now Clark Atlanta University in Georgia. In 1960, Solomon was hired as an instructor of mathematics at his alma mater, Morris College. He quickly progressed through the academic ranks, ultimately becoming the college’s vice president of institutional planning and research. While teaching at Morris College, Solomon enrolled in the graduate program in mathematics at the University of South Carolina, making him one of the university’s first-ever Black students and the first African American to enroll in this program. The University of South Carolina has previously recognized Solomon’s legacy on two separate occasions. A statue of Solomon – alongside statues of Robert Anderson...