Lanier, Raphael O'Hara

Dr. Raphael O'Hara Lanier, the son of James S. and Carrier Lee (Bethel) Lanier, was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, April 28, 1900. He received his A.B. degree (cum laude) from Lincoln University in 1922, his A.M. degree from Stanford University in 1928, and was a Rosenwald Fellow in vocational guidance at Harvard University from 1931-1932. Dr. Lanier was an instructor at Tuskegee University (1923-1925), dean at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical College (1925-1933),again dean at Sam Houston College in Texas (1933-1938). He received his doctors degree from Lincoln University in 1941. He held the position of assistant director, Division of Negro Affairs, National Youth Administration from 1939-1941. While at Hampton Institute, Dr. Lanier served as dean of instruction (1940-1941), acting president (1943-1944) between the terms of Presidents Malcolm S. MacLean and Ralph P. Bridgman, dean of the College (1944), and dean of faculty (1944-1945). He was affiliated with the Bureau of Services, U.N.R.R.A.as a special assistant (1945-1948), and was elected president of Texas State University, Houston, Texas, in 1948.