Moron, Alonzo Graseano

Dr. Alonzo Graseano Moron was Hampton Institute's first black president. He was born in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands on April 12,1909 and received his preliminary education in the public schools of St. Thomas and at Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute (Hampton Institute) In 1932 Dr. Moron graduated with a bachelor of philosophy degree from Brown University; he received his master of arts degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1933, and his bachelor of laws degree from Harvard University in 1947. From 1927-1928 he was a lecturer in the Financial Campaign Department at Hampton Institute. In 1933 Dr. Moron served as a case worker for the Baltimore Emergency Relief Administration, Baltimore, Maryland, and from 1933-1936 he was comissioner of public welfare for the government of the Virgina Islands. In 1936 he became assistant to the acting president of Atlanta University and also served as housing manager for University Homes, Atlanta, Georgia. During the years 1937-1944, Dr. Moron was lecturer for the Department of Social Work, Atlanta University and spent the
next two years, 1944-1946, at Harvard as a Rosenwald Fellow. In 1936 he returned to Hampton Institute as general business manager and chairman of the Interim Administrative Committee. He was appointed acting president in 1948 and president of Hampton Institute in 1949. He served in that office until his resignation in 1959.

The papers of Alonzo Graseano Moron consist of materials dealing with administrative affairs of the school, handwritten and typewritten letters from various correspondents, annual and departmental reports, telegrams, newspaper clippings, pictures, publications, personal and miscellaneous memorabilia.