Morehouse College officially welcomed its newest interim president, Harold Martin, Jr., on Thursday.
The historically Black college in Atlanta, Georgia did not have to look far for its new leader, who graduated from Morehouse as valedictorian in 2002 and is secretary of the school’s Board of Trustees.
Martin is also a graduate of Harvard Business School and Yale Law School.
Securing permanent leadership has been a challenge for the 150-year-old institution.
Morehouse College’s most recent president, Dr. John S. Wilson, Jr., a 1979 graduate, was removed from his position after a vote by the Board of Trustees in January and was immediately replaced by William Taggart, the Chief Operating Officer at the college. Taggart served as the college’s interim president until his death on June 7.
Martin’s appointment brings a level of stability to the college community that is still reeling from Taggart’s death. “Our campus has been through a tough season,” said Martin at a press conference held on campus.
Having Martin as the college’s interim president will allow the board of trustees to move forward with finding a permanent replacement.
