Richard Alton Graham
Encyclopedia
Richard Alton Graham was an American equal rights leader, one of the inaugural group of five members of the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
(EEOC
). He was the founding director of the National Teachers Corps
He was also one of the founders of the National Organization for Women
(NOW
), becoming one of its initial officers.
and Milwaukee, Wisconsin
. During World War II, he served in the Army Air Forces in Iran. After the war, he worked with his father developing a variable speed drive transmission for electric motors. Father and son ran a small manufacturing business in Minominnee, Minnesota, until the younger Graham embarked on a career of public service.
in 1942. He earned a master's degree in education from Catholic University
in 1970; and he continued his studies, earning a Ph.D. in philosophy in 1972 from what was then the "Union Graduate School", now the Union Institute and University in Cincinnati, Ohio
.
, the first director of the Peace Corps
; and then he left Washington to head the Peace Corps in Tunisia (1963–1965).
In 1965, President Lyndon Johnson named Graham as one of the first Commissioners of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
. He was readily confirmed by Congress. He was a registered Republican in 1965—he later changed party affiliation—and he was named to EEOC to add political balance. Among other activities, he was prominent in promoting the EEOC guidelines, including those prohibiting discrimination on the basis of gender. He would later say he "learned on the job" to become a feminist; and soon became one of the more outspoken commissioners along with the only female member, Aileen Hernandez
, a future NOW founder and president.
He was the founding vice president of the National Organization for Women
when it was first organized in 1966. He was a male supporter of women's rights at a time when such public support was less common; and, according to the 2007 NOW President Kim Gandy, Graham's decision to become a leader of the organization in its infancy gave NOW a certain level of credibility.
In 1966, he was sworn in as the first director of the National Teachers Corps
, with an underfunded initial budget of $7.5 million for 1,250 teachers in 125 schools. This meant that from the outset, Graham's top priority became lobbying Congress for additional appropriations to bridge the gap between the program's funding and its projected per capita costs of $8,100 per teacher. By 1968, the Teacher Corps had expanded into 200 schools; and the program had earned modest bi-partisan support.
Graham continued to head the Teacher Corps in the early years of the Nixon administration
until early 1971.
In the mid-1970s, he became director of the Center for Moral Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education
. He served as President of Goddard College
in Plainfield, Vermont
(1975–1976); and he helped found the Goddard-Cambridge Center for Social Change.
From the mid-1980s until his death, Graham was an adviser to the Council for Research in Values and Philosophy in Washington, D.C.
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is an independent federal law enforcement agency that enforces laws against workplace discrimination. The EEOC investigates discrimination complaints based on an individual's race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, perceived intelligence,...
(EEOC
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is an independent federal law enforcement agency that enforces laws against workplace discrimination. The EEOC investigates discrimination complaints based on an individual's race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, perceived intelligence,...
). He was the founding director of the National Teachers Corps
National Teachers Corps
Teacher Corps was a program established by the United States Congress in the Higher Education Act of 1965 to improve elementary and secondary teaching in predominantly low-income areas. Individual Teacher Corps projects were developed by "institutions of higher education" in partnership with...
He was also one of the founders of the National Organization for Women
National Organization for Women
The National Organization for Women is the largest feminist organization in the United States. It was founded in 1966 and has a membership of 500,000 contributing members. The organization consists of 550 chapters in all 50 U.S...
(NOW
National Organization for Women
The National Organization for Women is the largest feminist organization in the United States. It was founded in 1966 and has a membership of 500,000 contributing members. The organization consists of 550 chapters in all 50 U.S...
), becoming one of its initial officers.
Early life
Graham was born in Chicago, Illinois; but he was raised in Lima, OhioLima, Ohio
Lima is a city in and the county seat of Allen County, Ohio, United States. The municipality is located in northwestern Ohio along Interstate 75 approximately north of Dayton and south-southwest of Toledo....
and Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
. During World War II, he served in the Army Air Forces in Iran. After the war, he worked with his father developing a variable speed drive transmission for electric motors. Father and son ran a small manufacturing business in Minominnee, Minnesota, until the younger Graham embarked on a career of public service.
Educational background
Graham was awarded a bachelor's degree in engineering from Cornell UniversityCornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
in 1942. He earned a master's degree in education from Catholic University
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America is a private university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops...
in 1970; and he continued his studies, earning a Ph.D. in philosophy in 1972 from what was then the "Union Graduate School", now the Union Institute and University in Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
.
Public service
In 1961, Graham became the deputy of Sargent ShriverSargent Shriver
Robert Sargent Shriver, Jr., known as Sargent Shriver, R. Sargent Shriver, or, from childhood, Sarge, was an American statesman and activist. As the husband of Eunice Kennedy Shriver, he was part of the Kennedy family, serving in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations...
, the first director of the Peace Corps
Peace Corps
The Peace Corps is an American volunteer program run by the United States Government, as well as a government agency of the same name. The mission of the Peace Corps includes three goals: providing technical assistance, helping people outside the United States to understand US culture, and helping...
; and then he left Washington to head the Peace Corps in Tunisia (1963–1965).
In 1965, President Lyndon Johnson named Graham as one of the first Commissioners of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is an independent federal law enforcement agency that enforces laws against workplace discrimination. The EEOC investigates discrimination complaints based on an individual's race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, perceived intelligence,...
. He was readily confirmed by Congress. He was a registered Republican in 1965—he later changed party affiliation—and he was named to EEOC to add political balance. Among other activities, he was prominent in promoting the EEOC guidelines, including those prohibiting discrimination on the basis of gender. He would later say he "learned on the job" to become a feminist; and soon became one of the more outspoken commissioners along with the only female member, Aileen Hernandez
Aileen Hernandez
Aileen Clark Hernandez is an American union organizer and civil right activist. She was born May 23, 1926, in Brooklyn, NY, of Jamacian-American parents, was educated in New York City, and attended Howard University, where she received a magna cum laude degree in Political Science and Sociology;...
, a future NOW founder and president.
He was the founding vice president of the National Organization for Women
National Organization for Women
The National Organization for Women is the largest feminist organization in the United States. It was founded in 1966 and has a membership of 500,000 contributing members. The organization consists of 550 chapters in all 50 U.S...
when it was first organized in 1966. He was a male supporter of women's rights at a time when such public support was less common; and, according to the 2007 NOW President Kim Gandy, Graham's decision to become a leader of the organization in its infancy gave NOW a certain level of credibility.
In 1966, he was sworn in as the first director of the National Teachers Corps
National Teachers Corps
Teacher Corps was a program established by the United States Congress in the Higher Education Act of 1965 to improve elementary and secondary teaching in predominantly low-income areas. Individual Teacher Corps projects were developed by "institutions of higher education" in partnership with...
, with an underfunded initial budget of $7.5 million for 1,250 teachers in 125 schools. This meant that from the outset, Graham's top priority became lobbying Congress for additional appropriations to bridge the gap between the program's funding and its projected per capita costs of $8,100 per teacher. By 1968, the Teacher Corps had expanded into 200 schools; and the program had earned modest bi-partisan support.
Graham continued to head the Teacher Corps in the early years of the Nixon administration
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
until early 1971.
In the mid-1970s, he became director of the Center for Moral Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education
Harvard Graduate School of Education
The Harvard Graduate School of Education is one of the graduate schools of Harvard University, and is one of the top schools of education in the United States. It was founded in 1920, the same year it invented the Ed.D...
. He served as President of Goddard College
Goddard College
Goddard College is a private, liberal arts college located in Plainfield, Vermont, offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Goddard College currently operates on an intensive low-residency model...
in Plainfield, Vermont
Plainfield, Vermont
Plainfield is a town in Washington County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,286 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Plainfield is located at ....
(1975–1976); and he helped found the Goddard-Cambridge Center for Social Change.
From the mid-1980s until his death, Graham was an adviser to the Council for Research in Values and Philosophy in Washington, D.C.