The University of Maryland Eastern Shore is honoring a pioneering educator and agricultural scholar as part of its 140th annual Founders Week.
The university officially renamed its School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences after Simon A. Haley, an agricultural professor, World War I veteran and Cornell University graduate. Haley also was the father of author Alex Haley, whose 1976 book Roots brought his family’s history to an international audience.
For Haley’s descendants, the dedication carries both personal and academic significance. “I was so thrilled and honored, really,” said granddaughter Anne Haley. “It’s a wonderful honor to have my grandfather recognized for his contributions to academics and for it to be recognized on this wonderful campus of University of Maryland, Eastern Shore.”
Haley pursued agricultural education at a time when Black Americans faced significant barriers to higher education and professional advancement. He later taught and held administrative positions at several historically Black colleges and universities, including Alabama A&M, where he became a professor and dean of agriculture.
Dean Moses Carro said that commitment to education remains central to UMES. “Simon Alexander Haley was a person who was committed to education, to providing opportunities for students who would otherwise not get an education elsewhere,” Carro said.
“As we attend this school, representing food, representing our environment, representing almost the earth, it’s Black representation and we have to be serious about it,” agricultural major Zoly Garrett said.
Anne Haley said carrying the family’s history forward is especially important today. “It’s more important than ever to keep telling our stories,” she said.
