Remembering Dr. Hare
We moved to San Francisco and into our building on the corner of Jackson and Gough in August of 2019. One of the first people we met while moving in was an older gentlemen named Nathan who had been renting the unit across the hall, along with his late wife Julia, since 1968. It was the same year he was hired by San Francisco State University to coordinate the very first Black Studies program at any college in the history of the United States.
Nathan was born in Slick, Oklahoma. His parents were sharecroppers. He attended segregated schools known as the Slick Separate Schools. In high school he won an Interscholastic Meet held at Langston University which so impressed his principal it led to them helping him with enrollment to Langston and a job working in the dining hall to pay his way.
While at Langston he met his future wife, Julia, a fellow student who would go on to be incredible speaker, writer, actress and musician.
In fact, one of the first times I ever went over to Nathan’s apartment I marveled at Julia’s grand piano sitting in the center of their apartment, wondering how in the world they managed to get it inside and how I wished we could have heard her play.
After graduating from Langston and then receiving his PhD and Masters from the University of Chicago, Dr. Hare began his teaching career at Howard University in Washington D.C. as an associate sociology professor. His students included Stokley Carmichael, one of the early leaders of the Black Power movement.
In 1967, as Dr. Hare became increasingly involved in the Black Power movement and invited Muhammad Ali to speak on campus at Howard. The move infuriated Howard President, James Nabrit who along with other administrators attempted to quell the growth of the movement on campus by padlocking the doors to the auditorium where Ali was set to speak. Undeterred Ali held court on the steps outside giving his famous ‘Black is Best’ speech.
Dr. Hare was promptly dismissed.
Unemployed and looking for work, Dr. Hare briefly returned to his other passion, boxing. He won his last fight by a knockout.
In 1968, Dr. Hare was recruited by San Francisco State University to coordinate a Black Studies program at the school. It would be the first of it’s kind in the entire history of the country.
Despite the best intentions, from the start the school and their new hire were at odds with the Council of Academic Deans who merely wanted Dr. Hare to head up a minority studies program. However, along with the Black Student Union, Dr. Hare insisted on the creation of, ‘an autonomous Department of Black Studies.’
The two sides couldn’t come to agreement leading to a five-month strike on campus, disrupting classes, activities and ultimately leading to the dismissal of the President John Summerskill as well as his successor, Robert Smith.
Smith’s successor S.I. Hayakawa dealt with the protests by ordering the arrest of nearly 600 students and faculty and soon after in February of ’69, Dr. Hare was arrested and then dismissed.
In the years after Dr. Hare published numerous articles, books and co-founded the The Black Scholar: A Journal of Black Studies and Research. Dr. Hare’s efforts and impact on the Civil Rights movement continued with the creation of the Black Think Tank and co-authored books with Julia.
Side note: If you’ve never experienced the joy of watching Julia Hare absolutely own the stage at the State of the Black Union in 2007 do yourself a favor and watch this. She was absolutely electric.
Sadly when we met Nathan in August of 2019 Julia had recently passed and as someone who had recently lost my own mother and was learning how difficult it was for my own father to cope with the loss of his spouse after 50 years of marriage, I could sense something similar in Nathan. A void. Like a vital organ was missing from his being and his purpose. And yet he still greeted us with kindness and interest in telling us about her.
Over the last few years we got to know Nathan a bit. I would occasionally bring up packages for him if I saw them in the lobby. Help with this or that around the apartment. Unload groceries. Nothing really major. Just being neighbors.
As his health started to wane and he moved to an assisted living facility I saw less of him. I hate to admit the last time I saw him was on Christmas Eve. I had every intention of going back more often but I just didn’t make it back over there. I wish I had.
Dr. Nathan Hare passed away yesterday at the age of 91.
I’m not sure why I felt the need to write something about this moment. I know for a fact there are many others out there who are in a better position to speak of this man’s incredible accomplishments. I suppose it’s because he lived an incredible life and for a few short years we had the pleasure of being his next door neighbor. I’m so glad we had that time.
Nathan was a very kind man with a generous heart and warm smile who made us feel welcome in our new city. I’m grateful to have known him and glad he’s now in heaven with Julia.
Rest in peace, Nathan. We’ll miss you.
