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Harold Delaney, Scientist, and Educator

Dr. Harold Delaney

Harold Delaney was born on this date in 1919. He was a Black scientist and educator.

He was born in Philadelphia, PA, the son of Rev. William Y. High School in Providence, RI, in 1936. In 1941, Delaney received his B.S. degree in chemistry from Howard University, the same school from which he received his M.A. in 1943.

Before beginning a lifelong career as an educator, Delaney worked as a chemist on the Manhattan Project at the University of Chicago. From 1945 to 1948, he was an assistant professor of chemistry at North Carolina A&T University.  During this time, he married Geraldine East, a graduate of the same institution.

In 1958, he became the first to attain a Ph.D. from Howard University.  For 21 years, Delaney served as a faculty member in the Department of Chemistry at Morgan State University in Baltimore.  He was chairman of the department for one year and dean of the college for two years. In 1966, he joined E.I. Dupont de Nemours & Co. as a research chemist. Three years later, he attended the University of New York as an Associate Dean, acting Vice-Chancellor, and Associate Provost. In 1972, he was appointed Vice President for Student Services and Special Programs at the University of North Carolina.  In 1975, Delaney was the President of Manhattanville College; in 1976, he was the Associate Director of Educational Equity Group, National Institute of Education.

For ten years (until 1987), he was Executive Vice President of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU). That year he retired and was designated Professor Emeritus.

After retirement, he was a consultant to Governors State University, Saginaw Valley State University, and the Office of Educational Research and Improvement at the U.S. Department of Education. He also was an Assistant Chancellor of the University of Maryland and a lecturer for the National Science Foundation. In 1989, Delaney was appointed interim president of Chicago State University and two years later to the same position at Frostburg State University and Bowie State University in 1992.

Delaney drew deep personal satisfaction from his family and great pride in the many accomplishments of the students he taught.  He published many articles and papers and gave numerous speeches.  Delaney sponsored many research activities and is listed in “Who’s Who in the East” and “Who’s Who among Black Americans.” Dr. Harold Delaney died in 1994.

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