Allen R. Sullivan, PhD: 9th District

Abstract

Allen R. Sullivan, PhD:9th District Judson L. Jeffries Allen R. Sullivan, PhD, a 2009 inductee into the African American Educators Hall of Fame, is a distinguished educator as well as administrator, having won many awards and honors over a long career. During his lifetime, Brother Sullivan racked up many honors, merits, commendations, and badges. In addition to being a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., for nearly 60 years, he is a member of Phi Delta Kappa and Psi Chi, two prestigious national honor societies for education and psychology, respectively. It should also be noted that Brother Sullivan has the distinction of being a former student-athlete. As a track athlete, Sullivan won many important races. In addition to his athletic exploits, Brother Sullivan excelled as a Boy Scout, earning the rank of Eagle Scout. Retired since 2005, Brother Sullivan spent more than 30 years in the Dallas Independent School district in Dallas, Texas, ending his career as the Assistant Superintendent for Student Support and Advocacy Services. Brother Sullivan's impact on the lives of young people has been felt far and wide. Brother Sullivan has served as a public-school teacher, track and cross-country coach, as well as college professor. In fact, his work in the area of special education is widely documented in the form of reports, newspaper articles, books, and scholarly journal articles. As a doctoral student, during his days in Western New York, Dr. Sullivan was instrumental in reviving the Kappa chapter of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., which included securing a fraternity house that sat alongside other fraternity houses on the school's largely White fraternity row. Given the chilly reception that many African American students and faculty members encountered in the overwhelmingly White city of Syracuse, the acquisition of a house located on fraternity row is quite an accomplishment. As a former resident of Binghamton, NY, this writer is, in more ways than one, all too familiar with the frigid environs of Upstate New York. Winter comes early in that region of the Empire State and wears out its welcome long after spring makes an appearance in other tristate cities. Below is [End Page 347] material derived from several conversations between this writer and Dr. Sullivan in the spring of 2021. Judson L. Jeffries: Brother Sullivan, I want to thank you for taking the time to talk to me and agreeing to participate in this important project. Allen R. Sullivan: Oh, no problem—my pleasure. JLJ: How's everything going? AS: I'm not fussing too much, how's everything going with you? JLJ: I can't complain none Brother Sullivan, can't complain one bit. AS: Alright, that's good to hear. JLJ: Ok, I understand you earned your doctorate at Syracuse, but where did you go to college? AS: I went to Northeastern University in Boston. JLJ: Are you an East Coast guy? AS: If by East Coast guy, you mean did I grow up there—the answer is yes. I grew up in Cambridge. JLJ: Oh, I see, I see! I lived in Cambridge for about a year and a half, off and on. AS: Oh, is that right? JLJ: Sure did. One year I lived on Garden Street, another time I lived on Channing Drive or something like that. AS: What were you doing there? JLJ: One year I had a fellowship at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, another year I held a fellowship at Tufts University. AS: Ok, I didn't live far from Harvard's campus. I could look out of my window and see the tower on Harvard's campus. JLJ: Because I'm fairly familiar with Cambridge, let's talk a little bit about that area. AS: Ok. JLJ: What high school did you attend? AS: I attended Rindge Technical High School. JLJ: Ok, you got me there. I don't know anything about that school. Never heard of it. AS: It was founded in 1888. At Rindge, students were afforded the opportunity to learn a trade as well as take the kinds of courses one would normally take in order to prepare for college. I should...