Dr. Ruth Ray Jackson
17TH PRESIDENT OF LANGSTON UNIVERSITY
Dr. Ruth Ray Jackson currently serves as the 17th President of Langston University. She was appointed to the leadership position on April 15, 2024, by the Board of Regents for the Oklahoma Agricultural & Mechanical Colleges. As president of Dear Langston, Dr. Jackson is the institution’s chief executive officer. She is focused on advancing the University’s academic programs, providing a memorable campus experience, and embracing the institution’s land-grant mission.
Prior to being appointed president, Dr. Jackson served as interim president from April 21, 2023, until her current appointment. During her tenure, Dr. Jackson successfully built momentum while maintaining continuity and stability. Her unwavering commitment to Dear Langston’s mission and her ability to navigate critical transitions were commendable.
Under her guidance and visionary leadership, Langston University will excel and reach new heights. Possessing extensive academic administrative experience, Dr. Jackson has a strong record of teaching, service, and scholarship. Her association with Langston University began in 2014 as Dean and Professor for the School of Education and Behavioral Sciences where she provided strategic leadership for a diverse set of academic programs offered in Langston, Oklahoma City, and Tulsa.
During the next decade, Dr. Jackson served in progressive leadership roles. As Associate Vice President for Student Success she led the institution’s student success initiatives and coordinated the university-wide retention efforts. In her role as Vice President for Student Success, Dr. Jackson was responsible for creating and implementing the university’s academic priorities. Before joining Langston University, she spent 11 years at Louisiana State University in Shreveport as a faculty member, graduate program director, and department chair.
Before transitioning to higher education, Dr. Jackson worked as a high school English teacher, assistant principal, and principal in public education. She earned a Ph.D. in Education and Human Resources Studies from Colorado State University. She holds a master’s degree in educational administration and supervision as well as a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education from Southern University and A&M College.
Dr. Jackson serves on the Board of Visitors for Howard University’s Graduate School and the Edmond (OK) Public Schools Foundation. She is also active in several community organizations. Prior to moving to Oklahoma, Dr. Jackson was a member of Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana’s Board of Directors, ending her tenure as Vice-Chairman of the Board. She also volunteered with Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA).
Active in several organizations, Dr. Jackson continues to work with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and Jack and Jill of America, Inc. She and her husband John are the proud parents of Leah, a high school senior. Dr. Jackson is blessed with three bonus adult sons (Desmond, Jordan, Jarrod) and five sweet little grandchildren.
Former Langston University Presidents
Inman E. Page 1898-1915
J.W. Sanford 1935-1939
Thomas E. Engish 1975-1977
Isaac McCutcheon 1915-1916
Albert L. Turner 1940
Samuel Tucker 1978
John Marquess 1916-1923
G. Lamar Harrison 1940-1960
Ernest L. Holloway 1979-2005
I.W. Young 1923-1927 & 1931-1935
William H. Hale 1960-1969
JoAnn W. Haysbert 2005-2011
Zachary T. Hubert 1927-1931
William E. Simms 1969-1974
Kent J. Smith 2012-2023
Courtney Warmington,Vice Chair
Governing Boards and Officials
THE HONORABLE KEVIN STITT, GOVERNOR
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
Dennis Casey, Chair
Steven W. Taylor, Secretary
Dustin J. Hilliary, Assistant Secretary P. Mitchell “Mitch” Adwon
Ken Levit
Jack Sherry
Jeffrey W. Hickman
Board of Regents for the
Rick Walker,Vice Chair
Michael C. Turpen
Sean Burrage, Chancellor
Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical Colleges
Jimmy Harrel, Chair
Cary Baetz
Jennifer Callahan Blayne Arthur
Billy G. Taylor
Joe D. Hall
Chris Franklin
Jason Ramsey, Chief Executive Officer
Administration
Dr. Ruth Ray Jackson.
Dr. Alonzo Peterson
Theresa Powell
Chris Kuwitzky
Joshua A. Busby..................................................................................................................................................................................................
Board of Trustees for the Langston University
Oklahoma
Sherman Lewis, Chair
City and Tulsa Campuses
D. Gayle Maxwell,Vice Chair Avilla Williams, Secretary
Rita Combs Col. Stanley L. Evans
Rick Davis
Darrell E. Strong
Melvin Latham
Claud Evans
Langston University Foundation Board Members
David Stephens, Chair
Dr. Wayne Jones Darrell Jefflo
Lovell Leverette Sherman Lewis
Kenneth Watson Ron Tribble
Marlon James Michele Purvey
Joshua A. Busby, Interim Executive Director
Langston University National Alumni Association
Dezz Lewis
Jasmine Gause
Gwendolyn
Arthur Cotman
Colisha Lewis
DeMauri Myers
Tonya Ruffin-Mustin……............................................................................................……............................................................................Executive
Myles
Terrance
The History of Langston University
“Africa is a rubber ball; the harder you dash it to the ground, the higher it will rise.”
— Melvin B. Tolson, Libretto for the Republic of Liberia
Founded on March 12, 1897, under the second Morrill Act of 1890, Langston University was officially designated as the Colored Agricultural and Normal University (CANU) by Oklahoma Territorial House Bill 151. It was the result of an appearance in 1892 by black citizens before the Oklahoma Industrial School and College Commission to petition the need for an institution of higher education for blacks who were not permitted to attend any of the institutions of higher education in the Oklahoma Territory.
On September 3, 1898, with an initial budget of $5,000, the school opened in a Presbyterian church in the small city of Langston, located northeast of Guthrie, which was the capitol of the Oklahoma Territory. The first president was Dr. Inman E. Page, the son of a former slave, who had purchased freedom for himself and his family. During Page’s tenure, from 1898-1915, the campus expanded from 40 to 160 acres, increased its enrollment from 41 to 650 students, grew its faculty from four to 35, constructed classroom buildings and dormitories, and strengthened its curriculum.
In 1941, the school’s name changed to Langston University to reflect the town in which it is located. Both are named for John Mercer Langston, a prominent black Virginia educator, whose name was synonymous with excellence in higher education. Seven years later, Langston University received accreditation from the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.
In addition to its distinction as Oklahoma’s only historically black institution of higher education, Langston University is the only institution in the state with both a land-grant and an urban mission. The urban mission, assigned in 1978 by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, resulted in the establishment of campuses in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. The University is accredited through the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Individual programs are accredited through the: Oklahoma Board of Nursing, National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education, National League for Nursing, Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs, Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education, American Physical Therapy Association, and the Council on Rehabilitation Education.
Undergraduate students are admitted to LU based on their high school grade point average and class rank, or based on their score ranking on the American College Testing (ACT) Program. In addition, students must complete the required units of study for high school students as designated by Oklahoma State Law. Graduate student admission is based on specified program requirements in the fields of education, counseling, business, or physical therapy.
There are six academic schools at Langston University: Sherman Lewis School of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, School of Business, School of Education and Behavioral Science, School of Nursing and Health Professions, and the School of Physical Therapy. Since its founding, Langston University has served more than 18,000 graduates across all three campuses. The University has over 100 faculty members and offers six (6) associate degree programs, over twenty-five (25) baccalaureate degree programs, four (4) master’s degree programs and a Doctor of Physical Therapy program.
The Academic Regalia
The custom of wearing academic regalia stems from the Middle Ages when scholars were also clerics and wore the costumes of their monastic order. The hood was originally a cowl attached to the gown, which could be slipped over the head for warmth. The cap was originally round but has changed to the varieties that we see today.
The gown varies for the respective degrees. The bachelor’s gown is worn closed and can be distinguished by its long, pointed sleeves. The master’s gown is designed to be worn open with the arms worn through the slips in the elbows of the sleeves. The doctor’s gown, also worn open, has full, bell-shaped sleeves with three horizontal bars stitched across the upper arm. There is a velvet panel draped around the neck and stitched down the front edge. This velvet trimming may be either black or the same color as the velvet border of the hood.
The hood also varies for the respective degrees. The bachelor’s and master’s hoods are of the same design, pointed at the base. The bachelor’s hood is three feet long; the master’s hood is three and one-half feet long. The doctor’s hood is four feet long, of fuller shape, and round at the base. The hood is bordered with velvet, the color which indicates the field of study in which the degree was earned. The colors listed below will be worn by graduates of the various disciplines:
The Chain of Office and Presidential Mace
The Chain of Office represents the University President’s authority. Made of brushed bronze, the Chain of Office features the names and years of service of all sixteen Langston University presidents inscribed on individual plates separated by links. The official Langston University seal hangs from the individual plates.
The Presidential Mace symbolizes the university’s governing authority and is present only when the President is in attendance. It signifies the proceedings have official sanction. The Presidential Mace has been updated to commemorate the 125th anniversary of Langston University.
The Presidential Mace is made of walnut wood with antique brass.The gold-plated border has inscribed on it “Office of the President” and “Presidential Mace.” The Mace symbolizes the responsibility of scholarship entrusted to the president as the highest-ranking officer in the academy. The Presidential Mace may be carried by the president or by a designee appointed to represent the Office of the President. The designee is referred to as “The Macebearer.”
Order of the Academic Procession
PROCESSIONAL OF:
INVESTITURE MARSHALLS
ACADEMIC DEANS
FACULTY
STAFF
DELEGATES FROM INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION
PLATFORM PARTY
PRESIDENT OF LANGSTON UNIVERSITY
Schedule of Events
INVESTITURE CEREMONY FOR PRESIDENT RUTH RAY JACKSON, PH.D.
I.W. Young Auditorium 2:00 p.m.
UNVEILING OF PRESIDENTIAL BUST
Centennial Plaza
(Following the Investiture Ceremony)
CAMPUSWIDE RECEPTION
Student Success Center
(Immediately following the unveiling of the Presidential Bust)
A NIGHT OF WIT, WISDOM, AND WELL WISHES
Hilton Garden Inn Edmond / Oklahoma City North, 2833 Conference Dr, Edmond, OK 73034
Invitation only Casual 7:30 - 10:00 p.m.
Distinguished Keynote Speaker Dana A. Williams
Dana A. Williams is Professor of African American Literature in the Department of English and Dean of the Graduate School at Howard University. Dr. Williams earned her B.A. in English from Grambling State University in Grambling, LA in 1993, her M.A. in 1995 from Howard University, and her Ph.D. in African American Literature from Howard University in 1998.
As a recipient of the Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Scholar award in 1999, she was a visiting research fellow at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. The following year, she joined the faculty at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, where she remained for four years before returning to Howard as a member of the faculty in the Department of English. In 2008-09, she was a faculty fellow at the John Hope Franklin Humanities Institute at Duke University, and she assumed chairmanship of Howard’s department of English in 2009.
A former president of the College Language Association (the oldest and largest professional organization for faculty of color who teach languages and literatures), Williams has a well- earned national reputation as a leading humanities thinker. In 2012, President Barack Obama nominated Dr. Williams for the National Humanities Council. And she is the immediate past president of the Modern Languages Association, which boasts more than 20,000 members.
In 2019, Dr. Williams was named interim dean of the Graduate School, and in 2021, she became the Graduate School’s first female dean.
Dr. Williams has published extensively. She has 6 books (as author or editor) and more than 20 articles to her credit. Her latest book on Toni Morrison’s editorship at Random House Publishing Company will be released this summer by Amistad, an imprint of Harper Collins publishing company.
In addition to her scholarly work, Dr. Williams serves as a member of the board of directors for the Toni Morrison Society and the American Council of Learned Societies and as a member of the advisory board for Hurston/ Wright Foundation, the Judge Alexander Williams Center at the University of Maryland, the Furious Flower Poetry Center at James Madison University. She is also the co- executive director of the Center for Medical Humanities and Health Justice at Georgetown and Howard universities.
Dr. Williams is married to William H. Lamar IV, and they live in suburban Washington, DC.
Program of Events
PRELUDE
Performed by the Langston University Concert Band
PROCESSIONAL
“Pomp and Circumstance”
CALL TO ORDER
Presiding Official: Dr. Alonzo Peterson,Vice President for Academic Affairs
NATIONAL ANTHEM
Performed by the Langston University Concert Choir
BLACK NATIONAL ANTHEM
Performed by the Langston University Concert Choir
INVOCATION
Delivered by: Dr.Vernon Jones, Pastor of Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church
WELCOME AND OCCASION
Delivered by: Dr. Alonzo Peterson,Vice President for Academic Affairs
GREETINGS TO THE PRESIDENT
Mr. Andre Love, Chair-Elect of the Faculty Senate
Mrs. Sonya Moore-Davis, Staff Representative
Student Government Association President, Mr. Myles Lowery
Mr. Dezz Lewis, Langston University National Alumni Associattion President
United States Senator James Lankford
United States Congresswoman Stephanie Bice
Oklahoma Senator Chuck Hall
State Representative Ajay Pittman, Chair of the Oklahoma Legislative Black Caucus
Mayor Michawl Boyles, Town of Langston City
Dr. LaTonia Collins Smith, President of Harris Stowe State University
Justice Steven Taylor, Retired Oklahoma State Regent for Higher Education
Mrs. Sharman Charles, Friend of the President
Mr. Edwin Ray, Brother of the President
INTRODUCTION OF THE DISTINGUISHED SPEAKER
Dr. Alonzo Peterson,Vice President for Academic Affairs
DISTINGUISHED KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Dr. Dana A. Williams, Dean, Graduate School, Howard University
INVESTITURE CEREMONY
Regent Chris Franklin, Trustee Sherman Lewis
Presentation of Symbols of Office
Presidential Chain of Office
Presidential Mace
FORMAL INSTALLATION:
Regent Chris Franklin
Official conferring of the title “17th President of Langston University”
CHARGE:
Chancellor Sean Burrage
INTRODUCTION OF THE PRESIDENT
Leah Jackson
INAUGURAL ADDRESS
President Ruth Ray Jackson
ALMA MATER
Langston University Concert Choir
PRECESSIONAL
Langston University Concert Band
UNVEILING OF THE PRESIDENTIAL BUST
Centennial Plaza
RECEPTION
Student Success Center
Light refreshments provided
Delegates
LaTonia Collins Smith, Ed.D.
President Harris-Stowe State University 1857
Dana A Williams, Ph.D.
Dean Howard University 1867
Melva K. Wallace, Ph.D.
President & CEO
Huston-Tillotson University 1875
Makola M. Abdullah, Ph.D.
President Virginia State University 1882
Delarious O. Stewart, Ed.D.
Assistant Professor/Clinical Director East Texas A&M University 1889
Ruth Ray Jackson, Ph.D.
President Langston University 1897
Emmanuel Lalande, Ed.D.
Vice President, Enrollment and Student Success and Special Assistant to the President on Transformative Initiatives Voorhees University 1897
Kelsey Martin, B.S.Ag.
Director of Marketing and University Relations
Northwestern Oklahoma State University 1897
Abul Pitre, Ph.D.
Department Chair, African Studies San Francisco State University 1899
Diana Morris Watkins, M.S. President Northern Oklahoma College 1901
Suzanne Mynette Mayo, Ph.D.
Lecturer II, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences
Grambling State University 1901
Thomas W. Newsom, Ph.D.
President
Southeastern Oklahoma State University 1909
Kyle J. Stafford, Ed.D. President
Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College 1919
John Patrick Ned, Ph.D. Visiting Assistant Professor of Finance Pepperdine University 1937
Steven Taylor, J.D. State Regent for Higher Education Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education 1941
Scott Wicker, Ph.D.
Associate Vice Chancellor for Accreditation and Accountability Southern University System 1974
LaTonia Collins Smith. Ed.D. President Harris-Stowe State University 1857
Luria Young, Ph.D. Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Southern University and A&M College 1880
James D. Hess, Ed.D. Interim President Oklahoma State University 1890
Ronald S. Ramming, Ph.D. President Connors State College 1908
John Patrick Ned, Ph.D. Visiting Assistant Professor of Finance Seaver College, Pepperdine University 1937
Johnny Stephens, Pharm.D. President
Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences
1972
Jennifer Williams Molock, Ed.D. Chief Executive Office
The JMo Empowerment Group, LLC
2018
Lift every voice and sing Till earth and heaven ring, Ring with the harmonies of Liberty; Let our rejoicing rise
High as the listening skies, Let it resound loud as the rolling sea.
Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us,
Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us, Facing the rising sun of our new day begun
Let us march on till victory is won.
Stony the road we trod, Bitter the chastening rod, Felt in the days when hope unborn had died; Yet with a steady beat, Have not our weary feet
Come to the place for which our fathers sighed?
We have come over a way that with tears has been watered, We have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered, Out from the gloomy past, Till now we stand at last
Where the white gleam of our bright star is cast.
God of our weary years, God of our silent tears, Thou who has brought us thus far on the way; Thou who has by Thy might Led us into the light, Keep us forever in the path, we pray.
Lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met Thee, Lest, our hearts drunk with the wine of the world, we forget Thee; Shadowed beneath Thy hand, May we forever stand.
True to our God, True to our native land.
