As the first African American man to hold the position of Full Professor at the University of Idaho, Dr. Sydney Freeman Jr. has made history. Only 36 years old
Unlike most people, who typically take an average of 10 to 12 years to obtain that position, Dr. Freeman, who is directly descended from slaves, was able to complete the tenure route in just 5 years and 7 months.
While most full professors begin their careers at age 55, Freeman is only 36. He graduated from Auburn University with a degree in Higher Education Administration in 2011.
He was hired right away by Tuskegee University, where he spent more than three years as a Director at the Teaching and Learning Center.
He then started working at the University of Idaho as an Associate Professor before recently becoming a Full Professor.
He said he is hoping more Black people could be hired as faculty members. “If we want to see Idaho grow and be more inclusive
We have to bring that inclusion in and so it’s important for us to not only have conversations about it but actually invest in diversifying faculty and staff but also retaining them,” Dr. Freeman told CBS 2 Idaho News.
Aside from Freeman, there have been other Black people who achieved the same feat.
The first person of African heritage to have a full professorship at the University of Idaho was Dr. Wudneh Admassu, who was born in Ethiopia.
Shaakirrah Sanders, a professor at the University of Idaho, is still the first and only Black woman to hold the position of full professor.
However, there is still a long way to go for more diversity as only 5% of full-time faculty at American schools and universities are African Americans.
