John Blackburn (educator)

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Dr. John L. Blackburn is a former administrator at The University of Alabama who is in many ways responsible for the peaceful racial integration of the school, despite efforts by then-governor George Wallace.

Blackburn began his long association with higher education after serving in Indo-China during World War II. First, he served as an instructor in the United States Air Force; then at Florida State University in 1951 and 1952, where he experienced the first of a series of events which placed him on the cutting edge of innovative change in higher education in the United States. As an administrator at Florida State University, one of his tasks was to assist in integrating male students into the previous Florida State College for Women.

He began his career at The University of Alabama in 1956 and he became Dean of Men in 1958. In 1963, his dedication to progress and meticulous planning were credited as key elements in the historic peaceful integration of African-Americans into the Capstone.

In 1968, the men’s and women’s student affairs functions were consolidated and Dr. Blackburn was named Dean of Students and the Office of Student Affairs assumed a much larger and more important role in the life of the University.

In 1969, Blackburn became Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs at the University of Denver. Blackburn was able to develop his theories on the restructuring of college campuses as well as implement many of them. In 1972, under his direction, National Association of Student Personnel Administration conducted a conference on The Communitization Process in Academe, with Dr. Blackburn writing the introduction to 21 innovative communitization approaches.

Blackburn turned his attention to the burgeoning opportunities in university resources. In 1978, he returned to The University of Alabama and over the next 12 years helped to raise more than $30 million dollars, once again finding himself in the forefront of a changing emphasis for public education into the world of private development.

Blackburn served as President of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators from 1973-1974, President of the American Association of University Administrators from 1977-1979 and 1985-1986, and as Grand Senior President of Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity from 1968-1970.

As an educational consultant at present and as past general secretary of the American Association of University Administrators, Blackburn finds himself more interested in effective innovation in higher education.

Though retired, Blackburn remains active in civic affairs and recently served as the Interim Chairman of Challenge 21, a community development program in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

In 1995, Blackburn was honored by becoming the namesake of the new Blackburn Institute, an elite public service education program at The University of Alabama.