Dulaney leaving Avery Center
Archivist Georgette Mayo to take over as executive director
By Diane Knich
The Post and Courier
Dr. Marvin Dulaney in his office at the Avery Research Center on Tuesday. Dulaney, who has held leadership positions at Avery for the past 14 years, is leaving for a teaching job in Texas.
Marvin Dulaney is leaving the Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture at the College of Charleston, where he's held leadership positions for the past 14 years.
Dulaney, who's currently Avery's executive director, will step down from the center's top post on June 30 and leave in mid-August. Georgette Mayo, the center's reference archivist, will take over as executive director on July 1.
Dulaney has accepted a job as a history professor at the University of Texas at Arlington. He worked at that university before coming to the College of Charleston.
The Avery Research Center was established in 1985, and its mission "tells the story of black Americans from their origins in Africa through slavery, emancipation, segregation, migration, the civil rights movement, and the ongoing struggle for social and political equality" according to its Web site.
At Avery, Dulaney ran the center, which also included fundraising and interacting with the public, he said. He also taught history at the College of Charleston.
Related story: High profile
W. Marvin Dulaney: Teaching others about their past -- 2/17/1996
He loved his work, he said, but it didn't leave him any time to work on a book about blacks in Dallas, a project he's been chipping away at for more than 10 years.
In his new position, he'll teach two classes and have time to finish the book. That's important, he said, because "I don't want it to be this thing that constantly hangs over my head."
"If I stayed here," he said, "I know I would never get it done."
The new job also will allow him to focus more on teaching, his "first calling," he said.
The Post and Courier
Goergette Mayo
Mayo, who has been an archivist at the center for more than two years, said she met Dulaney while doing graduate work at the University of South Carolina. She earned a bachelor of arts, a master of arts and a master of library and information science degree from USC.
When she met Dulaney, Mayo said, she was impressed with him and his work at Avery. "I knew in the back of my mind that I wanted to work here."
Mayo said when she takes over in July, she plans to continue to support the archival program at Avery. And she'll immediately begin planning the center's next steps in public programming, she said.
College of Charleston Provost Elise Jorgens said Dulaney was "very instrumental in Avery as it exists today."
Dulaney expanded the archival collection, she said.
Today, Avery has "a significant research collection for scholars," she said.
He also reached outside the walls of the center and made Avery a community resource, she said.
Dulaney said the accomplishments he's most proud of include completing the building renovations, doubling the archival collection and increasing the outreach to the community.
When he started, he said, "not a whole lot of people came through our doors."
But that's no longer a problem, he said. "Now there's heavy traffic."
Reach Diane Knich at 937-5491 or dknich@postandcourier.com.
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gamecockcougar (anonymous) says...
I think it's a great move for a person who had Malcolm X pictures in his office. It made white students very uncomfortable. I'm sure CofC is looking for the most Liberal, unrealistic professor they can find to replace him.
May 16, 2008 at 6:34 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
realityhurts4real (anonymous) says...
Gamecockcougar,
I thought he was teaching AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY. Why do Whites Americans have to feel "uncomfortable"? You are killing me with this.
White Americans will have you to believe that they have no culture. or that White culture encompasses every American.
"A profound hatred for the African people is at the center of American civilization".
May 16, 2008 at 8:33 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
coccougs (anonymous) says...
As a graduate of College of Charleston's history department - I have to say that we're losing a great asset, but I wish Mr. Dunlaney the best of luck.
As to gamecockcougar's comment - that is the most ridiculous comment I've ever read on this board, which is saying a lot. The Avery Research Center is an amazing resource for the college and Mr. Dulaney is a wonderful person and professor. Why people feel a need to turn a nice article honoring a great man into some sort of sounding board for stupidity is beyond me . . . and as a white male, let me add that if you feel uncomfortable looking at picture of Malcolm X, you've got your own issues to work out.
. . . and then realityhurts4real responds with an equaly ridiculous comment from the other view point. I tell myself everyday not to read these stupid posts, but it's like Jerry Springer or a train wreck - you know it's awful, but you look anyway! The reality that you are an ignorant ass does indeed hurt . . . for real.
Best wishes, Prof. Dulaney. I hope you don't read these comments.
May 16, 2008 at 9:04 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mikell96 (anonymous) says...
Wishing Dr. Dulaney much success. Truly enjoyed his knowledge of history and his successful growth of the Avery Research Center.
May 16, 2008 at 9:22 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
512c (anonymous) says...
I love The Avery Center. GameCOCKcougar is acting like a child, thinking they can say anything, when they're little pudgy larvae hands are invisible.
May 16, 2008 at 10:03 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
CHRISJIII (anonymous) says...
I also am a graduate of the College of Charleston's History Dept. and I'm very sadden to hear that Dr. Dulaney is leaving, but I wish him well. Gamecock: get a life and grow a brain in the process.
May 16, 2008 at 10:37 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Girleygirl (anonymous) says...
Good Luck Dr. Dulaney!
May 16, 2008 at 11:49 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
DenmarkVesey1822 (anonymous) says...
We'll miss you DOC!!! GameCockCouger, get a clue. Have you even read the Autobiography of Malcolm X? Sorry if I don't feel any sympathy, but I grew up having to see Robert E. Lee portraits and such....Pick up a book! There are plenty to read at the Avery Research Center.
May 16, 2008 at 2:30 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
wjhamilton3 (anonymous) says...
I've worked on some interesting projects with the Institute over the years. The actual, detailed history of African Americans in South Carolina is always much more interesting and complex than most people think. Avery has helped take this history from the "there were no records, so we'll just make it up" to a rich, detailed look at how different people lived with one another based on sources people didn't believe existed. Slavery was bad, but very different from what you see on TV and in the movies, particularly in Charleston where who you know counts for so much. Our ancestors black and white where intellegent people who worked with the institutions of their day in a lot of surprising ways. In the end, you have to accept and respect it all as the human undertaking of getting through the day.
May 16, 2008 at 4:15 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
CNN_10 (anonymous) says...
Well I was supposed to have Dulaney for Civil Rights Movement class next semester. Man that was unexpected but he seems to be a good man. As for Gamecock maybe you failed his class or something for you to feel that way.
May 16, 2008 at 6:05 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
CNN_10 (anonymous) says...
David Duke man he will not even last a week lol
May 16, 2008 at 7:04 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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