Black History Month 2026

Henry and Viola Showell began their careers at SU during the early 1930's and served campus in dining services and maintenance roles for the next several decades. Their commitment to education is shown through their five children who made profound impacts at schools in Black communities across the region after attending Bowie State University. Due to segregation in higher education at the time, this family was unable to attend SU, despite also striving for education. Learn more about the Showell family and their experiences on campus and in the community in a StoryMap created by Nabb Center local history archivist, Ian Post.

Dr. Alfred K. Talbot was recruited by President Norman Crawford to become Salisbury State College’s first full-time African American professor in 1971. He was assigned jointly to the departments of Education and Sociology where he taught until he was appointed Professor Emeritus in 2001. From 1962 to 1966, he held positions in the Virginia Federation of Parents and Teachers and the Virginia Teachers Association. Dr. Talbot passed away in 2004.

Dr. Clara Small worked at Salisbury State College from 1977 to 2013. She was hired as SSC’s first African American professor in the History Department. During her tenure, Dr. Small was advisor to the Black Student Union and taught a variety of courses including World Civilization, Civil Rights in American Society and African American History until her appointment as Professor Emeritus in 2013. She has also published several books about prominent African Americans on the Delmarva Peninsula and continues to research and publish on African American history on the shore.

Dr. Wavie Gibson, Jr. worked at Salisbury State College from 1977 to 2003. He was hired as SSC’s first African American professor in the English Department although he had worked in other capacities on campus prior to this position.  He mainly taught courses devoted to modern language. In 1984, he was appointed director of developmental studies at SU and was instrumental in founding the University’s annual Eastern Shore Writing Project Summer Institute. Gibson is a graduate of Morgan State College and earned his Master of Education from SU and doctorate from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Gibson retired as Faculty Emeritus in 2003.

Vaughn White joined Salisbury State University in 1979. He played an integral role in the creation of Salisbury’s chapter of the NAACP. By 1990, he was the Coordinator for Minority Programming, and by 1999, his title changed to Director of Multiethnic Student Services, later the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs. While building and maintaining diversity, equity and inclusion programs at SU, he went out of his way to ensure students, parents and others felt comfortable at the University. His influential leadership helped advance SU’s mission and priorities. White retired from the Student Affairs Division in 2019 after 41 years of service, returning on an interim basis in 2022. He was honored in 2023 with an inaugural Meritorious Staff Award.