John Alfred Hannah (1902–91) was an American educator, administrator, and government official known for transforming Michigan State University (MSU) and advancing U.S. civil rights and international development.
Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, he earned a B.S. from Michigan State College (1923) and began his career in agricultural extension services. In 1941, he became president of Michigan State College, leading its expansion into MSU (1955.) Under his leadership, enrollment grew from 6,000 to nearly 40,000, establishing MSU as a national research institution.
Hannah helped secure MSU’s admission to the Big Ten Conference (1950) and co-founded Michigan State University-Oakland (now Oakland University) in 1957. He also expanded adult education programs, international initiatives, and a medical school. Beyond academia, he chaired the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (1957–69,) advocating for desegregation and equal rights. In 1969, he became Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID,) overseeing global development programs.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by John A. Hannah
Higher education must lead the march back to the fundamentals of human relationships, to the old discovery that is ever new, that man does not live by bread alone.
—John A. Hannah
Topics: Education
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