By Vivian Shipe
KNOXVILLE, TN — Honorary doctoral degrees are the highest honor a university can bestow upon an individual. The receipt of an honorary doctorate recognizes an individual has made significant contributions to society, the state, and the university. On Saturday, May 18th, University of Tennessee Knoxville’s Chancellor Donde Plowman, stood before a room of guest and explained the process and procedure of nomination, selection, accepting and awarding this distinguished honor; an honor bestowed upon the late Dr. Bob Booker, author, statesman, longtime community leader, icon, and civil rights activist chosen by a unanimous decision by the leadership of the University.
Dr. Booker, born in what was known as the Bottoms of Knoxville was a proud graduate of Austin High School and attended the historic HBCU Knoxville College. Booker was a leader in the civil rights movement, organizing sit ins to push for desegregation of downtown Knoxville, often arrested in his efforts. Booker was the first Black Tennessee State Representative, a journalist and an author of several books. Booker wrote hundreds of articles for the Knoxville News Sentinel and is considered the top expert on the history of Black Knoxville. Dr. Booker was a bridge between worlds. His ability to bring to life the Black story of Knoxville in all its beauty and glory through his writings helped connect people in ways others could not.
Dr. Booker had on the community and announces the renaming of the organization in his name.
The area near downtown Knoxville where integration of the lunch counters Booker and other Knoxville College students successfully fought for, the area of urban removal where thousands of homes, churches, and black businesses were destroyed in the name of urban removal, and the area where the Knoxville riots of 1919, which Booker wrote about in his book, The Heat of a Red Summer: Race Mixing, Race Rioting in 1919, are befittingly, at the entrance to the bridge named in his honor: The Robert J. Booker Bridge.
Unable to attend the official ceremony due to health reasons, on a cold and stormy February day, several cars pulled up to his residence and Bob Booker received his doctorate during a private ceremony held in his home. It was an event created by Chancellor Plowman and attended by college deans, university officials, and Reverend Renee Kesler, Executive Director of the Beck Cultural Exchange Center where Booker also served as director. during his many years of civic leadership. Family and friends were also present for the hooding ceremony and all educators in attendance wore their full doctoral regalia as Bob Booker was bestowed the honor and new title, Dr. Robert J. Booker. The universities tradition of holding a luncheon in honor of those receiving their doctorate was also upheld with those who were handpicked by Dr. Booker over a year before his passing, attending the luncheon in his honor in May. During the luncheon, guests took turns speaking of Bob and his impact on their lives. Dr. Booker was also recognized at the commencement activities held later in the evening in the Thompson Boling Food City Arena.
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