K. (Kirkland) Leroy Irvis, New York State College for Teachers, Class of 1938. Irvis was the 130th Speaker of the House of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania -- the first African American speaker in both Pennsylvania and in the United States. He is also renowned as an artist, poet, and scholar.
A picture of Vincent O'Leary, Acting President from 1977?1978 and President from 1978?July 31, 1990, with K. (Kirkland) Leroy Irvis, who received an honorary degree at the pictured commencement ceremony. Irvis graduated from the New York State College for Teachers in the Class of 1938. He was the 130th Speaker of the House of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania -- the first African American speaker in both Pennsylvania and in the United States. He is also renowned as an artist, poet, and scholar. During O'Leary's administrations, the institution was named State University of New York at Albany from August 1962?fall 1986 and the University at Albany, SUNY starting in the fall of 1986 and continuing. There are crop marks on all sides of the photograph. In the top margin is written "to 14_'s" (between arrows); in the bottom margin is written the letter "U" and "46%;" and in the left margin is written "to 13_'s" (between arrows).
A picture of State University of New York at Albany Alumni Association members attending an Eastern Chapter meeting, spring 1964. In attendance are John W. Jennings, Class of 1949 (viewer's left), who was the speaker at the meeting, Dominick DeCecco, Class of 1957 and 1958, and Diane Webber Davey, Class of 1950 and 1954. All alumni are graduates of the New York State College for Teachers.
A portrait of John W. Jennings, New York State College for Teachers, Class of 1949. Jennings attended the college with the support of the GI Bill as a WWII Veteran. Jennings served as president of the Inter?Group Council, a local group advocating better racial and religious relations. It is believed that Jennings was the first African American president of the Student Council, also called the Student Association.