Social media reacts to death of Morehouse president

Morehouse College Interim President Bill Taggart (R) talks with commencement speaker Van Jones (L) during the Morehouse College graduation ceremony in the Martin Luther King JR. International Chapel on The Morehouse Campus Sunday, May 21, 2017. STEVE SCHAEFER / SPECIAL TO THE AJC

Credit: Steve Schaefer

Credit: Steve Schaefer

Morehouse College Interim President Bill Taggart (R) talks with commencement speaker Van Jones (L) during the Morehouse College graduation ceremony in the Martin Luther King JR. International Chapel on The Morehouse Campus Sunday, May 21, 2017. STEVE SCHAEFER / SPECIAL TO THE AJC

On Thursday, news of the death of Morehouse College’s interim president, Bill Taggart, rocked the Atlanta community. Officials have confirmed that Taggart, 55, died of an aneurysm. In addition to the outpouring of grief across the Morehouse campus, social media buzzed with condolences for the Taggart family. Politicians, students, and community members took to Twitter to memorialize Taggart and celebrate his legacy.

Morehouse College is a tight-knit community; following the news, students and alumni came together for support and condolences. Both former and current members of the Student Government Association at Morehouse were particularly expressive.

Similarly, other students lent their voices to the conversation.

The Twitter account for Miss Maroon & White also expressed sympathy. According to Morehouse’s website, Miss Maroon and White embodies the feminine qualities that the Men of Morehouse cherish and idealize.

In addition to these student voices, Atlanta politicians contributed to the dialogue. Two mayoral candidates, John Eaves and Peter Amon, tweeted expressing their sympathies. In a follow-up tweet, Eaves mentioned his son who graduated from the HBCU this year.

Mayoral hopefuls were not the only politicians who chimed in. Courtney English, Board Chair of the Atlanta Public School System and Candidate for Atlanta City Council, also tweeted about the passing.

More information on Taggart's death can be found here.