Morehouse College names interim president

A Morehouse College graduate and recent board member was named its interim president, officials announced Monday afternoon.

Harold Martin Jr. replaces William “Bill” Taggart, who died earlier this month from an aneurysm in his Atlanta home. Taggart, 55, became the Atlanta college’s interim president in April after the board voted to end then-president John S. Wilson’s contract two months before it expired.

Martin will take on the day-to-day leadership responsibilities for the college until a new president is hired. Dorothy Cowser Yancy, a longtime board member and former president of Shaw University and Johnson C. Smith University, will serve as a senior advisor to Martin.

Martin said he’d continue to work on some of the objectives Taggart had for Morehouse.

“I will continue to execute on this plan in the days and weeks ahead and look forward to working with Morehouse’s Board, students, parents, faculty, staff, alumni and donors to solidify Morehouse’s position as an academic leader during this pivotal time in our College’s history,” Martin said in a statement.

Martin was Morehouse’s valedictorian in 2002 and joined the board in 2014. Martin, who was the board’s secretary, has resigned his seat on the board, the college said. 

VIDEO: Morehouse seeks new leader after Taggart’s sudden death