Of the three candidates vying for chair of the English Department, Terrence T. Tucker became the first African American selected as chair at the University of Memphis in Memphis, TN. Terrence, a 1996 graduate of Ouachita Parish High School, completed his undergraduate work at LSU in Baton Rouge. Then, he received his Master's Degree and PhD in African-American Studies from the University of Kentucky in Lexington, KY. Prior to becoming chair, Dr. Tucker was the Coordinator of the African-American Literature Department. A major accomplishment under his leadership was he chaired the CLA Host Committee for the 2021 historic conference for The College Language Association, an organization committed to the study of African-American Literature, Writing, and Teaching. Dr. Tucker's first book, Furiously Funny: Comic Rage from Ralph Ellison to Chris Rock, was published in 2018. Presently, he is completing his second book on the black middle and upper classes. The book is scheduled to be published in the fall of 2022. Dr. Tucker is the son of Mary H. Tucker and the late James Tucker, the grandson of the late Annie Mae Ford and Emeal Price, and the grandson of the late Hazel Wade and Louis Tucker. Additionally, he is a descendant of the Ford Family in Bosco, LA. Dr. Tucker, his wife, daughter, and son give praises to the TRINITY from whom all blessings flow.

Photo Dr. Terrance Tucker