This entry in “Not Forgotten:  Recalling Former Faculty in the Department of History” series is about Gary Hunter, a history faculty member who passed away in a multi-vehicle car accident on May 12, 2003.  One of the most revered faculty members to ever teach at Glassboro State College and Rowan University, the University honored his passing by establishing the Gary J. Hunter Excellence in Mentoring Award, the Gary J. Hunter Memorial Scholarship, and the Gary J. Hunter Excellence in History Medallion.  This entry tries to convey why he mattered so much to so many people when he passed. 

***** 

Gary Jerome Hunter was born in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, on September 23, 1946.  His father, John Oscar Hunter, was a World War II veteran who worked at a hospital in Pennsylvania.  His mother, Elizabeth Richardson Hunter, was busy with their many children.  Gary was the firstborn of eleven.  They grew up in rural West Chester, Pennsylvania.  He attended Scott High School, graduating in the Spring of 1965.  In a 2000 interview, Hunter remembered that “my parents gave me everything I needed – food for my stomach, a roof over my head, and all their love and encouragement.”  He earned a scholarship to attend Lincoln University, something that later happened for four of his siblings.  Hunter believed that he was fortunate, noting “because of the civil rights movement, scholarships opened up.”  In 1987, Hunter paid homage to Martin Luther King, Jr., “Nobody,” Hunter declared to Camden’s Courier-Post, “symbolized what this country is supposed to be more than Martin Luther King.”  Hunter added that “I don’t think anyone could blend the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bible better than King.”

After he received his B. A. from Lincoln University in 1969, he earned an M.A. from Atlanta University in 1970.  He then entered the doctoral program in history at the University of Michigan.  After completing his coursework and his doctoral examinations, he joined the faculty of the Department of History at Glassboro State College in 1974.  Like many faculty from this period, he completed his dissertation while teaching full-time.  Completed in 1977, the title of his dissertation was "'Don't Buy Where You Can't Work': Black Economic Boycotts during the Great Depression."

Dr. Hunter went on to teach at Glassboro State (and later Rowan University) for almost three decades, until he was killed in an automobile accident in 2003.  During his tenure, he taught a wide variety of classes, including United States history surveys, African American History to 1865, African American History since 1865, The History of New Jersey, Sub-Saharan African History to 1800, Sub-Saharan African History since 1800, Comparative Slavery, Senior Seminar in History, and Field Service in History. 

He was active with various committees on campus, including numerous search committees and ones on strategic planning.  In 1989, after many years of effort, he founded and became the first Coordinator of the African American Studies program.  That program began as a minor but expanded under the leadership of colleague Corann Okorodudu and became a major in Africana Studies major.

He was the chairperson of the Department of History during the time of the Henry Rowan gift and oversaw the hiring of tenure-track faculty members Joy Wiltenburg, Q. Edward Wang, Corinne Blake, and Janet Lindman.  He also hired future tenure-track faculty member Scott Morschauser as an adjunct faculty member.  He was also chair during a major revision of the Department’s curriculum, a revision that made the College one of the nation’s leaders in requiring the study of global history.

He was highly regarded as an advisor and established a male mentoring program at the College.  In 2000, when asked what could be done to help Black communities, he responded that “we need mentoring, one person at a time.”  He received the African American Studies Award from the New Jersey Association of Black Educators, the Delta Sigma Theta Naomi Richardson Award for Service to Students, and a Certificate of Service from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

Beginning in the early 1980s, he began travelling to Nigeria, eventually doing so during both the winter and summer breaks in his teaching schedule (as well as when he was on sabbatical leave).  He was the Field Director of Cross River Oral History Project at the University of Calabar in Nigeria from 1982-1983.  He established a second home in the Igbo village of Amainye, one of the homes of the Chokoneze cultural group and located in southeastern Nigeria in Imo State. He helped mediate disputes in the region, and the village bestowed on him the title of chieftan, naming him Dura Omenala, meaning “he who knows the culture.” 

He spent the last fifteen years of his life studying the history of African Americans in southern New Jersey.  In a 1998 interview, he recalled that the project began in 1987 or 1988 after a conversation with a friend about Negro League baseball teams in the region.  “I got into it,” he recalled, “and one thing led to another.”  He remembers at one point thinking “I might as well go back to the beginning.” He interviewed numerous individuals in the state and developed connections with local historical societies.  He often spoke on his research in the region.  At the time of his death, he possessed an unsigned contract offer from Rutgers University Press to publish his nearly completed manuscript.  It had not been signed because of the estimated price point and the fact that he wanted the book to be “for the general working class public.”  After his passing, a committee of faculty members worked to proofread and edit the manuscript for publication.  Fulfilling one of his hopes, the Department of History raised funds to publish the book and make it available for free to not only interested scholars but ordinary residents of southern New Jersey.  “The most surprising discovery of my research was the richness of the communal organizations of” East Berlin, Whitesboro, Lawnside and other “relatively small towns” in South Jersey.  The book appeared in 2014 entitled, Neighborhoods of Color:  African American Communities in Southern New Jersey, 1660-2000.  Copies of the book remain available through the Department of History.

*****

Comments at the Time of His Passing

Camden Courier-Post Editorial:  “Hunter’s scholarship was known locally and nationally. But what made Hunter a stand-out to the many students and professionals who met him was his caring nature.  Long after he achieved his dream of a successful career, he took time to encourage students to achieve their own dreams. If measured in the lives he endowed, Hunter left this world a rich man.”

Paul W. Schopp, fellow historian of southern New Jersey:  “New Jersey History Folks:  It is my very sad duty to report that our history community has lost one of its indefatigable warriors. Dr. Gary Hunter of Rowan University died in a traffic accident in Delaware…. I knew Gary and have many fond memories of my conversations with him. His wonderful insights into South Jersey African-American history and his unique perspective on all things historical made Gary a great champion of local history. His presence at our history table will be deeply felt for many years. With a heavy heart, Paul W. Schopp.”

Denise Williams, administrative assistant for GJH, 1996-2003:  “He was instrumental in helping people pursue their dreams.  He was always very upbeat and always carried himself as a gentleman.  He was always full of laughter.  He was very caring and very instrumental in a lot of students’ lives.  I know a lot of students who, if not for Dr. Hunter, would never have graduated or continued their education.”

Comments from Project 100 and Project 100+ Interviews with Alumni and Colleagues (2023-2024)

John Bunting (’78):  “The faculty member that I had the strongest relationship with was Gary Hunter.  He was a very strict professor.  He would not allow you to come to class late.  He wanted you to develop the habits that would translate to success in the world after graduation.  He would not allow you to turn in work late.  He even would comment on your dress if it was inappropriate.  Sometimes he did this after class, but sometimes he might do it in front of the class.  If you did something wrong, you knew it simply from the way that he stared at you. ”

Bob Cordero (’78):  “At GSC, I really enjoyed Gary Hunter’s classes.  It was very clear that he really cared about his students.  I liked his style and approach so much that I took three classes with him.”

Mike Onorato (’78):  “I took two classes with Gary Hunter.  He not only opened my eyes on African American history, but he was also a really good person, very approachable.”

Donna Martello (’79):  “I took Gary Hunter for several classes.  When I first walked into his class, I saw this young man sitting there in a leather jacket and smoking.  I had no idea he was the professor until he said, ‘let us begin.’  I ended up taking him for African American history and for two courses in Sub-Saharan African history.  He was one of the first professors that I ever had who did not assign a textbook.  Instead, he assigned four or five specialized books and used his lectures to provide the overall chronology.  One of them, I remember, was Eugene Genovese’s Roll, Jordan, Roll, which I believe I still have on a bookshelf at home.  His classes definitely shaped my political view of the world and highlighted the injustices which have plagued the US throughout our history.” 

John Kaspar (’79):  “I also recall Professor Gary Hunter.  It has been a long time, so I don’t remember exactly what class I had with him, but I do remember meeting him one time outside of class. I was visiting a friend of mine, Cavini Andro, who had travelled to the South to be involved in the Civil Rights Movement.  When I dropped by his house, I found Dr. Hunter visiting and interviewing him for his research.”

Bill Parviainen (‘85):  “I took an African American history course with Gary Hunter.  I remember that when we took him out to lunch, he told us that during the summers he went back to Pennsylvania and worked in a steel mill. We asked him why, and he said that he liked to work with his hands.  We thought that was pretty cool.  He was very down to earth, relatable, and so interesting as a person.”

Mark Speeney (’85): “I took an African history class with Gary Hunter. He was a great guy, and his class was one of my first ‘Oh, my God’ moments.  I knew nothing about that history.  I was really into world history back then.” 

Barry Trachtenberg (’91): “A faculty member that was very important to me was Gary Hunter.  He introduced me to the work of James Baldwin, who remains to this day one of the most important writers in my life.  Dr. Hunter’s course on the Civil Rights Movement was also very powerful, as it showed to me and my friends that what we were doing in our protests was part of a longer continuum.  We could learn from this earlier work and build off of it.  Most importantly, we learned that we were far from alone in doing such work to make the world better.” 

Edward Wang, colleague with GJH from 1992-2003: “I was closest to Gary Hunter.  Gary became the chairperson when I arrived.  The administrative assistant at the time was Mona Johnson who had not had to work with foreign-born faculty before.  Gary was helpful to me during this time, encouraged me in many ways.  He noted that my teaching Western Civilization would be an important thing for students.” 

Thomas Graf (’93):  “Gary Hunter was an incredible professor.  He held people to a standard of excellence, and he made you better.  He was very knowledgeable, and he made me a better writer and researcher.”

Jim Scythes (’95):  “Dr. Hunter is the most important person in my professional career.  I tell my students all the time that there are people you will encounter who will make a difference in your life.  Dr. Hunter was that person for me.  I remember so many conversations in his office.  My friend Kris smoked, and he and Dr. Hunter would puff away in his office.  I loved those moments, even if I was not a smoker.  He was just so cool, and I always enjoyed talking to him.  I took him for African American History and Seminar in History.  My senior seminar paper for him eventually became my second book.  He was a great mentor to me, and I would often stop by after graduating to speak to him.  His taking a chance on me by hiring me as adjunct was a great turning point.  I know for certain that I would not have gotten the position at West Chester without that experience. I think about him all the time. I was devastated when he passed away.” 

Jeff Christo (’98):  “I can’t say too much about Gary Hunter.  He really is responsible for my career and current life.  There were times when I really did not know if I could finish my college degree.  He told me that I had great ability and potential and that I should work hard to continue.  Moreover, he went above and beyond to help me find the funds that I needed to continue going to school.  In addition, his classes greatly influenced me as well.  I really enjoyed learning about African American history and African history with him.  He told me that I was the first non-African American student to complete the new African American Studies concentration.”

William Carrigan, colleague with GJH from 1999-2003:  “By the time that I was hired at Rowan, Gary had been at Rowan for a quarter-century and had just finished multiple terms as chair of the Department.  He was focused on finishing up his long-term research project on African Americans and southern New Jersey and happy to pass leadership on to a new generation of faculty such as his successor Edward Wang.  Yet, he was still involved outside of the classroom with students, particularly students of color.  In one memorable conversation, he discussed why he had never pursued jobs at other universities (he would have been a strong candidate for other jobs, especially early in his career).  He argued that he believed that he had made a more profound difference on the lives of students at Glassboro State and at Rowan than he could have had a more prestigious university.  The dedicated, smart, talented, and self-confident students who enrolled at those schools, he argued, would do fine in life without him.  Students at Rowan, he noted, needed more mentorship.  College was unfamiliar to many of them, as they rarely had any family members possessing a college degree.  They often knew little of their own academic potential having never pushed themselves in that area before.  Their futures, he argued, could very much be shaped by faculty who knew how to simultaneously nurture and push at the same time.  The conversation had a deep influence on me, and I have tried to live up to Gary’s model in the years since.” 

Al Beaver (’00):  “I took two courses with Dr. Hunter, and I really remember his course on historical methods or historiography.  He really helped me understand how historians think and analyze the past.  I still use lessons and methods that Dr. Hunter taught me about how to see things from different perspectives.  I used them in my high school classes, and I use them in my current job as well.  Dr. Hunter also forced us to go out to a historical society for research, which was a great experience.  One of the lessons I used to do with my students on the first or second day of class was getting them to explain what history is and how historians pick primary sources to craft a story of our past." 

Robert Shipman (’01):  “Gary Hunter was an important mentor to me.  Not only did I learn much in his classes, but we spent much time in his office outside of class.  We talked about everything from the influence of African Americans on music to the history of African American communities in southern New Jersey.  We also discussed his travels and time in Africa.  He understood the challenges that I faced on campus, as an older African American male who was trying to balance a full-time job and my school work (and who also happened to be tall).”

Yvonne Folkes-Randall (’02):  “I was always in Dr. Hunter’s office, trying to get him to stop smoking.  He was a father-figure to me in many ways, and I took all his classes.  He meant so much to me that for many years after he passed, I gave money to the Hunter Scholarship fund until my daughters demanded all of my extra cash.”

Bill Zoda (’02):  “I took a class on Comparative Race Relations with Gary Hunter.  Not only did I get much out of that class, it led me to invite Dr. Hunter to be part of a 2002 program on United States foreign relations that was sponsored by the PSA.  Dr. Hunter gave a lecture on Africa and United States foreign policy.”

Rebecca Gross (’03):  “I honestly owe a lot to the History Department at Rowan….I remember all my professors.  The one I want discuss first is Gary Hunter, who passed away in 2003.  I am probably going to cry thinking about him, but I remember that he made me laugh.  Sometimes on the outside, but often on the inside.  He reminded me of my parents and their friends.  He was one of those people from the generation of activists who knew what they were about.  When I had trouble with assignments, he was very compassionate and understanding.  There were obnoxious students in the two classes that I had with him.  They probably did not have much experience with faculty of color.  They wanted things exactly as they wanted it.  I appreciated the way he handled these entitled people but still taught the class the way he wanted to.  Now that I have more teaching experience, I understand more why those students were the way they were, and I admire even more how Dr. Hunter handled the situation.  He had a great love and passion for what he taught.  He had so much to share his knowledge, and I remember these great tangents that he went on when he felt we needed to know something particular, even if it was not part of the official curriculum.”

James Barry (’04):  “Dr. Gary Hunter’s African American course was also wonderful.  He was one of the nicest people that you could meet.  He had great local knowledge, which he infused in the course.  It was clear that he had a lifetime of knowledge in the field, and it was a privilege to be in his classroom.”

Laurie Lahey (’05):  “I took both halves of African American History with Dr. Gary Hunter.  I loved his classes, and through his encouragement, added a concentration in African American Studies.  I remember how gracious he was to me one day when I had to ask what the term “antebellum” meant.  My friends and I were stunned by his tragic death in May of 2003.  We were so saddened to learn this news, a terrible loss for the University.” 

Octavia Nash (’06):  “I felt lost during my first year at Rowan. I did not yet have a major and did not know what I wanted to study or do after college.  In my second semester, a friend asked me to join her in taking a course, African American History since 1865, with Dr. Gary Hunter.  I went into the course thinking that I knew this subject very well because I considered myself well-read in this area.  It was completely different than what I expected, primarily because of the way he asked us to think.  We were asked to think in a way that I had never been pushed to think before.  It is hard to explain, but he didn’t just tell us what happened.  He always followed up any lecture topic by asking us ‘why?’  He didn’t straight tell us the answer but pushed us to try to imagine why things followed this path and not another.  He directed us, pushing us deeper with yet more ‘why?’ questions as soon as we understood one level of the subject.  Dr. Hunter was the first person that I had ever met who had been to Africa.  He challenged my stereotypical ideas about the continent, and those conversations still hold a special place in my heart. It was because of him that I developed a new dream, to visit Africa, which I did in 2006 (going to Egypt) and 2008 (when I went to South Africa) and in 2011 (when I went to Ghana).  I am going to Somalia in 2024 to meet family I connected with on Ancestry.com. One of the turning points of my life came about in the very last week of Dr. Hunter’s class.  I found out that I was pregnant. I went into his office, crying, and thinking that my life as I knew it was over.  Dr. Hunter, however, comforted me and told me plainly that my life was not over and that I would have the child and then return and finish my degree.  I don’t have words to express my gratitude to Dr. Hunter for his support of me in this difficult time.  Because of him, I made a promise to myself that I would return to Rowan, and I did.  During the coming year, I had my son and took two classes at the local community college.  I had decided that when I came back to Rowan that I would be a history major, as I wanted to show Dr. Hunter that I had followed his advice.  I was devastated when a family friend, and the Department of History’s administrative assistant, Denise Williams, called me to tell me that Dr. Hunter had passed away.  This was May of 2003…. I was very honored to be the first recipient winner of the Gary Hunter Memorial Scholarship.  Winning this award helped me feel that I had indeed kept my promise to him.” 

*****

This is part of a series remembering past faculty members who taught history at the institution that is today Rowan University.  Many of the profiles have been made possible by Project 100 and Project 100+ interviews.  Thanks to all participants in those projects.  Thanks to Laurie Lahey for helping proofread and edit the final versions.  Email carrigan@rowan.edu with questions or corrections.  You can find the link to the page with all the current profiles here:  https://chss.rowan.edu/departments/history/alumni_all/former_faculty.html