Richard M. Graham, first full-time African American faculty member at UGA, passes away

Dr. Richard M. Graham, first full-time African American faculty member and former director of the Hugh Hodgson School of Music, passed away Monday evening.

Graham held undergraduate, master's, and doctoral degrees from the University of Kansas, serving on the faculty of Lincoln University before coming to the Hodgson School in 1968,

where he taught music education and music therapy.

"He was a great friend to the university, to music, and to his many students through the years," said Dale Monson, current director of the school of music.

While at UGA, Dr. Graham also served as President of the National Association for Music Therapy (1975-76) and as an editor of the Journal of Music Therapy (1983-90). He authored several articles and monographs, co-authoring a handbook on teaching music to exceptional children.