Published: November 05, 2009 12:14 am         

One of ISU’s first African-American faculty members, civil rights activist dies at 73

TERRE HAUTE — Andre’ Hammonds, one of Indiana State University’s first African-American faculty members, is being remembered as a gentleman, a scholar and a role model who valued education and service to community.

Hammonds, a retired ISU sociology professor, died Monday at age 73. He taught at ISU for more than 30 years, starting in 1964.

“Another giant has fallen,” said Mel Burks, who described Hammonds as one of his mentors, both during the time Burks was a student at ISU and afterward.

Hammonds had an impact both on campus and in the Terre Haute community, he said.

The sociology professor emphasized the importance of being a community leader and volunteer, Burks said.

Hammonds was involved in many organizations and initiatives important to the African-American community and worked to improve race relations in Terre Haute.

“What he did, whatever the cause, he always wanted to do it with dignity,” Burks said. “He never took a negative approach but always took a positive role to resolve issues.”

Hammonds received his bachelor’s degree from Morehouse College in Atlanta and his doctorate from the University of Tennessee. He studied in France for a year and was fluent in the French language.

He was a life member of NAACP and Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. For many years, he co-hosted the “Jazz We Like It” program on WISU.

Sylvester Dunn met Hammonds when Dunn was a student at ISU.

“He was a guy who believed in higher education, and he had such a concern for the minority population to make sure once they matriculated, they graduated,” Dunn said.

While Hammonds was “really intelligent” and well-spoken, he remained “very down to earth,” said Dunn, who formerly lived in Terre Haute and is now a funeral director in Indianapolis.

Another student that Hammonds mentored — and there were many — was Charlie Brown, director of ISU’s African-American Cultural Center. “Students loved him,” Brown said. “He was a good teacher and we knew he cared about us.”

Hammonds was an adviser to Alpha Phi Alpha, the first African-American fraternity at ISU, when Brown was a member. He always was encouraging students to study and graduate, Brown said.

If they couldn’t finish college in four years, “he encouraged us to keep going” and finish in five years, Brown said. “We’re going to miss him.”

Hammonds’ positive influence extended to all students, not just minorities.

Katie Tenerelli, a 1993 ISU graduate, knew Hammonds as a family friend and an outstanding faculty member whose inspired teaching continues to influence her.

“I particularly remember the passion he brought to teaching a course on Social Movements,” she said in an e-mail. “His personal connection to the civil rights movement brought to life vivid illustrations of the ebb and flow of social change and made this course come alive.”

His enthusiasm for teaching “came through in his booming voice and jovial laugh, a laugh that brought a smile to any face that heard it,” she wrote. “I feel privileged to have been his student and hope that my work, which he helped shape, will honor his memory.”

She is a licensed clinical social worker who provides mental health treatment at an acute care hospital in California. Joe Tenerelli, retired ISU professor of communication and Katie’s father, said his family and Hammonds’ family became good friends after they learned they both had similar campers. For many years, their families would take camping trips together.

They jokingly formed what they called the “Terre Haute Hi-Lo Association.”

“He was truly a genuine and a warm human being,” Joe Tenerelli said.

Hammonds believed in the importance of establishing relationships between ISU and the community. “In Andre’s mind, there was no town-gown kind of division. We all needed to be in this together. He lived that philosophy as well,” Joe Tenerelli said.

Hammonds came from humble beginnings and faced adversity as he grew up, “but more importantly, he understood how to overcome it” through education and civic involvement, Joe Tenerelli said. “He led by example.”

Charles Norman, ISU professor of sociology, spent many years working with Hammonds in the former sociology department. “He was a true gentleman and scholar,” Norman said. “He was an important role model for so many people.”

Hammonds played a leadership role in promoting civil rights and ending discriminatory practices in Terre Haute, Norman said. He was an activist who worked behind the scenes and provided “calm guidance” during a period of racial unrest, he said.

Theressa Bynum, former president of the Terre Haute branch of the NAACP, said she and Hammonds often crossed paths through the NAACP or other organizations and events.

“Anything that had to do with human rights, he was right in there,” Bynum said. He was a “positive force” who typically worked in a low key, behind-the scenes way to bring about change.

“He was a gentle giant,” Bynum said.

Hammonds’ survivors include his wife of 49 years, Dorcas; his son, Derek; and daughter, Deidre.

Sue Loughlin can be reached at (812) 231-4235 or sue.loughlin@tribstar.com.