Reynolds, John Hugh
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- Connection to Legacies of American Slavery Database
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Reynolds, John Hugh
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John H. Reynolds was a former professor and fourth President of Hendrix College, serving from 1913-1945.
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Serving from 1913-1945, John H. Reynolds was the fourth president of Hendrix College. He also graduated from Hendrix in 1893. During his presidency, Reynolds ushered in an era of growth and notoriety for the college. Through extensive fundraising and promotional efforts, he was responsible for increasing the endowment, financing the construction of more campus buildings, and growing the size of the faculty and student body.
Reynolds wrote a textbook, Makers of Arkansas History, in 1905. Implemented in Arkansas secondary schools, the textbook paints a false narrative about slavery and the Ku Klux Klan. The book includes degrading descriptions of African Americans, illusions of slave owner generosity, and false perceptions of the KKK. “Many good citizens joined the Klans,” Reynolds writes.
He also hosted a blackface party at his home for the Kappa Kappa Kappa fraternity. Members would dress up as African Americans and mock them by singing spiritual songs, dancing, and performing skits.
The legacy of Reynolds is still present on campus with “Reynolds Hall” as the primary science building, as well as a public portrait of him displayed in the social sciences building.
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3 January 1869
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6 June 1954
Position: 601 (12 views)
