Dr. Leo Richardson

Dr. Leo Richardson spent a lifetime devoted to education, athletics and community service. His accomplishments include a career in higher education, and a second career in social service working to mitigate inequality and poverty. Leo taught high school and university level science and health subjects, while founding, directing and coaching athletic programs and teams. He was the University of Buffalo's first African American head basketball coach. Leo was born December 19, 1931, in Gresham, South Carolina. He played football, baseball, and was recruited by hall of famer Taft Watson to play basketball for Loris Training School in Loris, South Carolina. Leo earned a degree in Biology from Morris College, and subsequently worked as a high school teacher and coach before enlisting in the U.S. Army. Leo played for the Army's football team and coached the Battalion basketball team. He returned to Wagner, South Carolina where he started the first football program at A.L. Corbett High School. He also coached basketball and baseball, and taught physical education, math and biology. In 1961, he earned a Master of Education (Science Education) at Tuskegee Institute. In 1985, Leo earned a PhD at the State University of New York at Buffalo, becoming a Doctor of Philosophy, specializing in Educational Administration, Organization & Policy. Leo earned graduate fellowships in Ecology at Indiana University and University of Delaware, Oceanography and Ecology at Oregon State University, Ecology, Embryology & Behavior at Williams College and Radiation Biology at Tuskegee Institute. From 1961-1964 Leo worked in the Department of Health, Physical Education & Recreation, and as the Athletic Director at his alma mater, Morris College. He went on to become a professor and Men's Head Basketball and Football Coach at Savannah State University. From there, he became Assistant Coach and then Head Basketball Coach at the State University of New York at Buffalo while working as a Professor in Health Education. In 1979, Leo transitioned to academic administration at SUNY Buffalo, first as Associate Director for Presidential Endowment with budgetary responsibilities and then as Assistant to the Vice President for Affirmative Action and Human Relations, developing programs to improve Community-University relations and strategies to involve and support minorities in higher education. Leo also served as Assistant Director of Community Affairs and as Associate Director for Alumni Affairs. In 1984, Richardson returned to South Carolina where he was appointed Special Assistant to the Commissioner at the South Carolina Department of Social Services in Columbia. In this capacity Leo developed the AFDC Youth at Risk, Teen Pregnancy Reduction and sponsored the Child Support Enforcement legislation. He continued his work with the South Carolina Department of Social Services as Assistant to the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner for Planning, Management and Research. He oversaw six divisions including The Institute on Poverty and Deprivation and Individual and Provider Rights, subsequently becoming the Director for these two divisions. In 1997, he became Executive Director of the South Carolina Institute on Poverty and Deprivation. During this time Leo taught undergraduate courses in Environmental Sciences at Limestone College in Gaffney, South Carolina and at South Carolina State University, Orangeburg. Leo also developed and managed various grants with the goal of addressing teen pregnancy and extending educational opportunities for at-risk and homeless teens, as well as for women and minorities. He became a Licensed Master Social Worker, Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters (2000, Morris College) and was awarded Distinguished Alumnus Award for Outstanding Service (2004). Below is a full list of his awards and collegiate coaching accomplishments: • SC Order of the Palmetto Award • Man of the Year Award 2006 (Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity) • GEM Award for Outstanding Service 2005 (Richland Sertoma Club, Columbia, S.C.) • Distinguished Alumnus Award for Outstanding Service 2004 (Morris College's National Alumnae Association, Morris College, Sumter, S.C.) • Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters 2000 (Morris College, Sumter, S.C.) • Licensed Master Social Worker 1990 (State of South Carolina Board of Social Work Examiners) • Who's Who Among Black Americans 1986 • Community Service Award 1984 (The Black Educators of the Niagara Frontier, Buffalo, N.Y.) • Community Service Staff Award 1994 (Buffalo Community Advisory Council, Buffalo, N.Y.) • Educational Service Award 1983 (National Columbus Day Committee, Buffalo, N.Y.) Professional Community-Related Achievements: • SC Pharmacy Board • SC Rotary • Appointed to the Transportation Study Commission, 2007-2009 • Executive Board Member for the Institute on Poverty and Deprivation's Task Force on Hunger and Nutrition, 1987-Present • Staff member on the South Carolina Commission on Child Support, 1987- Present • Served as the Chairman of the South Carolina Low Income Housing Coalition, 1990-1998 • Managed the Health and Human Services Program at Denmark-Olar High School's Teen Life Center in Denmark, South Carolina, 1989 • Previous President, Planned Parenthood Athletics: • Southern Inter-Collegiate Athletic All Conference Tournament (SIAC); third place; Men's Basketball Team, 1972 • Won the Southern Inter-Collegiate Athletic All Conference Basketball Championship; Named Basketball Coach of the Year, 1970 • The Championship Basketball Team led both the NAJA and NCAA small colleges in scoring 106 points per game, 1970 • Won the Southeastern Athletic Conference's Basketball Championship; Named Basketball Coach of the Year, 1969 • Won the Southeastern Athletic Conference's Football Championship; Named Football Coach of the Year, 1967 • Won the Middle Georgia Basketball Classic in Fort Valley, Georgia, defeating Bethune-Cookman College and Florida A&M University, 1967 • Basketball team represented the Southeastern Athletic Conference in the NAJA District 26 Championship Playoffs in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, 1966 • Won the Southeastern Athletic Conference's Basketball Championship; Named Basketball Coach of the Year, 1965-1966 • Served as Vice-President for the Southeastern Athletic Conference, 1965-1966 • Basketball team led the NAJA in Free Throw Shooting, 1964-1965 • Won the Southeastern Athletic Conference Football Championship; named Coach of the Year, 1963-1964 He was preceded in death by his parents the late Isaiah and Ethel Richardson, his loving wife Mary Jane Frierson Richardson, three sisters Mary Lewis, Wanda Jackson and Doris Richardson and one brother Alonzo Richardson. As he transitions to his eternal rest, Dr. Richardson is survived by his loving daughters, Sandra Richardson of Charlotte, NC, and Beverly Byrd of Englewood, NJ, as well as his devoted son, Alfred Richardson of Atlanta, GA. And his cherished granddaughter, Morgan Richardson of Atlanta, GA. He leaves behind three sisters: Hazel Lattimer of Hampton, GA, Betty Johnson of Charlotte, NC, and Hilda Mitchell of North Hanover, NJ, along with his brother, Cleo Richardson of Trenton, NJ. In lieu of flowers the family asks that you make a donation in Dr. Richardson's name to one of the following scholarship funds: Morris College Office of Alumni Affairs 100 West College Street Sumter, SC 29150 - OR - Leo Richardson Athletic Scholarship Endowment Fund Savannah State University in C/O Honia Johnson University Advancement Office 3219 College Street Box 20439 Savannah, GA 31404

Dr. Leo Richardson

December 19, 1931 - July 23, 2023