{"id":9150,"date":"2020-04-24T13:43:18","date_gmt":"2020-04-24T17:43:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=9150"},"modified":"2020-04-27T14:57:22","modified_gmt":"2020-04-27T18:57:22","slug":"dr-darius-lee-swann-1925-2020-a-real-mason-hero","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=9150","title":{"rendered":"Dr. Darius Lee Swann, 1925-2020: A Real Mason Hero"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>

Dr. Darius Lee Swan in his office, October 28, 1977. Broadside photograph collection, #R0135, Box 15, Page 70. Special Collections Research Center<\/p><\/div>\n

Last week we sadly found out that Dr. Darius Swann, a civil rights advocate and lifelong Presbyterian minister died at his home in nearby Burke, Virginia on March 25. Dr. Swann had been a popular and respected member of the George Mason University Faculty from 1971 to 1984. He is probably best known as the plaintiff in the 1965 Federal Court case Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenberg<\/em> Board of Education.<\/em> The case, which centered on school integration in Charlotte, North Carolina, made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1971, with the Court ruling finally in the Swann’s favor.<\/p>\n

Dr. Swann arrived at George Mason College in August 1971. At that very same time Mason was the subject of an investigation by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights regarding recruiting of minority students and faculty. George Mason was still part of the University of Virginia, and there were accusations that the college, which was about to become independent in 1972, was reluctant to adhere to then-current Affirmative Action practices. While Swann told us in a 2012 oral history that this situation concerned him, he said he still felt very good about his interview process and looked forward to teaching at Mason in the Philosophy and Religious Studies Department.\u00a0 In 1973 George Mason added a Drama department and Dr. Swann began teaching drama courses in addition to his other subjects.<\/p>\n

In July 1973 Dr. Vergil Dykstra of the State University of New York at Binghamton became George Mason University’s second president.\u00a0 Dykstra was a Midwesterner who spent much of his previous career in northern university settings and was a strong advocate of integration and Affirmative Action.\u00a0 One of Dr. Dykstra\u2019s first priorities as president was to increase the number of minority students applying to, accepted by, and enrolling at George Mason.\u00a0 Among other reforms initiated that fall, Dr. Swann was appointed Special Assistant to the President for Minority Affairs and was the first Mason faculty member whose sole job revolved around assisting existing minority students. Dr. Swann felt that black students attending George Mason University did not need any more academic help than white students. Rather, they simply needed a reason to be excited about being part of the university. Swann encouraged them to start student clubs and to ask the university for more Afro-centric courses and programs. The students would soon find the university very responsive to these suggestions, especially when Dr. Swann weighed in on them during discussions with members of the administration.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Dr. Darius Lee Swan meets with a student, August 31, 1974. Broadside photograph collection, #R0135, Box 9, Page 20. Special Collections Research Center<\/p><\/div>\n

Dr. Swann suggested that a center with appropriate staffing was needed to better assist the minority students the university was now actively recruiting. The university agreed, created the Office of Minority Student Affairs, and gave Swann the authority to hire qualified staff. The Office drew upon enthusiastic staff and faculty members who helped mentor black and other minority students during their university experience, advocate for them, and foster academic and cultural programming for them. The Office of Minority Affairs is a direct precursor to today’s Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Multicultural Education<\/a> (ODIME) at George Mason.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Dr. Darius Lee Swan at his desk, October 28, 1977. Broadside photograph collection, #R0135, Box 15, Page 70. Special Collections Research Center<\/p><\/div>\n

In 1984, Dr. Swann left the university to continue his career in a religious institution. He finally agreed to become part of the faculty at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta in 1984, after turning down three previous attempts by the Center to recruit him. We at SCRC will always remember Dr. Swann as the very soft-spoken and gentle man who visited us in 2012 to record his memories of his time here at Mason.\u00a0 But we are certain that the thousands of Mason students whom he inspired consider him a giant among men.<\/p>\n

Follow SCRC on Social Media and look out for future posts in our Travel Series on our\u00a0Facebook<\/a>,\u00a0Instagram<\/a>, and\u00a0Twitter<\/a>\u00a0accounts. \u00a0To search the collections\u00a0held at Special Collections Research Center, go to our\u00a0website<\/a>\u00a0and browse the finding aids by subject or title. You may also e-mail\u00a0us at\u00a0speccoll@gmu.edu<\/a> or call 703-993-2220 if you would like to\u00a0schedule an appointment, request materials, or if you have questions. Appointments are not necessary to request and view collections<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Last week we sadly found out that Dr. Darius Swann, a civil rights advocate and lifelong Presbyterian minister died at his home in nearby Burke, Virginia on March 25. Dr. Swann had been a popular and respected member of the George Mason University Faculty from 1971 to 1984. He is probably best known as the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":9160,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[529,104],"tags":[171,701,845,263,818],"class_list":["post-9150","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-george-mason-university-history","category-oral-history","tag-civil-rights","tag-diversity","tag-dr-darius-lee-swann","tag-george-mason-college","tag-vergil-h-dykstra"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/swann_1_edit.jpg?fit=1028%2C636&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8Ep5i-2nA","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":7256,"url":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=7256","url_meta":{"origin":9150,"position":0},"title":"The “Desegregation” of George Mason University","author":"Bob Vay","date":"February 20, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Today George Mason University enjoys the reputation for being one of the more ethnically and culturally-varied universities in the nation. By most counts, the non-white student population at Mason is about 57%*. The university places a high priority on being accessible to those who aspire to a college education from\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "George Mason University History"","block_context":{"text":"George Mason University History","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?cat=529"},"img":{"alt_text":"Page from 1966 GMC yearbook, The Advocate.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/1966-Advocate-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":10012,"url":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=10012","url_meta":{"origin":9150,"position":1},"title":"Black History Month in SCRC","author":"Amanda Menjivar","date":"February 4, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Black History Month, which occurs each February, was created to recognize and celebrate the lives and achievements of Black Americans, as well as to acknowledge African American history and culture. While this recognition should not be limited to just one month out of the year, we here in SCRC would\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "George Mason University History"","block_context":{"text":"George Mason University History","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?cat=529"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/southwest.jpg?fit=1200%2C1182&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/southwest.jpg?fit=1200%2C1182&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/southwest.jpg?fit=1200%2C1182&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/southwest.jpg?fit=1200%2C1182&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/southwest.jpg?fit=1200%2C1182&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":11392,"url":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=11392","url_meta":{"origin":9150,"position":2},"title":"Not Just the Guy Whose Name Was on the Checks: Remembering Dr. Maurice “Morrie” Scherrens","author":"Bob Vay","date":"April 22, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Back in the 1990s, before the age of direct payroll deposit, George Mason University employees received a printed check at the end of each pay period. In the lower right-hand corner of the check was the signature \"Maurice Scherrens\".\u00a0 While many of us might not have known exactly who Mr.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "George Mason University History"","block_context":{"text":"George Mason University History","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?cat=529"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/R0135_1996-9-05.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/R0135_1996-9-05.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/R0135_1996-9-05.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/R0135_1996-9-05.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9199,"url":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=9199","url_meta":{"origin":9150,"position":3},"title":"Remembering Dr. Alan Merten","author":"Bob Vay","date":"May 27, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"There was a buzz around George Mason University\u2019s Fairfax Campus on Monday, April 15, 1996. The Mason community was about to meet the university\u2019s new president-elect in a press conference later that afternoon. Dr. Alan Merten, Mason\u2019s fifth president, was set to officially assume the presidency on July 1, and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "George Mason University History"","block_context":{"text":"George Mason University History","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?cat=529"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/MertenCuttingDownNet.jpg?fit=801%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/MertenCuttingDownNet.jpg?fit=801%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/MertenCuttingDownNet.jpg?fit=801%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/MertenCuttingDownNet.jpg?fit=801%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4175,"url":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=4175","url_meta":{"origin":9150,"position":4},"title":"Mason Inaugurations through the Years","author":"Bob Vay","date":"April 30, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"This past Friday, April 26 2013 marked the inauguration of Mason's sixth president, Dr. \u00c1ngel\u00a0 Cabrera. The event was a ninety-minute celebration of both old and new, both tradition and innovation.\u00a0 Beginning with a staid traditional\u00a0 procession accompanied by an orchestra and choir, the ceremony ended with a rousing recessional\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?cat=3"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/cabrera_inauguration.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4258,"url":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=4258","url_meta":{"origin":9150,"position":5},"title":"Mason Inaugurations Through the Years, Part Two","author":"Bob Vay","date":"April 30, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"This post is a continuation of the the original post entitled Mason Inaugurations Through the Years. Dr. Robert Krug became George Mason University's third president although he never interviewed for it. The unexpected resignation of President Vergil Dykstra in April 1977 came as a surprise to many, but to none\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?cat=3"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/Krug_at_desk_small.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9150","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9150"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9150\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9172,"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9150\/revisions\/9172"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/9160"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9150"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9150"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9150"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}