N.C. A&T Alumni Times

October is Archives Month and the theme set by the Society of North Carolina Archivists is "North Carolina in the Great War." Bluford Library has researched and collected stories on Aggies who served during World War I from 1917-19.

According to Bluford Library Archives, 1 in 5 faculty and staff members and nearly 90 percent of students, (N.C. A&T College enrollment was all-male) served during the time of World War I.

Brief Biographies of Aggies in the Great War:

Dr. Warmoth T. Gibbs - (1892 - 1993) Gibbs enlisted in the United States Army during World War I while he was still living in Maryland. He served as a second lieutenant with the predominantly black 92nd Division Expeditionary Force, where he was engaged in battles in France in 1917 and 1918. After returning to the states in 1919, he became one of the first Black police officers in Baltimore, Maryland. After earning his master's degree from Harvard, he accepted a position as dean of men and military instructor at N.C. A&T in 1926. It was the beginning of a 65-year career with the university as a dean, professor and president.

Robert Lee Campbell (1875 - 1972) was a veteran of the Spanish-American War an instructor in machine shop practice when he was commissioned back to France. During the Great War he served as a first lieutenant. One the Argonne Offensive in France, he single-handily saved a wounded fellow soldier while machine gun fire blasted at them. His act of bravery made national news as a strong example of why African-American should be fully accepted in the Armed Forces. He was commended by the French Army who presented him with a Distinguished Service Cross in 1918. A year later, he was awarded the Croix de Guerre medal at a ceremony on the A&T campus. He would later earn the Purple Heart in 1944. He had a memorable presence at A&T as the first instructor of military science beginning in 1919. The current ROTC building is named in his honor.

George Bishop Love (1890 - 1961) was an instructor in auto mechanics and also served as a university bursar. Overseas he became a first lieutenant in infantry. After the war he continued as an instructor at A&T until the early 1930s.

Dr. T. E. McKinney was a dean and professor of political science at A&T from 1925-1926. Bluford Archives believes that he was the same Theophilus Elisha McKinney who was a dean of Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte from 1929-1962 (death).

Dr. Samuel B. Jones (c. 1874 - ?) came to A&T as a mathematics instructor and later became the director of academic department and the college physician. A native of St. Kitts, British West Indies, and educated in Europe, he was called back home to serve in their army during the war. He did not return to A&T as his medical services were still needed. His wife, Vivian Dudley was the daughter of President James B. Dudley.

Lonnie P. Byarm Sr., (1889 – 1955) was an instructor in engineering, electricity and drawing. He served as served as Sergeant 317th Ammo TN 92nd Division World War I. After the war, he also served as one of A&T's first football coaches, from 1924 – 1929. His son L. P. Byarm Jr. served in World War II and also worked in the athletics department at A&T.

David King Cherry (1883 – 1956) began his career at A&T as a math instructor in 1911 and later served as a captain in the 367th Infantry, 92nd Division, U.S. Army, World War I. After leaving A&T, he was a professor at what is now Elizabeth City State University, President of Kittrell College from 1928 – 1932, after which he was a professor at Knoxville College in Tennessee.