Ralph Proctor, Jr., holds a doctorate in history from the University of Pittsburgh, where he pioneered the use of oral history in completing his dissertation on discrimination against teachers by the Pittsburgh Board of Education. Dr. Proctor is a nationally recognized expert on African American history, culture, and art. He currently holds the rank of Professor at the Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) where he created and chaired the College's division for Ethnic & Diversity Studies. In addition, he established CCAC's Office of Institutional Diversity & Inclusion and served as its first vice president. Among the courses he teaches are: Understanding Violence in America; African-American History; History of the Pittsburgh Civil Rights Movement; Achieving Cultural Competence; African Art/Artifacts in the Cycle of Life. Previous professional experiences include serving as a consultant for the planned African American Cultural Center of Pittsburgh; former assistant dean of the University of Pittsburgh's College of Arts and Sciences, and executive director of the Kingsley Association. In addition to his academic accomplishments, Dr. Proctor hosted WQED-TV's Black Horizons, the second television program in the country to focus specifically on issues of concern to the African American community. In 2008, he received the YMCA Racial Justice Award for Lifetime Achievement for his long-standing efforts to combat discrimination.
