Dr. Earl H. McClenney Jr.

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Dr. Earl H. McClenney Jr.

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.”

Prov. 31:8-9.

Dr. Earl Hampton McClenney Jr. and his wife (Frances Wood) moved to Richmond in 1964 after graduating from North Carolina A&T State University and St. Paul’s College. respectively.  St. Paul’s College is where his father, Dr. Earl McClenney Sr., was president from 1950-1970.   Dr. McClenney was appointed by Governor Godwin as one of five city interns and the only African-American in a new program with the Commonwealth.   He was later hired as one of the first African-Americans to work in personnel for the City of Richmond.  Always fighting for others, he disrupted racist exclusionary practices in City hiring.

Fighting for justice had consequences that he embraced.  When the City failed to promote him, Dr. McClenney went back to school and earned a Masters of Public Administration at the University of Virginia graduating in the top five of his class.   He earned a Juris Doctorate from the T.C. Williams School of Law in 1980. Soon his first daughter was born, Rev. Dr. Madeline McClenney, Duke University Ph.D in Religion and founder of Exodus Foundation.org.  Five years later, his second daughter was born who later served as the youngest member of the Richmond School Board.  In 2015, she was sworn in as a Richmond City General District Court Judge, Jacqueline Suzanne McClenney.

Dr. McClenney founded the Department of Public Administration at Virginia State University where he taught for over twenty years.  He was an ardent supporter of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).   He taught that HBCUs were the only place African-Americans were safe from “academic terrorism,” a term he coined.   “If you go to a PWI,” he said, “you will learn to think like your oppressors.”  His students were his pride and joy; he talked about them incessantly at home.   Although he taught thousands of students, 554 graduated from the Department of Public Administration prior to his departure in 2007 when he was appointed by Governor Tim Kaine as the Senior Advisor for Urban Affairs.   In 1989, he published his most influential book, “How To Survive When You Are the Only Black In The Office:  What They Can’t Teach You At White Business Schools.” 

During his active community years, Dr. McClenney became the first African-American to join the Richmond Jaycees, helped found The Leadership Roundtable, served on the Board and Executive Committee of Richmond Renaissance (now Venture Richmond), served as Vice-Chair of the Virginia Commonwealth Competition Council (appointed by Governor Gilmore), served as a member of the National and Virginia Association of Administrative Law Judges and Hearing Officers along with other professional public administration organizations. 

Dr. McClenney is survived by his brother Clifton McClenney (Jean); daughters, Jacqueline and Madeline; granddaughter, Ariyah McClenney Sadler; two bonus grandsons, James Elliott-Wallace, and Rashad Davis-Gladney; sister, Elizabeth Gail McClenney; brothers, Walter O’Neil McClenney (Aleta) and Henry Clay McClenney; numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, dedicated caregivers and Legends of Troy, Virginia State University students and graduates.  Private Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated and Family Memorial Services will be held at Joseph Jenkins Funeral Home on September 16, 2020.  Services will be live streamed for the community at 6pm. (Omega service) and 7p.m. (Memorial Service).  See Joseph Jenkins Funeral Home Facebook page for the live feed.