Melvin Hawkins joined California State University, San Bernardino in 1972 as a faculty member in the Department of Sociology. In 1992, he became the university’s first Affirmative Action Appeal Coordinator, helping to lay the foundation for equity and inclusion on campus. Though appointed for a two-year term, he retired in 1993 after 19 years of service to the university.
Hawkins held a B.A. from Morehouse College, an M.S.W. from Atlanta University, and earned his Ph.D. in Sociology from United States International University in San Diego, CA.
Beyond campus, Hawkins was a dedicated community leader, serving two consecutive terms as president of the Board of Directors for the Riverside-Imperial Counties Epilepsy Society in 1977 and 1978.
Image Caption: Headshot of Melvin Hawkins, Associate Professor Sociology at CSUSB.
Margaret Hill was born in segregated Norfolk, Virginia. She was raised by sharecropper parents and attended school in a one-room building with no electricity or running water. These early challenges fueled her passion for educational equity and social justice.
She moved to San Bernardino, California in 1969 and began her journey in education as a secretary. Over the decades, Hill rose to become a teacher, vice principal, principal, assistant superintendent, and adjunct professor at both Cal State San Bernardino and the University of Redlands. She earned her bachelor’s from Norfolk State University, a master’s in Educational Administration from CSUSB, and an honorary doctorate in Social Justice from the University of Redlands.
A powerful community leader, Dr. Hill served on numerous boards and was honored by organizations such as the NAACP and the California State Legislature. She founded "Mob Mom," encouraging positive student engagement, and wrote two books: "It’s All About the Children" and "From Sharecropping to Non-Stopping."
Active in the Civil Rights Movement, she participated in peaceful sit-ins and continued fighting racism throughout her life in California. In 2019, the San Bernardino City Unified School District named its boardroom the Dr. Margaret Hill Community Room, honoring her lifetime of service and unwavering commitment to youth and justice.
Image Caption: Margaret Hill at the 2015 Pioneer Breakfast in the Santos Manuel Student Union at California State University, San Bernardino.
This article highlights the excitement Black students felt after hearing guest speaker Donald K. Cheek during Black History Week, which inspired them to work toward strengthening the Black Student Union and boosting student involvement.
This article emphasizes Black History Month as a vital opportunity to educate others about the African American experience in the United States and recognize African American contributions to the nation's development.
This article covers a talk by Shirley Chisholm at CSUSB, highlighting her historic presidential run and otther achievements. In her talk, Chisholm encouraged the audience to educate themselves about racism and build connections across different cultures and races.
This article highlights a performance by folk musician Clabe Hangan at the CSUSB cafeteria, where he sang folk songs including "The Waves Roll In," "A-men," "This Old Man," and Bob Dylan’s "A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall."
This article announces an afternoon picnic for faculty and staff hosted by the Black Student Union and Phi Beta Sigma to kick off Black History Week taking place February 10th through 23rd.
This article details an October 16th meeting between the Black Student Union and CSUSB President John M. Pfau, where students demanded the rehiring of Black faculty, structural changes, and the creation of a Black Studies Department.
