1958

Dr. Charlie L. Yates

Charlie Lee Yates was the first African-American Student to graduate from Virginia Tech. He was one of six honors graduates in mechanical engineering in 1958. A graduate of Booker T. Washington High school in Norfolk; he enrolled in the Engineering School and the Corps of Cadet in 1954.
He not only graduated with honors in four year, but also served as an officer in two engineering groups on campus, Tau Beta Pi and Pi Tau Sigma. After graduating, he earned his masters degree from California Tech and a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins. Dr. Yates returned to Virginia Tech in 1979 to serve on the faculty of the Department of Mechanical Engineering (1979-1983). He left Tech in 1983 to head the Engineering Program at Hampton University, and later he was a visiting associate professor at Old Dominion University. During this period away from Tech, he served on the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors. Dr Yates returned to Tech in July of 1987 as an associate professor in the department of Aerospace and Ocean Engineering.

Send questions or comments to:

Tamara Kennelly,
University Archivist
University Libraries
Virginia Tech
P.O. Box 90001
Blacksburg, VA 24062-9001

URL:http://spec.lib.vt.edu/archives/blackhistory/grads/yatesc58.html
Last Updated on: Thursday, 03-May-2001 14:02:47 EDT

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