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GEORGE WILLIAM FREDERICK McMECHEN

 

George W. F. McMechen was born in Wheeling, West Virginia on October 29, 1871 to George and Mildred McMechen.  His siblings included Mary L. and Ethel (Jones).  In 1891 he enrolled in the first class of Morgan College.   As a student, he enjoyed athletics and excelled at baseball.  McMechen was the only member of Morgan College’s first graduating class of 1895.  After earning his degree, McMechen served Morgan as the Graduate Manager of Athletics.  He then went on to study law at Yale University.  He earned his Law Degree in 1899.  After practicing Law for several years in Indiana, he returned to Baltimore in 1904 and formed a successful Law Practice with W. Ashbie Hawkins.  Hawkins and McMechen were among the early Civil Rights Attorneys in Baltimore.  They were pioneers in battling residential racial segregation.  In 1944, McMechen became the first Black member of the Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners.  He was appointed by Governor Theodore McKeldin.  McMechen was a member of Maryland’s first chapter of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity, inc., Pi Omega Chapter.  He was also the first Baltimorean elected Grand Exalted Ruler (National President) of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the World.  In addition to his professional activities, McMechen was often a guest speaker at convocations and other programs at Morgan State.  Many of his editorials and memoirs were published in The Morgan College Bulletin.  McMechen was the most celebrated Morgan alumnus of his generation.  He later returned to Morgan and served on Morgan’s Board of Trustees for many years.  McMechen passed away on February 22, 1961.  He left a sizeable donation to Morgan in his will.  In honor of his legacy and service to Morgan, the School of Business facility was erected in 1972 and named in McMechen’s memory.