Explore African American contributions at the University of Georgia with the self-guided Celebrating Black History Through Steps Towards Inclusion site tour, featuring 10 locations across the UGA Athens campus. The tour can be completed in person during the month of February or online year-round through our immersive virtual experience.
Hugh Hodgson School of Music
250 River Road, Athens, GA
Richard Graham was the former director of the Hugh Hodgson School of Music in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. He came to the university in 1968 as a visiting professor and permanently joined the faculty the following year, becoming the first full-time African American faculty member at the University of Georgia.
Graham was a pioneer in the discipline of music therapy, the application of music to restore, maintain or improve mental and physical health. Once considered a subgenre of music education, Graham was a leading force behind the establishment of music therapy as a separate discipline. He also was responsible for its establishment at UGA, transforming a fledgling program to one of the most respected programs in the country. While at UGA, Graham served as president of the National Association of Music Therapy and as editor of the Journal of Music Therapy. He retired in 2000 after 32 years of service.
