Dear Rice Colleagues,
I’m writing to share the sad news that former Rice University history professor Harold Hyman died Aug. 6 at age 99.
Harold taught Civil War and reconstruction history at Rice for nearly 30 years, from 1968 to 1997, and was the William P. Hobby Professor of History Chair Emeritus.
Notably, he and other historians joined the march from Selma to Montgomery led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1965. Harold, an author and award-winning scholar of American legal history, served as chief reference librarian at Rice’s Fondren Library. I invite you to read more about Harold’s accomplishments in Rice News.
Harold embodied Rice’s unique commitment to undergraduate education; his former colleagues described how he often met with students to offer detailed attention to their research and writing. Current history professor and department chair Nathan Citino credits Harold with elevating the Rice history department to national prestige, underscoring his commitment to excellence.
Harold’s late wife, Ferne Hyman, also worked for many years at Rice before retiring as an assistant university librarian. Their daughter, federal judge Lee Rosenthal, is a former Rice trustee.
A memorial service at the Brookwood Community is planned for Oct. 14 at 10:30 a.m.
Warm regards,
Amy