Roxbury man makes history

Clifton R. Wharton Jr. probably will not be celebrated as an ethnic hero during Black History Month, but his achievements deserve such accolades despite the fact that he is not so well-known. According to a journalist writing in The New York Times of March 27, 1988, “Clifton Wharton had become something relatively new under the American sun: a black member of the Establishment rather than a member of the black Establishment.” Wharton’s memoir, “Privilege and Prejudice: The Life of a Black Pioneer,” provides an elaborate account of his arduous trek.

As the first black to head a national foundation, a major university and a Fortune 500 company, Wharton felt compelled to tell his story to help guide younger generations on their way. He states that his memoir “is also a story about the importance of not allowing racial discrimination or negative expectations to poison one’s sensibilities or deflect one from a chosen path.”

Wharton advises that “striving for excellence in every arena, being constantly prepared to listen and learn, maintaining integrity, and always trying to act humanely and compassionately were my fundamental life standards.” His concern over the inefficiency of subsistence farming to feed so much of the world’s population induced Wharton, a city dweller, to pursue a degree in agricultural economics. He and his wife Dolores lived for years in Southeast Asia where he developed professional expertise after becoming the first black Ph.D. in agricultural economics from the University of Chicago.

Wharton’s abilities as a teacher and economic researcher came to the attention of the Rockefellers, who promoted him along in executive positions in foundations they supported. His prominence as an agricultural economist also made him attractive as a candidate for president of Michigan State University, which has a major agricultural program. His administrative prowess at Michigan State qualified him to become president of SUNY, the organization managing all 64 of the state universities and colleges of New York.

Wharton’s stellar performance at SUNY prepared him to become CEO of TIAA-CREF, a Fortune 500 company. As Wharton’s intellect and executive skills became apparent, over the years he often was sought out as a director of major corporations. His directorships included the Ford Motor Company, Equitable Insurance and Time-Warner. His wife, Dolores, a talented leader of projects associated with her husband’s assignments, served as a director of Kellogg Co., Gannett, and Phillips Petroleum, among others.

Together the Whartons became part of the nation’s Establishment. Although he amassed 47 honorary degrees, Wharton’s objective was not self-aggrandizement. He has stated, “prominent blacks routinely work to help fellow blacks reach leadership positions — as Vernon Jordan and Andrew Brimmer did for me. Dolores and I also tried to ‘pass it forward’ for others.”

Over the years, the Whartons have demonstrated a great concern for the welfare of blacks. In 1980, Dolores Wharton established the Fund for Corporate Initiatives to help educate black girls in the culture of the nation’s power structure. When it was time to age out of his position at TIAA-CREF, Clifton Wharton looked for someone with the capacity to continue the policy changes he had begun. He found Tom Jones, the assistant treasurer of John Hancock Insurance Co. in Boston. Jones, who also is black, succeeded Wharton as CEO of TIAA-CREF. Wharton also was able to achieve racial and gender diversification on TIAA-CREF’s two operating boards.

The late Sen. Edward W. Brooke, Gen. Colin Powell and President Barack Obama all became members of the nation’s Establishment through the political process. Wharton arrived through personal and professional prowess. With this book he provides a detailed road map for others who are uniquely talented and have the ambition to reach the top.