TC alum Thelma C. Davidson Adair (M.A. ’45; Ed.D. ’59) passed away at the age of 103 on August 21, 2024. Born on August 29, 1920, Adair is remembered as a passionate educator, church leader, civil rights advocate, and, notably, one of the first Black women to graduate from Teachers College. In 1977, she received TC’s Distinguished Alumni Award.
A memorial service will be held in honor of Adair’s legacy on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, at 1:00 pm at Union Theological Seminary James Memorial Chapel, 90 Claremont Ave, New York, NY. All members of the TC community are welcome to attend. Flowers, in lieu of attendance, are welcome. Please send all correspondence to Dr. Robert Adair, 41 W 96th St., New York, NY 10025.
Adair served as Professor Emeritus of the City University of New York's Queens College, where she taught for 31 years. She also taught religious education at Union Theological Seminary, was a lecturer at the University of Ghana and Columbia University, and trained members of the U.S. Peace Corps for service in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. A leader in early childhood education, she authored several books that became resources for educators nationwide.
Often referred to as the “Mother of Harlem,” Adair was an active member of her local Harlem community and a champion for civil rights. In 1943, she co-founded Mount Morris Presbyterian Church with her husband, Reverend Arthur Eugene Adair. Together, they played a pivotal role in shaping the spiritual and social fabric of their community, establishing the Arthur Eugene and Thelma Adair Community Life Center Head Start in 1944, serving over 20,000 children since it was founded.
(Photo courtesy of Presbyterian Historical Society.)
In 1976, Adair became the first Black woman to be elected Moderator of the Presbyterian Church 188th Assembly. Her profound impact and involvement with the Presbyterian Church have been nationally recognized by foreign and national leaders and United States presidents. Notably, in 2011, Adair flew to Selma to march with President Obama and others on the 50th anniversary of the civil rights march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge.
Adair’s commitment to service, advocacy, and peace was an inspiration to all who knew her, with her loved ones remembering her as “the matriarch and foundation of a family rooted in love.” She is survived by her son, Robert Aton Adair, M.D. (Columbia University M.P.H ‘72), daughter-in-law, Alicine Ross Adair, and loving family.