NSU emeritus professor to present on blues history on Feb. 23

TAHLEQUAH — Northeastern State University will welcome emeritus professor of psychology Dr. Harold Aldridge Jr. to present a history of blues music on Feb. 23 at 3:30 p.m. in room 203 of the University Center.

Aldridge will narrate, play guitar and sing songs representative of blues history as part of his presentation titled, “Blues Journey: A personal history performed and narrated by Dr. Harold Aldridge Jr.”

The presentation is open to students, faculty, staff and the community.

“I expect students to leave with a greater appreciation of the variety of the American musical tradition, the role the blues has played in sustaining communities of color and the way this roots genre evolved with the country,” Dr. Iain Anderson, NSU professor and history department chair, said.

Aldridge grew up in Taft, one of Oklahoma's historic all-Black towns. He earned his doctorate in educational psychology from the University of Oklahoma in 1979 and taught for 27 years at NSU, from 1970 to 1997. In 2020, he was named an NSU Centurion, an annual award presented to members of the NSU family—alumni, faculty, staff and students—who impacted the life of the nominator, the NSU community or the public at large.

Aldridge was one of the first Black professors to teach at NSU after desegregation and was one of the first to desegregate Tulsa Memorial High School. At NSU Aldridge served on multiple committees, was the faculty sponsor for the Black Student Association and provided guidance to many students during his tenure.

He officiated in the NJCAA, NAIA, NCAA D-I and D-II and also served as a referee in professional basketball in the ABA. Aldridge has a third-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do karate, plays and sings country and Delta blues and breeds, trains and shows Tennessee Walking horses.

Aldridge is also an author. Last year, he self-published "What if the Past was Lost Forever? Then Who Would Pass on What?: Segregation and Desegregation in the Oklahoma Public Schools”. The book showcases Black experiences in Oklahoma during segregation and desegregation through first-hand testimonies from Black administrators, teachers and coaches.

Aldridge is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity and serves on several boards, including the Oklahoma Historical Society.

For more information about Aldridge’s presentation on Feb. 23 contact Anderson at andersoi@nsuok.edu or 918-444-3519.