Former Denverite Contributed Globally To African and African Diaspora History Education
Dr. Asa Grant Hilliard, III, a world renowned Pan-Africanist educator, historian, and psychologist, passed from this life on Aug. 13, in Cairo, Egypt. Hilliard was in Egypt to deliver a keynote lecture at the annual conference of the Association for the Study of Classical African Civilization, an organization he helped found. He was also lecturing for a study trip led by Rev. Jeremiah Wright of Chicago. The cause of death is attributed to complications from malaria.
 “Dr. Hilliard was in his favorite place, with his favorite person – our mother, when he died,” said his daughter, Robi Hilliard Herron.
Dr. Hilliard was married for nearly 50 years to the Honorable Patsy Jo Hilliard, former mayor of East Point, Georgia, and former school board member for the South San Francisco Unified School District.
Born in Galveston, TX on August 22, 1933 to Asa G. Hilliard II and Dr. Lois O. Williams. Dr. Hilliard graduated from Manual High School in Denver, Colo. in 1951. He received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Denver in 1955, and taught in the Denver Public Schools before joining the U.S. Army, where he served as a First Lieutenant, platoon leader, and battalion executive officer in the Third Armored Infantry from 1955 to 1957. He received his master’s in counseling in 1961, and doctorate. in Educational Psychology in 1963 from the University of Denver. In pursuit of his education, Hilliard worked in many occupations including as a teacher in the Denver Public Schools, as a railroad maintenance worker, and as a bartender, waiter, and cook.
Hilliard’s professional career spanned the globe from San Francisco to West Africa. He was a Board Certified Forensic Examiner and Diplomate of both the American Board of Forensic Examiners and the American Board of Forensic Medicine. He served as lead expert witness in several landmark federal cases on test validity and bias. He lectured at leading universities and other institutions throughout the world, including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Smithsonian Institution, and the National Geographic Society.
As a distinguished consultant, Hilliard has worked with many of the leading school districts, publishers, public advocacy organizations, universities, government agencies and private corporations on valid assessment, African content in curriculum, teacher training, and public policy. He authored more than a thousand publications including journal articles, magazine articles, special reports, chapters in books, and books. He received hundreds of awards and recognitions from many prestigious organizations and institutions, too numerous to list.
Hilliard’s funeral and memorial services were held Aug. 22 and 23 at Martin Luther King, Jr. International Chapel in Atlanta, Georgia. He is survived by his wife, Patsy Jo Hilliard and four children: Asa G. Hilliard, IV, Robi Hilliard Herron, Dr. Patricia Hilliard-Nunn and Michael Hakim Hilliard and seven grandchildren.
For those friends and colleagues who wish to give comments and expressions about the life and works of Dr. Asa G. Hilliard or to give remembrances to the family, you may do so at www.asaghilliard.com. Hilliard’s family is requesting that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Per Maat Foundation, Inc., P. O. Box 357171, Gainesville, FL 32635. The Per Maat Foundation is a non-profit public foundation created to educate people about African and African Diaspora history and culture. All contributions are tax deductible.
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