Moron was born in the Virgin Islands on Apr. 12, 1909 to Caroline Louisa Brown and Joseph Metjunto Moron. His parents were both native to the Virgin Islands, which were a Danish possession at the time. His mother was a seamstress and his father was a Jew who had migrated to the Caribbean Islands from Spain. As a young man, Moron’s scholarship was so exceptional that a group of supporters raised money to send him to Hampton Institute in Hampton, Virginia. Although circumstances prevented most of the money from reaching him, he was determined to attend Hampton Institute, and he enrolled in Sept. 1923. In Norfolk, Virginia, Moron experienced the segregated South firsthand. Attempting to buy food at a restaurant near the base he was told it was for whites only.
Alonzo Graseano Moron became the first black president of Hampton University on Oct. 29, 1949, influencing the civil rights movement as he worked to upgrade Hampton Institute from a trade school to a college. He proved that a school for African Americans could be successful with a black man in charge. Moron’s influence was significant in many fields. An outstanding scholar, effective administrator, and advocator for civil rights, he held many groundbreaking posts, all with distinction.
