George Walker

George Elizur Walker, 72 entered his eternal resting place on Monday, August 19, 2019 at Fairview Care Center, Philadelphia, PA., after a long illness.

George, the son of the late Willie and Gussie Mae Walker was born Saturday, July 19, 1945 in Savannah, Georgia. He is survived by his siblings Willie Mae, Ronald, James, Mary Alice, Bryant, Thomas, and their spouses. He is survived also by a host of nieces, and nephews.

George experienced an early conversion to Christ and was a member of the Christian Tabernacle Church in Philadelphia in his preteen, teenage and young adult years. He was an ardent studier of the bible.

George attended public schools in Chester, and Philadelphia PA, graduating from the Benjamin Franklin High School in Philadelphia. He then attended Lincoln University on a full 4-yr scholarship earning his Bachelor’s degree (Cum Laude, 1970); attended Colombia University in New York on scholarship and fellowships, earning his M.A. (1971), M.Phil (1973), and Ph.D (1975) degrees in American and African-American History.

Along the way, George’s education was fully financed by the following awards: National Fellowships Fund - full tuition fellowship; Woodrow Wilson Fellowship; Columbia University Fellowship of the Faculty; John Hay Whitney Fellowship; and a Fellowship by the Ford Foundation (partial listing).

Earning his Ph.D degree, and now a Professor of History, George, moved to Alexandria, VA and taught African-American History, American History, and African History at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA.

After teaching history at George Mason for eight years and wanting to fulfill a life-long dream, George enrolled in the Georgetown University Law Center, in Washington, D.C. He pursed these studies in the evening. After four years of arduous study while teaching full time during the day, George was awarded the Juris Doctor Degree of Law in February 1989.

During the time he was studying and teaching George found time to write an article in The National Bar Association Magazine on the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (October 1988). He wrote a letter to the editor appearing in The New York Times which supported Jesse Jackson’s use of the term “African-American” (Jan. 6, 1989). At the same time he also began work on the first of what would become three text books on African-American History: Volume I and Volume II of the Black State and National Conventions 1840-1900 , and The Afro-American in New York City 1827-1860.

With his law degree obtained, and after passing the Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania bar exams, George in early 1990 moved back to Philadelphia to begin the single practice of Family, Business, and Traffic Law. He continued practicing law in Philadelphia, until in 2016 he became too ill to continue.

George was insightful, independent, bold with opinions, and questions. He delighted in holding lively conversations on a wide variety of subjects. And over the years, he was willing to lend assistance, aid, and comfort to some in need. He is, and will be, greatly missed.