Oliver Cromwell Carmichael (October 3, 1891 – September 25, 1966) served as the third

chancellor Chancellor () is a title of various official positions in the governments of many countries. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the (lattice work screens) of a basilica (court hall), which separa ...

Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt University (informally Vandy or VU) is a private university, private research university in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, it was named in honor of shipping and railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provide ...

from 1937 to 1946. He also served as the President of the

University of Alabama The University of Alabama (informally known as Alabama, UA, the Capstone, or Bama) is a Public university, public research university in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States. Established in 1820 and opened to students in 1831, the University of ...

from 1953 to 1957.

Early life

Oliver Cromwell Carmichael was born on October 3, 1891, the son of a farmer. He received a B.A. from Alabama Presbyterian College and an M.A. from the

.Vanderbilt University biography
/ref>Doll, G.N
Spies Like Us.
Vanderbilt Magazine, accessed June 3, 2019. He was a

Rhodes Scholar The Rhodes Scholarship is an international Postgraduate education, postgraduate award for students to study at the University of Oxford in Oxford, United Kingdom. The scholarship is open to people from all backgrounds around the world. Esta ...

Oxford University The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the second-oldest continuously operating u ...

, following

Harvie Branscomb Bennett Harvie Branscomb (December 25, 1894 – July 23, 1998) was an American theologian and academic administrator. He served as the fourth chancellor of Vanderbilt University, a private university in Nashville, Tennessee, from 1946 to 1963. P ...

(1894–1998). He was the first Rhodes Scholar from Alabama. He was the younger brother of mathematician Robert Daniel Carmichael.

Career

Carmichael worked in a

YMCA YMCA, sometimes regionally called the Y, is a worldwide youth organisation based in Geneva, Switzerland, with more than 64 million beneficiaries in 120 countries. It has nearly 90,000 staff, some 920,000 volunteers and 12,000 branches w ...

in India and East Africa. During the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, Carmichael and later Vanderbilt Chancellor

worked for the American Commission for Relief in Belgium under

Herbert Hoover Herbert Clark Hoover (August 10, 1874 – October 20, 1964) was the 31st president of the United States, serving from 1929 to 1933. A wealthy mining engineer before his presidency, Hoover led the wartime Commission for Relief in Belgium and ...

. He joined the

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

in 1915 and served in the East African campaign and commanded a field canteen. He returned to the United States but then joined the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

shortly after the

American entry into World War I The United States entered into World War I on 6 April 1917, more than two and a half years after the war began in Europe. Apart from an Anglophile element urging early support for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, British and an a ...

, serving as a

first lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a se ...

with the 321st Regiment of the 81st Division on the Western Front from August 1918 onwards. After the war,

Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...

awarded Carmichael and Branscomb the Médaille du Roi Albert and Médaille de la Reine Élisabeth for their service. On his return, he became a high school principal. From 1926 to 1935, Carmichael served as the fourth president of Alabama College, now known as the University of Montevallo. Carmichael became Dean of the Graduate School of

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...

in 1935, and he was elevated to serve as the third

of the university from 1937 to 1946. In 1939, he was also elected to the board of trustees of

Duke University Duke University is a Private university, private research university in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present-day city of Trinity, North Carolina, Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1 ...

.Duke University: Board of Trustees 1930s
Carmichael served as the President of the

Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching (CFAT) is a U.S.-based education policy and research center. It was founded by Andrew Carnegie in 1905 and chartered in 1906 by an act of the United States Congress. Among its most not ...

from 1945 to 1953. During his tenure, he wrote an article entitled ''What Makes a Good College President''. Carmichael served as the President of the University of Alabama from 1953 to 1957.Dr. Oliver Carmichael, 74, Dies; Ex-President of U. of Alabama; His Reign Was Marked by a Violent Controversy Over Admission of Negro
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The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', September 27, 1966 During his tenure, the football team lost consistently. He resigned over a "violent controversy" after expelling Autherine Lucy, an African-American student. While he broadly hinted that UA might have to comply with the U.S. Supreme Court's decision against segregation, the board of trustees did not agree. He ultimately resigned over the issue.

Death

Carmichael died on September 25, 1966.

Legacy

Carmichael Towers (1970–2019 and 1966–2021) on the campus of Vanderbilt University were four residential buildings named in his honor. In 2024, construction of the Oliver C. Carmichael Residential College was completed, replacing the Carmichael Towers and allowing students to move in for the 2024-2025 academic year. The campus library at the University of Montevallo, on Bloch Street, completed in 1968, bears Carmichael's name.

Bibliography

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Carmichael, Oliver 1891 births 1966 deaths Military personnel from Alabama British Army personnel of World War I United States Army personnel of World War I British Army officers United States Army officers University of Alabama alumni American Rhodes Scholars Chancellors of Vanderbilt University University of Montevallo people Presidents of the University of Alabama Duke University trustees