Winston Anthony Napier, Clark University's E. Franklin Frazier Chair and associate professor of English, died unexpectedly on Sunday, May 18, 2008.
Professor Napier, fondly known to family and friends as Tony, was born in Jamaica on January 26, 1953 and attended Wolmers Prep and Wolmers High, before migrating to the United State. He earned a bachelor's degree from William Patterson College in 1974 and a master's degree and Ph.D. at Howard University in 1977 and 1991, respectively. He taught at Howard University, Purdue University, George Washington University and Bates College before joining the Clark University faculty in 1995 as the E. Franklin Frazier Professor. In this tenure-track professorship, Napier created and taught innovative courses on African American literature and critical theory.
A former editor of the Howard University Journal of Philosophy, he published in Literature and Psychology, The Massachusetts Review, New Literary History, and The Village Voice Literary Supplement. He was editor of the acclaimed book, African American Literary Theory: A Reader. He inspired members of the Clark and Worcester communities to explore these issues as well through the African American Intellectual Culture Series, a lecture series sponsored by Clark's Higgins School of Humanities that Professor Napier founded and helped to organize each year.
Professor Napier will be sorely missed by Clark's students and faculty, not only for his incisive intellect, but for his warmth, humor, and commitment to social justice as well. Statements from his students past and present attest to his success in challenging them to consider issues of race and culture both theoretically and practically.
Professor Napier was predeceased by parents Robert (Bobby) and Rosetta (Betty) Napier and is survived by 2 brothers, 1 sister, Aunt, Niece, Nephews, other relatives and friends in the US and Jamaica as well as the Clark University Family. A memorial event will be scheduled on the Clark campus during the 2008-09 academic year. Memorial gifts may be mailed to the University Advancement office at Clark University, 950 Main Street, Worcester, MA 01610. Alfred Roy & Sons Funeral Home 12 Hammond St. is directing arrangements.