Rep. Sylvester Turner was a fierce advocate for Texas Southern University. The native Houstonian was also a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha.
HOUSTON — During his decades of leadership, Congressman Sylvester Turner was a strong advocate for higher education.
Turner graduated from the University of Houston, earned his law degree from Harvard, and has strong ties to Texas Southern University, which goes back decades.
Dr. James Douglas, distinguished professor of law, who was the Dean of the Thurgood Marshall School of Law, hired Turner to be an adjunct professor.
Dr. Douglas, mourning the loss of Turner, remembers Turner both before and during his longtime political career.
“We do know that a great man has been removed from our lives,” Dr. Douglas said.
Douglas said he was shocked to learn the news and said he had just spoken with Turner last week. Dr. Douglas worked with Turner on one of his first mayoral campaigns in the 1990s.
“At that time, he was young, aggressive, real bright, and he seemed to be student-oriented,” Dr. Douglas said.
Turner was the commencement speaker for TSU’s 2022 fall graduating class. He was also given an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters degree.
