Alfred L. Higginbotham Papers

Alfred Leslie Higginbotham, September 12, 1895-June 22, 1967, taught for more than 40 years at the University of Nevada. A graduate of Oberlin College, Ohio, he came to the University in 1923 as an English instructor, the same year the school began its first journalism class. He became an instructor in journalism and in 1965 the Regents named the Department of Journalism the Alfred L. Higginbotham Department of Journalism in his honor.

During his tenure at the University, he served on numerous committees and boards both on and off campus. For twenty years he was advisor of the campus chapter of Sigma Delta Chi, the National Journalistic Society (in 1960 it became the National Professional Journalistic Society) and was national vice-president for campus affairs for two years. As a thirty year advisor of the University chapter of Kappa Tau Alpha, the National Journalism Scholarship Society, he also served as national vice-president for two years and president for two years.

Active in professional journalism societies, he belonged to the Far Western Association of Departments of Journalism (FWADJ) and the American Society of Journalism School Administrators (ASJSA). He was a charter member in 1944 for the ASJSA and served as Secretary, 1944- 1947, and as President, 1952.

He assisted in founding the Nevada State Press Association in 1924 which he served as secretary-manager for twenty-two years, and president in 1958-59. In addition, he was appointed historian of the University of Nevada during World War 11, and he began the Nevada Newspaper Hall of Fame in 1948.

He also wrote numerous publications and speeches.