Charles Somerville Harris, the first Black director of the division of recreation and intercollegiate athletics at Penn and later the executive vice president at Averett University in Danville, Virginia, died on December 7, 2022. He was 71.

Born in Richmond, Virginia and raised in Clarksville, Virginia, Mr. Harris grew up attending segregated schools, including his alma mater, West End High School in Mecklenburg County. In 1973, he received a bachelor’s degree in mass media arts from Hampton Institute (now University), then launched a career on campus as a media services employee at the University Nursing School. He also held an internship as a writer at Newsweek magazine. While pursuing a degree at the University of Michigan Graduate School of Journalism, Mr. Harris worked in the University of Michigan’s department of intercollegiate athletics, eventually advancing to assistant director.

In 1979, Mr. Harris accepted the position of director of intercollegiate athletics and recreation at the University of Pennsylvania (Almanac November 15, 1979). With this appointment, he became the first Black athletic director at an Ivy League school (as well as the youngest person yet to have held the position). Under Mr. Harris, Penn adopted its first official athletic policy in three decades, won three straight Ivy football titles after he hired Jerry Berndt as head coach (1982-1984, including Penn’s first in 23 years), embarked on a program of expansion of athletic facilities, and set a school record for Ivy championships (eight in 1984). Thirteen sports won a total of 28 Ivy League championships during Mr. Harris’ tenure. In addition, the Quakers’ men’s fencing program were NCAA champions in 1980-81, and two fencers won individual NCAA titles. “He has made a great difference to the athletic program,” said President Sheldon Hackney (Almanac May 14, 1985). “We will benefit for a long time from the changes he has made and from the efforts of the coaches he has brought to Penn.”

Mr. Harris left Penn in 1985 to become director of athletics at Arizona State University, where he was the first Black athletic director of an NCAA Division I program. The next year, Mr. Harris and his wife Lenora formed a consulting practice, Excel Development Systems. In 1996, Mr. Harris became commissioner of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, a position he held until 2003. He was next named director of athletics at Averett University, making him the first African American appointed in the USA South Athletic Conference. He continued to advance his career at Averett: In 2007, he took on the additional title of vice president of student services, then became executive vice president, both firsts for an African American there. Mr. Harris retired from Averett in 2021.

Over the course of his career, Mr. Harris served on nearly 30 NCAA committees and mentored 14 college athletic directors. He received the Pioneer Award from the John McLendon Foundation and was listed as one of Eighty People to Watch in 1980 by Philadelphia Magazine. The All-America Sports Foundation awarded him its Lifetime Achievement Award and its Commissioners Award, and he received the Leadership Award from the National Collegiate Athletic Association. He was inducted into the West End High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2001 and was included in the NAACP list of Who’s Who in America. Averett University will begin construction on the Charles S. Harris Field House in 2024.

Outside of his professional responsibilities, Mr. Harris co-owned a family farm and traveled to six continents.

He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Lenora Billings-Harris; his sister, the Hon. Lillian Harris Ransom; half brothers-in-law, Arthur Billings (Andrea) and Tracee Billings (Quinnetta); and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends. A celebration of life was held on December 17, 2022. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Averett University, 420 West Main St., Danville, Virginia 24541, Averett Ascending Capital Campaign, designated for the Charles S. Harris Field House (https://www.averett.edu/giving/harrisfieldhouse/).