K. Leroy Irvis

2003 Honoree

As a young community activist in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, K. Leroy Irvis organized the first demonstration in the United States against downtown department stores for their discriminatory hiring practices against African Americans.

That determination and leadership have served him well many years later. Mr. Irvis, the retired Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, was the first African-American Speaker of the House in Pennsylvania. He was elected to serve in that position for the first time in 1977.

In 1983, he was again elected Speaker and served until 1988, longer than anyone else in this century. He is currently the Distinguished Presidential Scholar at Temple University.

A native of Saugerties, New York, Mr. Irvis graduated with honors from New York State Teachers College (now the University of the State of New York at Albany), received a master's degree from the University of New York at Albany and earned a law degree from the University of Pittsburgh.

Mr. Irvis' political career began in 1958, when he was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. He was re-elected to that seat for 15 consecutive terms. Mr. Irvis has sponsored over 1,600 pieces of legislation addressing education, civil rights, health, consumer protection, prison reform, housing and governmental reform. He also introduced on the floor of the House the idea of a community college system in Pennsylvania and is considered the "father" of the system.

Many organizations have honored Irvis for his public service, including the NAACP, University of Pennsylvania, Lincoln University of Pennsylvania and Community College of Harrisburg. He was a trustee of the University of Pittsburgh and a member of the University of Pittsburgh Medical School Advisory Committee. In 2001, the University of Pittsburgh opened the K. Leroy Irvis Reading Room as a part of the Distinguished Hillman Library.

The model airplane enthusiast advises students to "Get to know yourself! Find out what your abilities are and keep adding new ones! Never let anyone tell you what you cannot do - unless to do it would be foolish or impossible. Be sure that you climb and help someone else to climb. Keep learning!"