Remembering Distinguished Alumnus Gen. Julius W. Becton

The College of Behavioral and Social Sciences mourns the passing and celebrates the life of our distinguished alumnus, Julius W. Becton Jr., M.A. ECON '67. Becton had an illustrious career of service, retiring as a three-star Army general who was one of the military’s highest-ranking Black officers.

Becton also led the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance, as well as the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

In 1989, Becton served as the president of Prairie View A&M University, a historically Black public school near Houston, his alma mater. He later led D.C. Public Schools. He is remembered by many as an innovative and transformative leader. 

"It is inspiring to reflect on General Becton's legacy, one of public service and love of country. Members of our department know that the field of economics has a far-reaching impact on schools, on communities, on disaster preparedness, on politics and so much more, and to read about General Becton's career is to see economics in action. We join with the university community in celebrating his life,” said Professor Andrew Sweeting, chair of the Department of Economics. 

Becton died in Virginia at the age of 97 on Nov. 28, 2023.

Read the obituary in The Washington Post

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia. 

Published on Mon, Dec 11, 2023 - 1:54PM