"I see from my house by the side of the road

By the side of the highway of life,

The men who press with the ardor of hope,

The men who are faint with the strife,

But I turn not away from their smiles and tears,

Both parts of an infinite plan—

Let me live in a house by the side of the road

And be a friend to man."

Beloved and revered former Professor of Mathematics at Florida A&M University,

Dr. Osiefield Anderson, 97, passed away Sunday, August 10, 2025. Dr. Anderson

leaves a distinct legacy of merging life's philosophies with mathematical methods,

theories, and theorems. Many students remarked that Dr. Anderson's life lessons

stayed with them long after class ended. Having taught at FAMU for some six

decades, from the late 1950s to 2019 when he was well into his 90s.

He served as Chairman of the Department of Mathematics for several decades and

held the position of Professor Emeritus. Dr. Anderson was an impeccable motivational

speaker, orator, poet, and lyricist who authored 34 books, many non-academic works

that impart life lessons. Dr. Anderson was also a retired Army veteran who recently

received the prestigious Quilt of Valor.

Born in 1928, Dr. Anderson grew up in Pineview (Wilcox County,) Georgia, during

the height of Jim Crow and segregation. Pineview was a very small rural town with

no high school for African Americans at that time. The public schools for Black students

offered courses only in grades one through eight. However, most Black boys had to work

on farms and could only attend school on rainy days.

As a youngster, Dr. Anderson's early job required him to knock on the back door of a

farmer's house each morning. After breakfast, he would take a mule and till the soil for

fifty cents a day. During cotton-picking season, he picked five to six hundred pounds of

cotton for pennies per pound. Against unbelievable and inconceivable odds, believing in

God, he forged ahead and became the first person — Black or white — to earn both a

Master's degree and a Ph.D. in Wilcox County.

Dr. Anderson was renowned for his tough love and unwavering devotion to students,

delivered with a signature blend of tenacity, cleverness, and old-school common sense

that left an enduring mark on generations of FAMUANs. His teaching extended beyond

FAMU as he helped observe the impact of teaching methods on middle school populations,

with FAMU High among the schools where he taught.

May Dr. Anderson rest in peace, rest in power, and remind us that in this life, class is always

in session.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Homegoing Service:

Saturday, August 16th at 11:00 AM

Bethel Missionary Baptist Church

224 N Martin Luther King Jr Blvd.

Tallahassee, FL 32301

The service may be view at

https://vimeo.com/1091462244

Burial Service:

Monday, August 18th at 12:00 PM

Tallahassee National Cemetery

5015 Apalachee Pkwy

Tallahassee, FL 32311

Military honors will be rendered on Monday.

The issue has been resolved Rattlers! FAMU Alumni members with emails containing the following domains will now receive correspondence the FAMU National Alumni Association:

• hotmail.com
• verizon.net
• comcast.net
• bellsouth.net
• aol.com
• yahoo.com

If you are unable to log in and do not remember your password, please submit an online Member Access Assistance Form request to update your email address; providing both your old and new email address: Member Access Assistance Form.

Our commitment to empowering our students to succeed continues.

STRIKE, STRIKE, and STRIKE AGAIN!

You are invited to a Constitution and Bylaws Committee webinar to discuss proposed amendments to the FAMU NAA Bylaws.

When: Thursday, May 23, 2024 08:00 PM EST
Topic: FAMU NAA Proposed Bylaw Amendments

Register for this webinar: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_OUZ6gQGGTZyLthiZUOp0tA


All NAA members are welcome. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

The membership of the FAMU National Alumni Association will elect the following national officers in 2025:

President
First Vice President
Second Vice President
Third Vice President
Recording Secretary
Financial Secretary
Treasurer
Corresponding Secretary

Read about the qualifications and duties of our national elected officers in Section 5 of the FAMU NAA Bylaws.  Click HERE to view our bylaws.

Are you interested in running for a national office in the FAMU National Alumni Association? If so, nominate a member at famunaa.org/page/NAAnomination

**Please note - you must be logged into your member account to access the online nomination form.  

Nominations will also be taken from the floor at the Annual Meeting in May.  All nominations must be submitted online at the web link above.  Click HERE to submit the form.

The deadline for all submission is Thursday, June 6, 2024, 11:30 P.M. EST.

If you have any questions about the nominating process, please contact the Nominating Committee Chairman, Joi B. Davies, at Nominating@famunaa.org.

Join fellow Rattlers in the coming week as we unite across the Tampa Bay Area to learn more about this direct support organization at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University.

Your annual contributions are the backbone of student success, scholarships, and programs at FAMU, providing support that makes an immediate difference.

This is your opportunity to contribute to a thriving future for the #1 Public HBCU, empowering students to pursue their educational journeys and dreams with confidence.

Ready to make your mark?  An early gift can jumpstart our momentum and inspire others.

Here's how you can make an impact which will be felt in the lab, in the classroom, on the field, and in the community.

1. Donate Now: Your contribution today sets the pace for a successful Fundraising Breakfast. Let’s kick off with a strong start! Go to www.famunaa.org/donations OR mail a check or money order to The Florida A&M University National Alumni Association P.O. Box 7351 Tallahassee, FL 32314-7351
2. Spread the Word: Share your Rattler pride on social media, encourage friends and family to participate, and use the hashtag #FAMUGivesBack to amplify our collective impact.

Your participation is key to our success.  Every gift, no matter its size, opens doors for our students and strengthens the FAMU community.  There is no greater gift than giving to Mother FAMU!

Thank you for your support and  GO RATTLERS!

'Tis the season, Rattlers!

We have a GREAT fundraiser for those skating Rattlers out there (or just any Rattlers who love FAMU)!Your FAMU NAA has partnered with HBCU Skates to give us our very own FAMU-branded roller skates.

Thats right! FAMU's own SKATES! The FAMU Skates will be on sale at an exclusive FAMU rate of ONLY $99!!!
As an added benefit to the NAA, 10% of all sales will go to the National Alumni Association!
Be sure to order yours soon, as the sale will end on December 4th. Visit www.hbcuskates.com to order your skates NOW!

To celebrate the news of FAMU being the #1 Public HBCUfor the 5th year in a row, the NAA Fundraising Committee is launching their 12 Days of Giving Event starting TODAY, September 28 at 8 am until 11:59 p.m. on October 8!

This will also commemorate the October 3, 1887 celebration of 136 years of "Excellence with Caring". 

Use the link below to donate today, $18.87, $188.70, $1,887.00, $18,870.00! Every dollar counts and every dollar is appreciated!

DONATE NOW!

https://famunaa.org/page/NAAScholarships

Click on the links below to access:

Frequently Asked Questions

Scholarship Criteria

Incoming Freshmen Application

Sophomore-Junior-Senior-Transfer Students Application

The deadline to apply is May 15, 2022, 5 p.m. EDT / 2 p.m. PDT.

The FAMU NAA Election Committee has published the timeline for the 2022 election for national officers. To view the information from the committee, please click on the link below.

https://famunaa.org/page/2022election

Ballots will be disseminated to eligible voters on April 5, 2022.

For more information on voter eligibility, please visit https://famunaa.org/news/593761/2022-FAMU-NAA-Election-Voter-Eligibility.htm.

If you have any questions regarding the election, please email the committee chair at election@famunaa.org.

Thank you for submitting your nominations for the 2022 FAMU NAA Distinguished Alumni Awards. Nominations are now closed.

We will later announce the honorees who will be selected by the committee. The Distinguished Alumni Awards Black Tie Gala will be held during the FAMU National Alumni Convention in Tallahassee, Florida, on Friday, June 3, 2022. We look forward to seeing you there!

2022 FAMU NAA Distinguished Alumni Awards

The 2022 Distinguished Alumni Awards (DAA) nomination period is open! Click on the links below to view the announcement letter from DAA Chair Doris Hicks, instructions, nomination forms, and other pertinent information.

Letter from the Distinguished Alumni Awards Chair

Distinguished Alumni Awards Nomination Packet and Instructions

The deadline to submit nominations is Tuesday, March 8, 2022. Please carefully follow the instructions, provided in the attached documents, regarding submission of nominations.

If you have any questions or need assistance, you may contact Mrs. Doris Hicks at (863) 815-9208.

Soon, the Florida A&M University National Alumni Association (FAMU NAA) will hold its 2022 National Election. In order to participate in the electoral process, you must meet certain requirements.

Pursuant to the FAMU NAA Bylaws Section 4:

Therefore, in order to participate in the 2022 FAMU NAA Election, all dues at all applicable levels must be paid by  11:59 PM EST on Thursday, February 3, 2022 . This rule also applies to chapters that will be submitting bulk membership.

It is possible to be a life member and not a current financial member of the  NAA . In order to be a financial member, your yearly chapter dues, and regional dues where applicable, must be paid in full.

If your chapter affiliation is currently "No Chapter" and you would like to join a chapter, please contact us by clicking the Contact Us link on the top of each page of the FAMU NAA website.

For any questions or concerns about any of this information, please  click here   to view the frequently asked questions (FAQ) page or  click here   to ask a question not covered on the FAQ page or Contact us by clicking the  Contact Us link  on the top of each page of the FAMU NAA website. 

Thank you for your support of the Florida A&M University National Alumni Association.

Candidates for President

Curtis E. Johnson, St. Lucie County Chapter
James L. Moran Jr., Leon County Chapter
Mary H. Smith, Broward County Chapter

Candidates for First Vice President

Charles R. Lewis III, Greater Orlando Chapter
Artisha R. Polk, Washington, DC Chapter

Candidates for Second Vice President

Victor R. Gaines, Leon County Chapter
Yolanda L. Pinkard, Metro Atlanta Chapter
Patricia A. Shaw, Broward County Chapter

Candidates for Third Vice President

Hattie E. Alexander, J.R.E. Lee Chapter
Angela T. Freeman, J.R.E. Lee Chapter

Candidate for Recording Secretary

Reginald J. Mitchell Sr., Greater Orlando Chapter

Candidate for Financial Secretary

Karla Johnson Harris, Leon County Chapter

Candidates for Treasurer

Lanette R. Jones, Miami-Dade County Chapter
Angelia N. Williams, Pearls on the Hill Chapter

Candidates for Corresponding Secretary

Morgan A. Culler, Brevard County Chapter
Eleanor L. McCoy, Greater Orlando Chapter

Please be sure to pay your membership dues for the current year, which is July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2022. In order to vote in the election, you will be required to pay your membership dues at all applicable levels (national, region, and chapter) and verify that your contact information is correct in our membership system so that you may receive your ballot.

You may update your information by logging in to your membership profile at:

https://famunaa.org/login.aspx.

If you forgot your password, please click on the “click here to reset your password” link on the web page.

Once you log in, to update your contact information:

Click on the “my profile” menu link.

Select the “about” tab.

Click to edit your personal information.

If you have any questions about your membership status, please contact your chapter’s membership chair. If you have questions about how to navigate the website, please click on the “contact us” link at the top of the webpage, www.famunaa.org.

Stay tuned! More details are forthcoming regarding the deadline to pay your membership dues and the dates of the election.

FAMU Today, FAMU Tomorrow, FAMU Forever!

Gregory L. Clark

Gregory L. Clark
18^th President

Photo l. to r.: FAMU President Larry Robinson, PhD, FAMU NAA President Gregory L. Clark, FAMU Vice President and Director of Athletics Kortne Gosha, FAMU Foundation Board of Directors Chairman Jemal Gibson

Note: Kimberly Godwin Manning was unable to attend the event.

• June 5
• June 12
• June 19
• June 26
• July 10
• July 17
• July 24
• July 31

These webinars will allow people to ask questions and receive information about various topics to include logging in to the website, paying dues and making donations, creating and updating chapter websites, generating reports, and more. The webinar host will take questions from the audience and answer a number of them live, during the session.

Each webinar will only last one hour. You must register in order to attend. Click on the button below to register for one of the webinar dates. Space is limited, so be sure to register as soon as possible if you would like to participate. Please only select one webinar to attend. We look forward to your participation. See you on Saturday.

Stephen Roberson
Chair, Media and Technology Committee
Florida A&M University National Alumni Association, Inc.

Click on the link below to read President Clark's letter.

FAMU NAA COVID-19 Lift Suspension Letter

2021 Annual Meeting Voting Results

2021 - 2022 FAMU NAA Proposed Budget

2021 Proposed FAMU NAA Constitution and Bylaws Amendments