Dr. Harold Bishop, professor of educational administration in the department of educational leadership, policy and technology studies, was one of the first African-American faculty members at The University of Alabama. He was affiliated with the College of Education from 1974 to his death in 2005. Bishop also provided guidance to nearly 100 school systems across the state of Alabama in his lifetime. He served as co-principal Investigator of the Alabama Superintendents’ Academy, an organization that provides leadership training to aspiring school superintendents in Alabama. Bishop also served as the director of Tuscaloosa City Schools Leadership Program, implemented to prepare current and future teachers to be leaders in the evolving field of education. In 2005, the alumni association of the College of Education awarded Bishop and his family the 2005-2006 Academic Excellence Award, as well as a donation to the Harold L. Bishop Scholarship Fund. Friends, students and colleagues of Bishop said his long-time commitment and love for teaching, research and service was unquestioned and will always be remembered.

Bishop was one of the first African-American faculty members at The University of Alabama.

In 2002, he co-founded the UA Superintendent’s Academy to assist the Alabama State Department of Education in attracting and training a larger and wider pool of candidates for school Superintendent positions around the state.

Harold completed his Master of Arts in Educational Administration from the University of Alabama in 1973 and received his doctorate in Educational Administration in 1974. He was immediately hired as a Professor at the University and was promoted to become Assistant to the Dean of the College of Education. During his thirty-three year tenure at the University, Harold served in many diverse administrative positions. These positions included dormitory director, Special Assistant to the President, Department Chairman, Special Consultant, Director of Graduate School Office of Minority Student Assistance Research, Associate Professor of Education Administration and Professor of Educational Administration at the University of Alabama. Harold also served as Special Consultant to the 126 School Systems in Alabama, the State Department of Education and school districts throughout the nation. Superintendents throughout the State of Alabama called on his guidance, expertise and knowledge t assist them with strategic planning in their school districts. He also taught and worked as a consultant in Latin America. He was selected to present papers on educational administration and conducted professional development workshops for staff, teachers and administrators throughout the southeast.