Dr. Charles Akins, First Black Teacher In Integrated Austin School, Dead At 84

AUSTIN, TX — Tributes continued to pour in on Thursday for Dr. Charles Akins, the first black teacher in an

integrated high school in the Austin school district, who died Wednesday morning.

Akins' influence locally was so great, a school is named in his honor, the W. Charles Akins High School.

"It is with a very heavy heart that I must inform you that our beloved Dr. Akins has passed away," Brandi Hosack, the principal at the high school named for the late educator, wrote on the school's website. "Dr. Akins was the epitome of what it means to be an outstanding educator and upstanding human being. I know we all care very deeply for him and his family. Just as we always do, especially in tough times, we must come together as the greater Akins family to help each other through this."

Akins, 84, the district's first black principal, worked at the Austin ISD for 41 years. But even in retirement, he continued to volunteer for the next ten years.

Dr. Charles Akins served in numerous administrative positions in schools such as Old Anderson and Lanier High Schools before acting as Associate Superintendent of AISD, according to the Austin Historic Center at the Austin Public Library.

The Texas Senate adjourned Thursday in memory of Dr. Akins.

In a subsequent press conference, Hosack described the impact Dr. Akins had on her life.

"When you get in front of a legend, you take those opportunities to learn," she said, her voice tinged with emotion. "So every time I got the chance, I would certainly ask questions and ask him to tell me stories."

Acknowledging she could never begin to relate to his own trajectory as a civil rights trailblazer, the insights he provided from the perspective of an educator have helped shape her own career.

"He would share stories I could relate to as a principal," she said. "He's a real trailblazer. I am forever grateful for the work he did as an administrator, and I want to make sure students understand the groundwork that he laid."

>>> Photo of Dr. Charles Akins in 1985 with fellow educator Ada Simond, via the Austin Public Library.