Yokley, Raytha L.
(born: 1910 - died: 2001)Yokley, born in East Bernstadt, KY, was the son of Edd and Emma Yokley. The family lived in Russellville, KY. Raytha, a recognized sociologist, was one of the first African American professors at Western Kentucky University. He retired as a sociology professor from Kentucky State University, and had taught at Fisk University and Meharry Medical College.
Yokley published a number of articles and papers and collaborated with others on books such as The Black Church in America. He was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and a member of Alpha Kappa Delta and the Masons. He was a two-time graduate of Indiana University, where he earned his M.A. in 1941 and his Ph.D. in 1952 and completed his dissertation, The Development of Racial Concepts in Negro Children. Yokley was living in Buffalo, NY, prior to his death.
For more see The Fascinating Story of Black Kentuckians, by A. A. Dunnigan; and "Raytha L. Yokley," Daily News, 7/7/2001, Obituaries section.