HARRISBURG - The first African American tenured professor in the Penn State University political science department sued the university for racial discrimination.
The complaint was filed by Dr. Errol A. Henderson on May 12 in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
Henderson has taught at Penn State since 2002. According to the complaint, he has been decorated for his success as a professor, including receiving grants and awards.
Despite his academic success at the university, Henderson says he observed and experienced years of racially hostile behavior from faculty members and administrators.
Henderson claims a lack of recruitment for Black students and faculty members, implications from the department head that all Black men were stalkers and rapists and other allegations.
The plaintiff's repeated attempts to report the behavior to his superiors were allegedly ignored.
Henderson was then allegedly banned from department meetings and teaching for two years in retaliation.
The university is accused of multiple civil rights violations including discrimination, hostile work environment and retaliation.
Henderson is represented by Console Mattiacci Law LLC of Philadelphia.