A native of South Carolina, he was educated at Benedict College and Iowa State University.
Ford then joined the faculty of Morgan State University, eventually accepting the Alain Locke Distinguished Professorship of Black Studies.
[1] Subsequently, Ford was principal of the Schofield Normal School in Aiken, South Carolina, until 1928, when he enrolled at Iowa State University for graduate study in journalism.
[1] He taught at Morgan State College from 1945 and later became Alain Locke Distinguished Professor of Black Studies in 1973.
[15] Ford's papers including letters, book drafts and other writings are located at the University of South Carolina.