Will W. Alexander

Will Winton Alexander (1884–1956) was chief executive officer of the Commission on Interracial Cooperation (CIC) as well as the first president of Dillard University.

[1] He served as the Executive Director of the Commission on Interracial Cooperation from 1919 to 1930.

[1] Alexander originally had no desire to become a college president; he was deeply committed to the CIC.

However, he was persuaded to become acting president "during the preliminary stages of its development", and served in 1935–36.

[2] In 1926 he was the first ever winner of the prestigious Gold medal for distinguished achievements in race relations of the Harmon Foundation awards.

Will W. Alexander (right) with Henry A. Wallace in 1936, after Alexander's appointment to head the Resettlement Administration