Dr. Elijah Walter Miles' Obituary
Elijah Walter Miles was born on May 4, 1934, in Hearne, Texas, to John H. Miles and Millie A. Miles. He was raised in Hearne with his seven siblings. Family members and friends typically referred to Elijah as “E.W.” E.W. graduated from Blackshear High School in 1951.
E.W. attended Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View, Texas, between 1951 and 1955. While at Prairie View A&M University, E.W. became a leader of the varsity debate team, and he assumed leadership roles in national honor societies. During his senior year, E.W. was voted by his classmates as “most likely to succeed.” E.W. met his future wife, Frances Winfield of Fort Worth, Texas, while attending Prairie View A&M University.
Immediately after obtaining his Bachelor of Arts degree from Prairie View A&M, E.W. was appointed as a commissioned officer in the United States Army. He served overseas in the Army for about two years and then returned to the United States to resume his academic career. He briefly taught at Prairie View A&M University before enrolling at Indiana University to attend graduate school. Before commencing his post-graduate education at Indiana University, E.W. and Frances married on June 14, 1958.
While in graduate school at Indiana University, E.W.’s colleagues began referring to him as “Wally.” The name stuck with him, and he remains known by many as “Wally” to the present day. E.W. earned both master’s and doctorate degrees in government while attending Indiana University. After earning his graduate degrees, he held teaching and research positions at Indiana University, Prairie View A&M University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 1966, he accepted a faculty position within the Political Science Department at San Diego State University. Shortly after becoming a professor at San Diego State University, he received a National Science Foundation Grant, a research grant from the San Diego College Foundation, and a grant to conduct research at the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library.
Dr. Miles was employed as a professor at San Diego State University for more than thirty years. In his capacity as professor, he played many roles. In addition to teacher and researcher, he served as an advisor to students interested in attending law school, as an Executive Council Member of the Study Commission on Black Affairs, and as chairperson of the Political Science Department.
During his tenure as a professor, Dr. Miles co-authored Vital Issues of the Constitution and was a contributing author for Great Cases of the Supreme Court. He served on the editorial boards of various academic journals, including the Western Political Science Quarterly, National Political Science Review, American Review of Politics, and Journal of Politics. He also served on a committee of the College Board in order to make improvements to the Advanced Placement (AP) examination. Dr. Miles was active in the American Political Science Association (APSA). He served on various APSA committees, was a member of its Executive Council, and regularly attended APSA conferences. The American Political Science Association recognized his “excellence in scholarship and service to the profession” by awarding him a distinguished scholar award.
Dr. Miles understood that, in order to have a meaningful impact, he should complement his scholarly work with community activism. His activism dates back to the 1950s. Around the late 1950s or early 1960s, he was involved in a campaign to desegregate public facilities in Bloomington, Indiana. In the early to mid 1960s, he helped organize a boycott against businesses that practiced racial discrimination in Hempstead, Texas, and he fought to improve housing conditions at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In the 1980s, Dr. Miles served as Chairperson of the Board for the San Diego Urban League. From the mid 1980s to the early 2000s, he was actively involved with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). He was President of the ACLU for San Diego and Imperial Counties. He was also a member of the ACLU’s national board for more than ten years.
Dr. Miles received numerous awards and accolades for his community service. He was presented with an award by the American Political Science Association for his “service to the profession;” he was the recipient of the Western Political Science Association’s “Scholar Teacher Activist” award; he was recognized for his contributions by the San Diego City Schools Board of Education; he received a special commendation from a San Diego City Councilmember; and he received the Fannie Lou Hamer community service award from the National Conference of Black Political Scientists. In 2017, Dr. Miles was recognized by the Urban League of San Diego County as an “Art of Change Honoree” for being one of “San Diego’s pioneers in civil rights and civic engagement.”
Dr. Miles’s academic and community service activities did not interfere with his ability to be a devoted family member. He spent considerable time with his wife and two sons, and his wife and sons recall fond memories of their time together. He was also very dedicated to his parents, siblings, nieces, and nephews. During his leisure time, Dr. Miles enjoyed reading, listening to jazz music, cooking, and playing racquetball.
Dr. Miles passed away peacefully at around midnight on July 8, 2020, in San Diego, California, with family members present. Dr. Miles is survived by his wife of sixty-two years, Frances Miles; two sons, Christopher Miles (Donna) and Tony Miles (Maisha); a grandson, Brayden Miles; two sisters, Iola Taylor and Ella Lindsey (Larry); a brother, Edgar Miles (Ann); numerous nieces and nephews; and a host of friends and colleagues.
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