Emory University African-American Studies Expert Rudolph Byrd Dies

Emory University African-American Studies Expert Rudolph Byrd Dies: Rudolph Byrd was known among academic colleagues as an excellent scholar who believed that the key to change was education.

The Emory University professor and African-American studies expert was a founding co-chair of the Alice Walker Literary Society with Beverly Guy-Sheftall of Spelman College and helped bring the literary archive of the Pulitzer Prize-winning author and his personal friend to Emory's library.

Byrd died Friday from multiple myeloma, a cancer of the plasma cells, Emory spokesman Ron Sauder said. Byrd was 58.

Emory Provost Earl Lewis said Byrd recognized the importance of fostering connections between the university and the broader Atlanta community.