Professor Emeritus Vernellia Ruth Randall was born March 6, 1948, in Gladewater, Texas to Mary Pauline Hall Randall and Ernest Randall. Both parents graduated from Jarvis Christian College. Raised by her father in difficult circumstances in Muleshoe, Texas, Prof. Randall attended the two room colored school there and graduated from Carver High School in Amarillo in 1966. Receiving her A.A. degree from Amarillo College, she entered the University of Texas and earned her B.S. degree from the School of Nursing. Prof. Randall obtained her M.S. degree in nursing from the University of Washington in 1978 and in 1987 her J.D. degree from Northwestern School of Law, Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon.
Starting a career in medicine as a nurse and family nurse practitioner, Prof. Randall served as Maternal-Child Health Nurse Coordinator for the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services in Juneau, Alaska, from 1979 to 1984. She has been a professor of nursing and community health at Oregon Health Sciences University and Wright State University as well as a law professor at Northwestern School of Law, Seattle University School of Law, and the University of Dayton. She was an associate with the Portland law firm of Bullivant, Houser, Bailey, Pendergrass and Hoffman from 1987 to 1989. In 1990, Prof. Randall was hired as Assistant Professor, School of Law, University of Dayton. In 2014, Prof. Randall retired from the University of Dayton. During the 24 years at the University of Dayton, Prof. Randall taught a wide variety of courses including Torts, Criminal Law, American Health Care Law, Race and Racism in American Law. She also directed the academic support program for 10 years. In retirement, Professor Randall continues to teach online courses for both the University of Dayton and Charlotte School of Law. She is the founder of Racial Justice Now! which is conducting a state and local campaign to end racial disparities in school discipline, particularly out-of-school suspensions and expulsions..
Highly sought after as a public speaker on matters of health and race, Professor Randall has also published widely. She is a recipient of the Chairman’s Award from the Ohio Commission on Minority Health and has been honored by a Commendation from the Ohio House of Representatives. Randall is an accomplished webmaster and has received awards for her website development. Her website, Racism.org has been on the web since 1995. Her latest book is entitled, Dying While Black.
The mother of two sons and two grandsons Prof. Randall enjoys computers and movies.
