Background
Jelliffe, Russell Wesley was born on November 19, 1891 in Mansfield, Ohio, United States. Son of Charles Wesley and Margaret (Ward) Jelliffe.
Jelliffe, Russell Wesley was born on November 19, 1891 in Mansfield, Ohio, United States. Son of Charles Wesley and Margaret (Ward) Jelliffe.
AB, Oberlin College, 1914. Doctor of Laws, Oberlin College, 1944. AM, University Chicago, 1915.
HHD, Western Reserve University, 1951. Doctor of Humane Letters, Cleveland State University, 1966.
Founder, executive director, Karamu House, 1915-1963;
honorary life trustee, Karamu House, from 1963;
founder, executive director, Karamu Foundation, from 1963. Active in establishing Cleveland Urban League, 1916, Cleveland Metropolitan HousingAuthority, 1933, Cleveland Community Relations Board on Race Relations, 1945. Delegate 2d Pan-African Congress, Paris, 1921.
President group work county Welfare Federation Cleveland, 1938-1940. Foreman Cuyahoga County Grand Jury, 1960.
Civic consultant; director Arts and Education Survey Boston, 1963, Cultural-Ednl. Survey St. Louis, 1967, Arts Survey Indianapolis, 1967, Arts and Cultural Survey Canton, Ohio, 1968. Trustee Cleveland Council on Human Relations, 1960-1965.
Trustee Oberlin College, 1960-1967, honorary life trustee. Trustee Cleveland Civil Liberties Union, from 1963/ member Cleveland Selective Service Board 20, 1960-1968, National Council Arts in Education, 1960-1963. Life fellow Cleveland Museum Art.
Member National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (executive committee Cleveland branch from 1926), Great Lakes Shakespeare Association (1st vice president 1962, trustee fom 1962), Grand Jury Association (trustee from 1960), Jury Foremen's Council (trustee from 1965), United World Federalists (trustee 1962), Oberlin College Alumni Association (trustee 1958-1960), Citizens League Cleveland, Men's City Club.
Married Rowena Woodham, May 28, 1915. 1 child, Roger Woodham.