Robert V. Morris

Robert V. Morris
Des Moines, Iowa

Robert V. Morris was born May 13, 1958 in Des Moines, Iowa, the third son of James B. Morris, Jr. and Arlene J. (Roberts) Morris. He attended Casady Elementary, Franklin Junior High and North Des Moines High School, Class of 1976. He attended Grandview College and later graduated from the University of Iowa, Class of 1981 with a B.A. in political science. He later became an adjunct professor of journalism at Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.

While attending the University of Iowa, Robert co-founded and became the first president of the Iowa City Branch NAACP, and the youngest president of the Iowa-Nebraska Conference of NAACP branches, which was established by his grandmother Georgine Morris in 1939. Robert was an entrepreneur, founder and CEO OF Morris Communications which launched Multi-Cultural Television (MCTV) on the Heritage Cable TV system in 1984. MCTV was the first cable channel to broadcast African American and Spanish language programming in central Iowa.

Robert also operated the Iowa Bystander newspaper from 1983-1988. The Bystander was owned and operated by his grandfather J.B. Morris, Sr. from 1922-1972. He was also a federal contractor for video productions for NASA and the Department of Defense.

Roberts career in video production included “Tradition and Valor”, a 60-minute documentary about the lives of his parents and grandparents, which won an award for Best Video Documentary in 1990 from Iowa Public Television. He was also a prolific author, writing the chapter on Civil Rights for “Outside-In”: A History of Black Iowans from 1846-2001, published by the Iowa State Historical Society. He also authored the book “Tradition and Valor”, and was coordinator and co-editor of “Black Faces of War”.

Robert was the catalyst and co-founder of the Fort Des Moines Museum and Education Center established in the mid-1990’s, to honor the first class of African American U.S. Army officers in 1917, and the first training class for female Army officers in 1942, the WAACs. Under his leadership, the visiting officers’ quarters built in 1903 was completely renovated, and a monument and reflecting pool were added to the complex, which was opened to the public in 2006, the first museum of its type in the nation.
Following this project, Robert worked with the Iowa Air National Guard to erect a memorial to the contributions of black Iowans who were members of the WWII Tuskegee Airmen. Today, a full-size replica of a U.S. Army Air Corps P-51D Mustang fighter plane is displayed outside the Iowa Air Guard base at the Des Moines International Airport. One side of the plane, the “Duchess Arlene,” honors Robert’s mother, and was flown by Lt. Bob Williams of Ottumwa.

Robert was a lifelong outdoorsman, and passed on his love of hunting and fishing to his beloved children, Jessica, Robert, Jr., and Brandon. He was a life member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, the University of Iowa Alumni Association, the Association of the United States Army, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

Robert is survived by his children, Jessica, Robert B. and Brandon Morris; brother, William (Amelia) Morris; and the mother of his children, Vivian Vaughn.

He was preceded in death by his brother, James “Brad” Morris; and his parents.

The family will greet friends from 11 to 1 p.m., Friday, February 23, 2018 at Hamilton’s Funeral Home, 605 Lyon Street with funeral services beginning at 1 p.m. Burial will follow services at Glendale Cemetery.

Memorials may be directed to the family.

Condolences may be expressed at: www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com

Print