You can’t duplicate one-of-a-kind individuals. But you can replicate their likeness to live on for future generations and share their stories far and wide. This month, TCU will unveil its statue of Dr. James Cash ’69 in front of Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena and will host a panel discussion with the Horned Frog legend.
Dr. Cash was the first Black student-athlete at TCU, the first Black basketball player in the Southwest Conference, and he has continued to be a leader in business, education and his community.
The panel discussion with Dr. Cash, History in the Making: The Impact of James Cash at TCU and Beyond, will be hosted by the Race & Reconciliation Initiative (RRI) and is open to the public at 4 p.m. Nov. 10 in the BLUU Auditorium.
“Dr. James Cash has a rich history at TCU and beyond,” said Amiso George, professor of strategic communication and chair of RRI. “He is a tremendous leader with a humble spirit, and we look forward to this conversation to reveal his story and share his legacy.”
The panel is timed with the unveiling of the statue commissioned by TCU Athletics on Nov. 11.
The statue was borne from one of seven recommendations presented to the Board of Trustees following RRI’s First Year Survey Report in April 2021. The recommendations, all of which were unanimously approved by the Board, included the suggestion to commemorate the efforts of underrepresented groups who contributed to TCU’s development as an educational step toward creating a more inclusive community. Rather than removing statues or other items, TCU has committed to honoring its diverse Horned Frogs through telling a more complete story.
“We are honored to call Dr. James Cash a Horned Frog. Dedicating this statue to him is a significant moment for TCU and ensures that Dr. Cash’s legacy and story will inspire future generations of leaders,” said Chancellor Victor J. Boschini, Jr. “To have him represented so prominently on campus is a tribute to him and adds purpose and tremendous value to our university. I am grateful to Dr. Cash and his family and for the important work of the RRI committee’s student, faculty, staff and Board of Trustee leadership.”
Cash, an Academic All-American, was named First Team All-Southwest Conference in 1968 when he led TCU to the 1968 Southwest Conference championship. One of five players in program history with at least 1,000 points and 800 rebounds, Cash's jersey is one of only four retired at TCU.
“Dr. Cash is one of our biggest and brightest stars. He is a trailblazer, a visionary and an icon. We are proud to call him a distinguished TCU alumnus,” said Jeremiah Donati, director of Intercollegiate Athletics. “His achievements on this campus were merely the start of an extraordinary career as a humanitarian, philanthropist and business leader. He has been an inspiration for all those who came after him and followed in his footsteps.”
Following his time at TCU, where he earned a bachelor's degree, Dr. Cash earned master's and doctorate degrees at Purdue. He joined the Harvard Business School faculty in 1976. Now the James E. Robison Professor of Business Administration, Emeritus, he taught in each of the school’s major programs and, in 1985, became the first Black faculty member to receive tenure. Chancellor Boschini and several members of the TCU Board of Trustees traveled to attend the ceremony for Cash when he was honored by the university by the naming of Cash House, a renovated building on the campus of the Harvard Business School.
Dr. Cash is on the board of directors of several corporations, including General Electric; The Chubb Corporation; Phase Forward, Inc.; Walmart; and Veracode. He also served on the board at Microsoft. In 2003, Cash joined the Boston Celtics' ownership group, where he helped launch community-based initiatives focusing on racism and racial inequality.