Otis Franklin Madison

Otis Franklin Madison was born in San Antonio, Texas on February 23rd, 1943 to Wyetta (Lott) and Otis Madison. He had two younger sisters Wyetta and Frances.

He married Connell Cade and had daughters, Shermain and Shirnell. He served in the USAF during the Vietnam War era, stationed in Udorn, Thailand.

His second marriage was to Joanne Yansen. They had twin sons Taiwo and Kehinde and a daughter SaidaaKai.

He completed a BA in Political Science at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio. He began the doctoral program in Political Science at UCSB in 1975, serving as a T.A. in both Political Science and Black Studies. He was a Research Fellow in the Center for Black Studies and Lecturer in the Black Studies Dept. His focus was the Civil Rights movement, Scientific Racism, Blacks in Sports, the Media, the Military, Black Marxism and the Obama Presidency. He was awarded Professor of the Year by UCSB Mortar Board in 1992.

He challenged his students to think critically and to defend their positions factually and intellectually. Many left his class with a changed perspective on American Society.

On Tuesday January 12, the campus flag will be lowered to half-staff in Otis’s honor and memory. In lieu of flowers, a fund is being established to archive Otis’s work. Donations may be made to “Otis Madison Archive Project”, Dept of Black Studies, UC Santa Barbara.

He is survived by his wife Joanne, daughters SaidaaKai, Shermain, Shirnell sons Taiwo, Kehinde, grandsons Justin, Jeremo, sister Frances Franklin and many relatives.