Hometown Hawkeye At-A-Glance
Name: Robert Morris
Degree: B.A. '82 Political Science
Occupation: Creative consultant, author, and film producer
Residence: Des Moines, Iowa
Like his father and grandfather before him, Robert Morris dreamed of becoming a lawyer. But after graduating from the University of Iowa with a degree in political science, Morris yearned for a career that would satisfy his sense of adventure and love for film.
Des Moines is in Polk County, Iowa, which includes:
14,385 alumni
1,049 UI-educated teachers and administrators
549 UI-educated physicians
22 UI-educated physician assistants
221 UI-educated dentists
45 UI-educated advanced practice nurses
Discover how the UI impacts the lives ofIowansborder to border, river to river, at outreach.uiowa.edu.
So the young entrepreneur founded a Des Moines based television company that incorporated bilingual, African-American, and Asian programming. Though the station was short lived, it was enough to convince Morris that his destiny lay in the creative arts.
He obtained contracts to produce promotional films for the federal government, and spent the next decade traversing America. Each year brought new scenery and another project, so that by the time Morris left his position in 1996, he had toted his camera across 40 states and several thousand miles.
His experiences left him “fascinated,” struck by the histories of the people and terrain he had witnessed. Home in Des Moines, Morris knew he wanted to concentrate on bringing a similar allure to his own state.
Inspired by his own family history and the mentorship he received during his undergraduate years from Philip Hubbard—the UI’s first African-American professor and dean for academic affairs—Morris spearheaded philanthropic works and completed two books, highlighting the accomplishments of black Iowans.
“I’m most proud of the Fort Des Moines project,” he says, referring to the 4.6 acre $10 million memorial park that he founded in recognition of the first military site to train African-Americans.
Morris’ own grandfather was part of the first U.S. Army black officer candidate class, and survived two combat wounds in France during World War I.
“There are Iowans who have made big accomplishments in this country that people don’t know about,” he says. “The main purpose of my work is to acknowledge their contributions and provide an environment that improves racial relations.”
To that tune, Morris established the Tuskegee Airman Memorial at the Des Moines International Airport—a P51 replica that honors the 12 black Iowans who flew in World War II, and his mother, whose name the plane bears. He also produced a documentary for Iowa Public Television, the first major program to chronicle African-American history in the Hawkeye state.
Today, Morris works as a creative consultant, and credits higher education with his success. “Everyone in my family since the time of slavery has attended college,” he says.
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Hometown Hawkeyes are University of Iowa alumni, students, faculty and staff living, working, and making a difference in Iowa. Know a Hometown Hawkeye you'd like to see profiled in Iowa Now? Email your suggestion to us at now@uiowa.edu.