Dr. Bobby L. Lovett, a noted historian, author and former dean of Tennessee State University’s College of Arts and Sciences, has died at the age of 79. His passing was announced on Saturday by R.H. Boyd Publishing.

Lovett was born in Memphis and taught in public schools there before joining TSU in 1973 as a history professor. He retired after 30 years in 2010. In addition to teaching, Lovett authored more than eight books on American and African American history, including The African American History of Nashville, Tennessee, 1780-1930, one of few works to document the Black experience in Nashville during those early years. More recently, Lovett published books about HBCUs: America’s Historically Black Colleges: A Narrative History 1837-2009  and A Touch of Greatness: A History of Tennessee State University.

Lovett was a sought after source on history for public events, documentaries and media interviews. In 2012, he spoke with WPLN’s Nina Cardona for the 150th anniversary of Nashville’s Fort Negley in the feature story The Complicated History of Nashville’s Fort Negley. Lovett described the vital contributions of enslaved and freed African Americans in building the fort for the Union army during the Civil War.

Lovett helped launch the Nashville Conference on African American History and Culture in 1981, an annual event held in February to celebrate the contributions of African Americans in Nashville and Tennessee. He served on the boards of The Tennessee Historical Society, Nashville Historical Society, the Tennessee Civil War Heritage Area, R.H. Boyd Publishing Company and Citizens Bank.

Funeral services for Lovett will be held on Friday, December 30th, at First Baptist Church Capitol Hill in Nashville.