Norton, James A. (James Adolphus)

James Adolph Norton was a professor of public administration at various colleges and universities around the country before moving to Cleveland, Ohio, where he served as Director of the Cleveland Foundation, chairman of the Housing Committee of the Urban League of Cleveland, and president of the American Society of Public Administrators in the 1960s.

Norton earned his Harvard AM in 1949 and his PhD in 1950.

James Adolph Norton (b. 1922) was born in Haynesville, Louisiana, and educated at Louisiana Polytechnical College and Louisiana State University. He earned his PhD at Harvard University. During his academic career Norton taught at the University of Texas, Louisiana State University, Harvard, and Florida State University where he was a Professor of Public Administration. In 1965 he moved from Florida to Cleveland, Ohio, to become head of the Metropolitan Services Commission. Norton was active in the Urban League of Cleveland and also taught at Case Institute of Technology. In 1962 he became president of the Greater Cleveland Associated Foundations. When the Greater Cleveland Associated Foundations joined the Cleveland Foundation in 1967, Norton became head of the Cleveland Foundation. He was also elected president of American Society of Public Administrators in 1967. Norton was appointed a Trustee of Hiram College in 1988.

click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for the Urban League of Greater Cleveland

click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for the Cleveland Foundation