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Find Us

Address
Dr. Marion J. R. Kent
11 McGriff Street NE
Fort Walton Beach, Florida

Phone Number

850-374-0957

 

Dr. Marion James Rufus Kent

Biographical Profile: Dr. Marion James Rufus Kent (1941– )

Name: Marion James Rufus Kent, Ph.D.

Birth: January 30, 1941 — Chipley, Washington County, Florida

Parents: Namon Ralph Kent (1918–1992) and Inez Davis Kent (1922–2001)

Primary Residences: Chipley, Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Fort Walton Beach, Florida; Cincinnati, Silverton, Forest Park and Akron, Ohio; North Las Vegas, NV.

Education:

  • Carver‑Hill High School, Crestview, FL — Class of 1959
  • B.S., Central State University, Wilberforce, OH — 1963
  • M.S., University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
  • Ph.D., The Union Institute & University, Cincinnati, OH

Affiliations: Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. (Alpha Xi Chapter, 1962)

Early Life and Family Background

Marion James Rufus Kent was born on January 30, 1941, in Chipley, Florida, into the union of Namon Ralph Kent and Inez Davis Kent, linking two historically rooted Northwest Florida families. Through his mother, he descends from the Davis–Taylor line of Okaloosa County, a family with documented presence in the region since Reconstruction. In 1952, Kent moved with his mother and brother, John Ralph Kent, to Fort Walton Beach, where he attended Brooks School, the newly integrated Carver‑Hill School in Crestview Florida and graduated with honors in 1959.

Higher Education and Professional Formation

Kent enrolled at Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in 1963. While at Central State, he pledged Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., Delta Zeta Chapter, and Crossed the sands at Alpha Xi Chapter line of 1962, becoming part of a lineage of Black collegiate leadership during the  height of the Civil Rights Movement.

He later completed graduate studies at the University of Cincinnati, followed by doctoral work at The Union Institute & University, where he earned the Ph.D. His academic focus centered on educational administration, technology integration, and urban school reform.

Career in Education (1963–1980)

Dr. Kent began his professional career as a Hays Elementary School teacher under the leadership of Mrs. Vivian J. Beamon in the Cincinnati Public Schools, quickly advancing into administrative and program‑development roles. His work included:

  • Director, Career Opportunities Program (COP)
  • Demonstration Project Director for Educational Technology
  • Early leadership in computer‑assisted instruction and technology‑magnet school development

His contributions placed him among the early adopters of educational technology in large urban districts during the 1970s.

Civil Rights and Community Advocacy

During his college years and early professional life, Kent participated in civil‑rights demonstrations and voter‑education efforts. He later served as Chair of the Economic Development Committee for the Cincinnati Branch of the NAACP, focusing on minority business access, employment equity, and community economic uplift. Democratic Candidate for City Cancel, Silverton, Ohio 1971

Public Administration and Workforce Development (1980–2001)

In 1980, Kent transitioned to municipal service with the City of Cincinnati, where he served as an Employment and Training Supervisor. His work emphasized:

  • Adult literacy and GED preparation
  • Technology‑skills training for displaced workers
  • Youth employment and career‑readiness programs

In recognition of his service, he was named 1996 City of Cincinnati Public Employee of the Year, one of the city’s highest honors for municipal staff.

Entrepreneurship and Community Leadership

Beyond public service, Dr. Kent has been active as:

  • A Realtor, real‑estate investor, and builder
  • Mortgage Loan Officer NV
  • Furniture and Appliance Dealer in Avondale, Cincinnati
  • Computer Store in West End, Cincinnati
  • Founder of The “A” Gamers, a youth technology and enrichment initiative
  • A community advocate in Fort Walton Beach, Florida (https://www.befwb.org) , where he maintains his family residence at 11 McGriff Street NE

His work reflects a lifelong commitment to education, opportunity, and intergenerational advancement.

Family and Descendants

Dr. Kent is the father of:

  • Venus Renee Kent
  • Darnell Shumpert
    • Grandchildren: Darnell James (DJ), Andre, andMorgan
      • Greatgrandchildren: Via DJ, Kaleb and Khai. Via Andre, Carter 

Through these lines, he is the senior patriarch of the modern Davis–Kent family branch, representing the union of the Davis lineage of Okaloosa County and the Kent lineage of Washington County, Florida.

Legacy

Dr. Marion James Rufus Kent’s life spans the arc of Black American progress from the segregated South to doctoral‑level leadership in education, public administration, and community development. His contributions to educational technology, civil‑rights advocacy, and municipal workforce programs form a significant chapter in the Davis–Kent family history.

QUICK FACTS

NAME:  Marion James Rufus Kent, Ph.D.
OCCUPATION: Education/Public Administration
1996 City of Cincinnati OH Public Employee of the Year
DATE OF BIRTH: January 30, 1941
EDUCATION: Carver-Hill High School- Class of 1959 with Honors
BS-Central State University-Ohio
MS- University of Cincinnati Ohio
Ph.D.-The Union Ohio
PLACE OF BIRTH: Chipley, FL
ZODIAC SIGN: Aquarius
FRATERNITY: Kappa Alpha Psi, Alpha Xi Chapter 1962 Line, Florida A & M University

About This Site

This web site is produced by Dr. Marion James Rufus Kent with contributions from Ft Walton Beach, Florida African Americans! Dr, Kent moved to Ft Walton Beach, FL in 1952 with his late mother Inez Davis Kent and his younger brother John Ralph Kent.  The Kent Family were early Ft Walton Beach, FL history makers!

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