Deputy Chancellor Emeritus and Professor Emeritus of Law, University of Missouri

After earning his law degree at Mizzou, Middleton embarked on an illustrious career with the federal government in Washington. He was a trial attorney in the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice. He was appointed in 1977 by President Carter as Assistant Deputy Director of the Office for Civil Rights at the Department of Health Education and Welfare. Middleton was an integral part of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on the federal level, serving as director of the Office of Systemic Programs. He then moved to the U.S. Department of Education as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights. He later returned to the EEOC as Associate General Counsel, Trial Division and finally, served as Director of the St. Louis district office prior to joining the University’s law faculty in 1985. During his career at Mizzou he served as Professor of Law, Interim Vice Provost for Minority Affairs and Faculty Development, and Deputy Chancellor. After his retirement from the university, Middleton returned to serve as Interim President of the University of Missouri System and as Interim President of Lincoln University.