A pioneer among African American college and university educators in Oklahoma, Dr. George Henderson joined The University of Oklahoma faculty in 1967. In 1969, when Dr. Henderson was appointed Sylvan N. Goldman Professor of Human Relations, he became the first African American in the state of Oklahoma to hold an endowed professorship. As the Goldman Professor, he founded the Human Relations Program and designed its initial curriculum. In 1985, he was appointed a David Ross Boyd professor for excellence in teaching, guiding and counseling students. In 1989, he was appointed a University of Oklahoma Regents' Professor. That appointment was for "outstanding service to the University, to the academic community, and to an academic discipline through extraordinary achievement in academic administration." In 2001, when he was appointed a Kerr-McGee Presidential Professor in recognition for excellence in teaching, research, and service, Dr. Henderson was awarded a fourth distinguished professorship.

Dr. Henderson served as dean of the College of Liberal Studies from January 1, 1996 until June 30, 2000. Currently, he is the director of the Department of Human Relations Advanced Studies Program. He is the author or co-author of 29 books and more than 70 articles. His books include Cultural Diversity in the Workplace (1994); Social Work Interventions: Helping People of Color (1994); Migrants, Immigrants and Slaves (1995); Human Relations Issues in Management (1996); Our Souls to Keep: Black/White Relations in America (1999); and Ethnicity and Substance Abuse (2002). Dr. Henderson has taught cultural diversity workshops and seminars throughout the United States, and also in Germany, Italy, Mexico, Guam, Japan, Korea, Okinawa, and Panama.

Dr. Henderson is listed in Who's Who in America, Who's Who Among Black Americans, and Who's Who in the Southwest. His awards include the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma Alumni Association Distinguished Service Award (1992); American Association for Higher Education's Black Caucus Award for Outstanding Educational Service (1993); C.V. Ramana Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Mental Health of Oklahoma's Children (1996); Outstanding Professor Award, University of Oklahoma Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Association (1997); and Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence Medal for the Outstanding College and University Professor (2000); State of Oklahoma Black Heritage Lifetime Achievement Award (2003); inducted into the Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame (October, 2003) and the Oklahoma Hall of Fame (November, 2003).

As a civil rights scholar and lecturer, Dr. George Henderson has presented papers at over 100 professional conferences. Also, he has served as a consultant to dozens of state and national organizations. His Ph.D. in educational sociology is from Wayne State University in Detroit.