Ernest E. Boyd, who in 1976 became the first African American graduate of Auburn University's School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, passed away on March 5, 2021. He was 67. Boyd graduated with a degree in forestry, going on to serve in the U.S. Army for 18 years, achieving the rank of major. He then became an elementary and intermediate schoolteacher, until his retirement.

Ernest touched the lives of all who knew him. Contributions made in Ernest's memory will support the Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences at Auburn University, continuing his legacy at Auburn.