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BECOME a Stakeholder support a student (s) in the Checkmate Academy! Make contributions to the Unconditional Love For Children Foundation Inc., a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization registered in the state of Georgia, mailing address: ULC Foundation Inc. 1960 Stoneleigh Dr., Stone Mountain, GA 30087

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September, 2015

In memory of Beauregard Andrew Hardeman, Jr. 1944-2015

was truly a remarkable chess player, friend and mentor to generations of chess players and scholars. He died Aug. 7 on what would have been his mother’s 98th birthday. He achieved grandmaster status, awarded to chess players by the World Chess Federation, and had a very high rating, although he would never disclose his ranking. Hardeman was the first chess coach at the Paideia School in Atlanta and went on to teach hundreds of children how to play chess. To many, he became their mentor. In 1995 Hardeman launched his Beau Hardeman Annual Invitational Chess Tournaments in which he coached students from kindergarten through 12th grade at Gresham Park Recreation Center. Recreation Center Director Wannetter Terrell said the tournaments started small but after 10 years outgrew the office space and moved into the gymnasium. Terrell said Hardeman was serious and passionate about chess, life and education. She said, “He would talk, teach and play all at the same time.” Terrell said Hardeman would approach parents and their children no matter if they were coming to the recreation center for basketball,

Beau Hardeman

dance or other activities and talk to them about the benefits of playing chess. His one rule was, “If you came in there you were not coming back out until he was done. It was not going to be

a lot of in and out. He was really serious at all times about chess,” Terrell said. “He’s going to be missed.” Terrell said the recreation center staff and members had become accustomed to the chess program and had plans to continue the tournaments this fall. During the summer of 2011, Hardeman expanded his chess tutelage initiative and formed a partnership with Unconditional Love for Children Inc. (ULC) a non-profit educational and youth foundation based in Stone Mountain. This partnership fostered relationships and outreach that provided many youth and young adults access to organized chess and the long-term benefits. The 20th tournament was held in May of this past year. Over the years, hundreds of students had the opportunity to participate in Hardeman’s tournaments.

Through Hardeman’s efforts, the following institutions formed new chess venues: Nick’s Barbershop in Stone Mountain, Green Forest Christian Academy in Decatur, Georgia Perimeter College in Clarkston, The C. Freeman Poole Senior Chess Club Players in Cobb County; and Harvest Lodge Home in Decatur. Unconditional Love for Children, chess coordinator Barry Gray worked alongside Hardeman and his ULC classes. Gray said Hardeman, “believed in keeping

students engaged. When they lost a game while playing with him, they did not become agitated or despondent; they simply pleaded for a rematch. Beau wanted his students to think strategically and play chess like a predator, ever mindful of the next big move. He instilled in them a sense of character, competitiveness, self-confidence and challenged their young minds to think under pressure.” Gray added, “Beau encouraged students to be competitive in their schoolwork as well as chess, join the United States Chess Federation and participate in local and nationally rated chess tournaments.” In 1962 Hardeman graduated with honors from Campbell Street High School where he was the statistician of the football team, sang in the

chorus and was active in many other school activities. During his junior and senior years of high school, he was selected as one of 11 students to participate in an accelerated program at Volusia County Community College. Hardeman didn’t wait until high school to make his college decision. He discussed attending Morehouse College in the seventh grade and never wavered from his determination to do so. In September of 1962, he achieved his dream of attending the college of his choice. At Morehouse College Hardeman was introduced to the game of chess by friend Eric Mitchell at the Canterbury House near campus. It was then that Hardeman first discovered his lifelong love for chess. After attending Morehouse for three years, Hardeman enlisted in the United States Air Force where he spent four years. During his years in the Air Force, he represented his division at many chess tournaments. Hardeman returned to Morehouse College and majored in Mathematics with a minor

in Chemistry. He graduated in 1971 and began working for Stanford Research Institute International in Palo Alto, CA at the beginning of the computer era. Hardeman worked with Douglas Engelbart, the inventor of the computer mouse. When he left California, he moved to Atlanta, which became his

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permanent home. He later returned to Morehouse where he was instrumental in the development and teaching of computer science courses. Hardeman retired from AT&T in January 2014. In addition to his career and his love for chess, Hardeman was a poet and writer. He published two poetry books during his militant social activist days in the 1970s in California.

by Ashley Oglesbyashley@dekalbchamp.comThe Champion Newspaper

Aug. 27, 2015

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Hello Ashley Oglesby I read your article on Mr. Beau Hardeman on the front page of the Champion Free Press August 27, 2015. The article was very informative and many of the things you mentioned i did not know about Mr. Hardeman. I worked for Mr. Hardeman in the Atlanta University Computer Center in the 1980's when I was a sophmore at Morehouse College. I was a student lab assistant. He was the person who gave me my first computer job and an opportunity to make some money. He was a good man and he took his work very seriously. I did not keep up with him, after he left the AUC center, until now. I have since completed my own education with a MS Computer Science and a Doctorate in Education. I am currently teaching and live in DeKalb. I currently chair the citizens Against Cityhood in DeKalb and Concerned Citizens for Effective Government I wished i had a chance to reaquint myself with Mr. Hardeman. He was an inspiration and it saddens me that he is gone. Thank you for the article.

Ed Williams

A reader’s response

September, 2015 Page 3