Dr. D. Harland Hagler, Professor Emeritus of history who taught at UNT for 51 years prior to his 2017 retirement, died Dec. 1, 2023, in Denton.

He earned a bachelor’s degree at the University of Mississippi before graduating with a master’s and a Ph.D. from the University of Missouri.

He taught U.S. history, specializing in the history of the Old South, and created the first course at North Texas dedicated to the study of African American history in 1969. In his free time, he enjoyed dancing as well as watching and attending Texas Rangers games.

A service is scheduled at 11 a.m. Jan. 20 at St. David’s Episcopal Church, 623 Ector St. in Denton.