Leashore was born on August 31, 1947, to Vashtie and Bogart Leashore Sr.[1][2] He was raised in Selma, Alabama and graduated from St. Elezabeth's School and the St. Jude Educational Institute in 1964.[3] Leashore completed a B.A. in sociology with a minor in social sciences from Xavier University of Louisiana in 1968.[3][4] As an undergraduate, he served as president of the Chi Sigma Sigma sociology society and editor of the Sociological Mirror.[3]
In 1968, Leashore was awarded a US$1,800 (equivalent to $16,276 in 2024) plus tuition from the National Institute of Mental Health to attend the Howard University school of social work, specializing in psychiatric social work.[3] Leashore subsequently earned a master's degree.[4] Leashore served as a social work practitioner at the Howard University Hospital.[5] He worked as a foster care worker in Washington, D.C. focusing on family reunification.[1] He earned a Ph.D. in social work and sociology from the University of Michigan School of Social Work in 1979.[6] His dissertation was titled, Interracial Households in 1850-1880, Detroit, Michigan.[6][7] Richard A. English was his doctoral advisor.[5]
Leashore's scholarly focus included social justice, cultural diversity, and child welfare practice.[8] He was a research associate at the Howard University institute for urban affairs and research.[4] At the institute, he was director of a summer project focusing on faculty in minority colleges and universities in urban public transportation research.[4] Leashore later served as the director of the urban studies master's degree program.[4] In 1985, he was appointed by Richard A. English as the associate dean of the school of social work.[4] In 1991, he edited the book, Child Welfare: An Africentric Perspective with Sandra Stukes Chipungu and Joyce E. Everett.[9] From 1991 to 2003, he served as the dean of the Hunter College school of social work.[8] Leashore worked as a consultant after his retirement.[1] He died on June 26, 2007, from an illness in his home in Selma, aged 59.[1]
