Col. Robert M. Hendricks Jr.was Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of Dr. Robert M. and Irene O. Hendrick, and was reared in Asheville, North Carolina. He attended and graduated from the Public School System of Asheville North Carolina. He then attended Fisk University and received his Masters Degree from Howard University. Mr. Hendricks Jr. then lauched upon a teaching career in Asheville, NC, which was abruptly interrupted when he was drafted for Army service during WWII. During the war Mr. Hendricks decided to make the military his career.

In 1947 he was appointed the first Professor of Military Science at Virginia State College (now University) and thus organized the ROTC program at the University. Before his retirement from the Army in 1963, with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, his assignments included a tour of duty in Vietnam with a military group as liaison officer between headquarters and the Vietnamese Military Schools; a tour of duty in Germany; Special Services Officer at Fort Lee; and Executive Officer of the Quartemaster School at Fort Lee. In 1963, he was appointed Director of Admissions at Virginia State University by President Robert P. Daniel.

Lt. Col. Hendrick was a member of numerous organizations, among them were: Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, The Retired Military Officers Association, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Petersburg Kiwanis Club.