Wayne Everett Crumwell, the first African American to graduate from Davidson College in North Carolina and a former faculty member at North Carolina Central University, died on November 6.
Crumwell enrolled at Davidson College in 1964 along with another Black student, Leslie Brown. At that time, businesses in Davidson, North Carolina, had different operating hours for Black and White customers.
Only two other Black students had ever enrolled at the college before Crumwell and Brown. Both were from The Congo. Crumwell earned his bachelor’s degree in English in 1968 and Brown earned his degree in 1969. Crumwell went on to earn an MBA from the University of Wisconsin and a juris doctorate at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.
Crumwell served in the U.S. Army, reaching the rank of captain. He opened a law practice in Roxboro, North Carolina, and later moved his practice to Reidsville. Also, Crumwell taught at North Carolina Central University.
