New Book Examines the History of African Americans at the College of William & Mary

The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, is one of several of the nation’s oldest universities that have mounted efforts to examine the institutions’ ties to slavery. (See JBHE post.)

The university has also mounted an effort to document the history of African American students on campus. A new book – Building on the Legacy: African Americans at William & Mary – is authored by Jacquelyn McLendon, professor of English, emerita. Organized chronologically, Professor McLendon explores the gradual advancement of Black people at the university along with information about the first undergraduate African-American students in residence, who arrived in 1967. She also tracks the history of African Americans among the faculty and in administrative leadership roles at William & Mary.

“This book is not about black people as victims,” Professor McLendon said. “Some of the stories are told in terms of some of the hardships and challenges, but the book mainly shows the contributions Black people have made to William & Mary. We have contributed to better the place, and that’s what people need to know. We give to this university, and we belong here. That was an essential, driving force for me, finding those stories.”

Dr. McLendon is a graduate of Temple University in Philadelphia. She holds a master’s degree and a Ph.D. from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.

Related Articles

1 COMMENT

  1. Mr. Hulon Willis was one of the first Black graduates at William and Mary. Was his life and contributions discussed in your research

Leave a Reply

Get the JBHE Weekly Bulletin

Receive our weekly email newsletter delivered to your inbox

Latest News

Higher Education Grants or Gifts of Interest to African Americans

Here is this week’s news of grants or gifts to historically Black colleges and universities or for programs of particular interest to African Americans in higher education.

American Students Studying Abroad in Sub-Saharan Africa

In the 2021-22 academic year, there were 4,614 American students who studied at universities in sub-Saharan Africa. This is about one tenth of the number of students from sub-Saharan Africa studying at U.S. universities.

Marcus L. Thompson Named the Thirteenth President of Jackson State University

Dr. Thompson has more than 20 years of leadership experience in early childhood, K-12 education, and higher education. He has been serving as the deputy commissioner and chief administrative officer of the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning, where for over a decade he has been responsible for overseeing IHL staff.

U.S. Public Schools Remain Separate and Unequal

Approximately 522,400 students, or 1 percent of overall student enrollment, attended public schools where fewer than half of the teachers met all state certification requirements. Of the students attending those schools, 66 percent were Black and Latino students.

Featured Jobs