African-American History

MIT’s First Black Graduate Honored With U.S. Postage Stamp

In 1892 Robert Robinson Taylor was the first Black graduate of MIT. He spent most of his career at what is now Tuskegee University and designed more than 20 buildings on its Alabama campus.

Congressman Seeks to Restore Funding to Preserve Historic HBCU Buildings

In 1998, the General Accounting Office identified 712 historic buildings and structures on the campuses of HBCUs that it deemed worthy of historical preservation. No funding has been allocated to the program since the 2008 recession.

Duke University to Celebrate the 100th Anniversary of John Hope Franklin’s Birth

Professor Franklin was the James B. Duke Professor Emeritus of History at Duke University and one of the most prolific and respected historians of the twentieth century. He was born in January 1915 and died in March 2009.

Efforts of Oberlin College Students in Mississippi in 1964 Recognized With Historical Marker

In 1964, more than 20 Oberlin College students and three faculty members traveled to Mississippi during Christmas break to help the congregation rebuild a church that had been burned to the ground by arsonists.

Students, Faculty Call for Renaming Tillman Hall on the Campus of Clemson University

"When you educate a Negro," Benjamin Tillman said, "you educate a candidate for the penitentiary or spoil a good field hand." The main building on the Clemson University campus bears his name.

Syracuse University Faculty and Students Helped Establish the Harriet Tubman National Park

For more than a decade, Douglas Armstrong, a professor of anthropology at Syracuse University, and his students have worked at the historic site in Auburn, New York, which includes Tubman's home, farm, and the Home for the Aged.

A Member of the Jena Six Graduates From College

In 2006, Mychal Bell was charged with attempted murder after the beating of a white high school student in Jena, Louisiana. Last month he earned a bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies at Southern University.

University Puts Off Decision on Renaming Residence Hall Honoring a White Supremacist

The board of trustees at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina, tabled a motion to change the name of Aycock Residence Hall on campus, which honors a former governor of North Carolina, who was a strong advocate of White supremacy.

Bowie State University Embarks on a Year-Long 150th Anniversary Celebration

A new website has been established to promote the anniversary. The site includes a history of the university, a timeline, a schedule of upcoming events, and photo galleries documenting the university's history.

University of North Dakota Honors One of Its Early Black Students

In 1924, Era Bell Thompson enrolled at the University of North Dakota as a track and field athlete. After college, she became a journalist and eventually was one of the top editors at Ebony magazine.

UCLA Honors Jackie Robinson

The University of California, Los Angeles is retiring Jackie Robinson's #42 for all men's and women's sports. It also renamed its sports and recreation complex in Robinson's honor.

A Treasure Trove of Early Photographs of Black Residents of Worcester, Massachusetts

Jannette Greenwood, a professor of history at Clark University and historian Frank Morrill have made great progress in determining the identities of African Americans in 200 photos taken between 1894 and 1914.

New Documentary on Smith College’s First African American Graduate

A new 16-minute video documentary on the life of Otelia Cromwell was shown for the first time at Smith College during the college's 25th celebration of Otelia Cromwell Day.

University of Vermont Honors Its First Black Graduate

For many years, it was believed that George Washington Henderson was the first African American graduate of the University of Vermont in 1877. But research has revealed that Andrew Harris, an African American, was one of 24 students in the graduating Class of 1838.

Yale University Acquires the Records of the Cave Canem Foundation

The Cave Canem Foundation, an organization that that was founded in 1996, supports the field of African American poetry and nurtures Black poets. Its records will be housed at the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library at Yale University.

Scholar Is Documenting the History of African Americans at Vanderbilt University

Rosevelt Noble is senior lecturer in sociology at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. After 13 years on campus as a student and faculty member, he realized he knew very little of the history of Blacks at the university. He has set out to remedy that gap in his, and many others', knowledge.

Emory University Acquires the Papers of Barbara Chase-Riboud

The Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library at Emory University in Atlanta has announced that it has acquired the papers of Barbara Chase-Riboud, a noted sculptor, novelist, artist, and poet.

The University of Virginia Hires Researcher to Examine the History of Slavery on Campus

The University of Virginia has appointed Kelley Fanto Deetz to a three-year postdoctoral fellowship to conduct research on the role of slavery in the university's history. And she will recommend how the university should commemorate those who worked in bondage for the university.

Shana Redmonds Named to Professorship Honoring Civil Rights Activist Ella Baker

The University of California, Santa Barbara, has established a visiting professorship to honor Ella Baker, a founder of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and its network of Freedom Schools. Shana Redmond of the University of Southern California will be the first holder of the post.

Washington University Study to Examine Racial Segregation in St. Louis

The project, entitled "The Divided City: An Urban Humanities Initiative," is funded in part by a $650,000 grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
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