When did UVA start accepting Black students?

Asked by: Prof. Raul Bahringer Sr.  |  Last update: November 11, 2025
Score: 4.3/5 (11 votes)

Following his successful lawsuit, a handful of black graduate and professional students were admitted during the 1950s, though no black undergraduates were admitted until 1955, and UVA did not fully integrate until the 1960s.

When did the UVA first admit black students?

Gregory H. Swanson consults with Assistant Law Dean Charles Woltz after registration at UVA on Sept. 15, 1950. The first African-American student admitted to the University of Virginia was a law student who made a historic contribution to ending segregation.

What was the first university to accept black students?

At the start of the Civil War, Oberlin enrolled more Black students than any other American institution of higher education. In the years since the 1835 resolution, Oberlin was not oblivious to the cultural norms that relate to race.

Who was the first black graduate of UVA?

Walter Nathaniel Ridley (1910-1996), admitted in 1951, became U.Va.'s first Black graduate in June 1953 and the nation's first African-American to receive a doctorate degree from a white southern university.

When did Brown university admit black students?

Brown admitted its first students of color in the 1870s, during the period of post-Civil War Reconstruction. These pioneering young men (for women were not admitted to Brown until the founding of the separate Women's College in 1891) faced the challenge of having to excel in a class-conscious, all white environment.

UVA Black Student Experience

19 related questions found

When did Harvard admit Blacks?

Harvard College admitted its first students in 1636. It did not admit a black undergraduate until it admitted Beverly Garnett Williams in 1847.

When did Yale admit Blacks?

In 1870, Edward Alexander Bouchet became the first black person to enroll in Yale College. Bouchet, also the son of a Yale employee, was the valedictorian of the Hopkins School in New Haven. He was the first African American in the country elected to Phi Beta Kappa and ranked sixth in the Class of 1874.

Who was the first Black student at University of Richmond?

In 1968 the University of Richmond had its first full time black student enrolled in Richmond College, Barry Greene.

Who is the youngest black college graduate?

Elijah Muhammad, 13, makes history as youngest Black college graduate, earning four diplomas in a single year.

Who was the first Black graduate of Harvard University?

Harvard University Archives. Richard Theodore Greener (1844-1922), professor, lawyer, and diplomat, was the first Black graduate of Harvard College, receiving his AB from the College in 1870.

When did Ivy League schools allow Black students?

Ivy League presidents called the ruling "disappointing" and "unwelcome." Some Ivy League universities didn't admit women and Black students until the '60s, '70s, and '80s.

When did UC Berkeley allow Black students?

On July 20, 1995, after 12 hours of heated debate, the board of regents voted 15-10 to end race based preferences in admissions, hiring and contracting. (The ban went into effect in 1996 at graduate and professional schools, and in 1998 in the undergraduate division.)

What is the largest HBCU in the United States?

North Carolina A&T State University is the nation's largest HBCU by enrollment.

Is UVA liberal?

While it's important to remember that political homogeneity doesn't exist on any campus and you'll find a variety of views at any institution, some schools are often recognized for having a more liberal student body or environment. In Virginia, one such school is the University of Virginia (UVA).

How many slaves did UVA have?

Slavery accounted for the majority of the workforce that built and maintained UVA in its early years. Between the start of construction in 1817 and the end of slavery in 1865, it is estimated that the university had at least 4,000 enslaved laborers who lived and worked on its grounds in some capacity.

What is UVA known for academically?

The most popular majors at University of Virginia include: Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies; Social Sciences, General; Engineering, General; Business/Commerce, General; Computer and Information Sciences, General; Biology/Biological Sciences, General; Psychology, General; Health Professions and Related Clinical ...

What college graduates the most Black students?

ATLANTA–For the sixth consecutive year, Georgia State University is first in the nation among not-for-profit colleges and universities in awarding bachelor's degrees to African Americans, according to Diverse Issues in Higher Education.

Who is the youngest Black Phd graduate?

Dr. Dorothy Jean Tillman II just earned her doctoral degree from Arizona State University (ASU) at age 17.

When were black students admitted to UVA?

Settings. In September 1950, Gregory Swanson entered the UVA Law School, becoming the first black student to attend the University of Virginia.

Who was the first black student at Stanford University?

stanford.edu. In 1891, the year Stanford was founded, Stanford also admitted its first Black student, Ernest Houston Johnson.

Who are the most famous alumni of the University of Richmond?

Notable alumni of the University of Richmond include Grammy Award-winning record producer Steve Buckingham and Josh Abramson, co-founder of CollegeHumor.com. University of Richmond is a private institution that was founded in 1830.

When did Princeton allow black students?

The first African American to enter Princeton as an undergraduate during peacetime was Joseph Ralph Moss. A resident of Princeton, Moss entered the University in the autumn of 1947 and graduated on June 12, 1951.

Which Ivy League has the most black students?

all about black collegiate life. And for the number one Ivy League. with the most representation of black students, that is Cornell University, where 7% of the students identifies black.

When did Cornell admit black students?

Although it wouldn't have an African-American graduate for 30 more years, Cornell admitted its first student of color in 1870. His presence was noted in the predecessor of The Cornellian, which wrote that the student had been a slave six years earlier.