African American History Month John Chavis: America’s First Black College Graduate
Subject
John Chavis;
Description
African American History Month 2021 is expected to be a remarkable time for commemoration and celebration following a year of heightened racial tensions. This year, INSIGHT Into Diversity commemorates this special month by sharing the little-known story of John Chavis.
Chavis, the first known African American to receive a college degree in the U.S., graduated from Washington and Lee University (W&L) in 1799.
Despite his landmark achievement, Chavis remains fairly unknown in U.S. history. Scholar Theodore C. DeLaney Jr. described him in a 2001 commencement address as “one of Washington and Lee’s best kept secrets. No one ever talked about him, and there were no plaques or buildings commemorating him. Yet, he is important and deserves a more visible place in the history of the institution.”
Some details of Chavis’ life are uncertain, but he is believed to have been born circa 1762 in North Carolina. He was born a free person, though some accounts have him listed as an indentured servant, according to NCPedia.com. Records show that he enlisted as a soldier in the Continental Army in 1778.
After serving in the Revolutionary War, Chavis enrolled in the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) in 1792. There, he studied for the ministry under the tutelage of John Witherspoon, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. He transferred to Washington Academy (now W&L) in 1795 to finish his studies for the ministry. Chavis graduated with honors in 1799 and became the first Black preacher licensed by the Presbyterian Church in the U.S. in 1800.
As a minister, Chavis preached to both Black and White audiences and is believed to have served as a missionary to enslaved people.
Creator
By INSIGHT Staff –
Source
Publisher
insightintodiversity.com
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