The story of the first Black man to obtain a college degree
- The first Black person to have obtained a college degree was an African-American man named Alexander Lucius Twilight
- Alexandar graduated from Middlebury College and had a successful career as an architect
- Against all odds, he also went on to hold a political office in an era when Black slavery was grim
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Alexander Lucius Twilight was the first African-American man to graduate with a bachelor's degree.
At the time when the young man obtained the degree, slavery was at an all-time high which could have hindered his achievement.
According to BlackHistory.com, Alexander was very determined to go the extra mile to obtain what no Black man had ever obtained before his time. He obtained his college degree from Middlebury College in 1823.
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Reports indicate that Alexander's success was boosted by the fact that his parents were free and he was a free child.
It is thinkable that if they had been slaves, the brilliant man would not have had the opportunity to become the first Black man to attain the feat.
What is sure is, after he was able to get there, it provided encouragement for more and more Black people to pursue college degrees too.
When he obtained the degree, Alexander became a popular American educator, minister and politician.
He proved that Blacks were capable of amazing achievements and by studying hard, he beaome a skilled architect, one who was called a chief builder.
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Alexander Lucius Twilight went further to become the first person to make a granite public building. He made the historic feat in the state of Vermont, Athenian Hall.
This was so profound as there were many educated Whites who could have achieved this.
Alex also spent a good number of his years serving as a principal of Orleans County Grammar School.
All of these were unthinkable for a Black man living in his period, but Alexander did them to set the pace for more people.
Perhaps, the most shocking of all was when he won an election into political office at that time. He served in the House of Representatives of Vermont.
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Alexander Lucius Twilight sadly died on June 19, 1857, having been born on September 23, 1795.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
