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John Chavis, an early 19th-century minister and teacher, was the first African American to graduate from a college or university in the United States.
Year: 1799
Who: John Chavis
Where: Virginia
What: John Chavis was a prominent Black preacher, teacher, and Revolutionary War soldier, and is recognized as the first documented Black person to graduate from college in the U.S. Born around 1762 to Jacob Chavis and Elizabeth Evans in Virginia, Chavis served in the Fifth Virginia Regiment during the Revolution and was acknowledged for his faithful service.
After the war, Chavis pursued higher education. He studied privately under Dr. John Witherspoon at Princeton and later attended Washington Academy (now Washington and Lee University), where he completed a regular course of academic studies, becoming the first Black person in the United States to graduate from a college.
In 1800, Chavis became a licensed Presbyterian preacher, serving as a missionary and preaching to both Black and white congregations. His career as an educator began in 1808 when he opened a school in Raleigh, teaching white students by day and Black students by night. He continued teaching for over 25 years in North Carolina.
Chavis published Chavis' Letter upon the Doctrine of the Atonement of Christ in 1837 and passed away in 1838. His legacy is honored through John Chavis Memorial Park in Raleigh, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2016.
Sources:
Websites:
North Carolina History Project. (n.d.). John Chavis: Educator and Presbyterian Minister. https://northcarolinahistory.org/encyclopedia/john-chavis/
Rudlang, S. (2022, February 27). John Chavis: Opening the door of education to all. Spectrum News 1. https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte/black-history-month-2022/2022/02/27/john-chavis
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