RE: John Mercer Langston   --   According to the historians at
Washington & Lee, their school had the first African-American college
grad, John Chavis.  He enrolled in the mid-1790's at Liberty Hall
Academy (which became Washington Academy during his time there) to
finish his preparations for ordination as a Presbyterian minister.
Presumably he graduated (though the records as to who graduated and who
didn't are rather sketchy for this period) since he was licensed by the
Presbyterians who required it of all their ministers.

He went on to a notable career as an educator and minister in Orange
County, NC, operating two schools (one for white kids and one for
blacks) for a while until the laws prohibiting such things were
strengthened and more rigidly enforced.  He is claimed as an ancestor by
the Rev. Ben Chavis, who achieved considerable notoriety a few years
back as head (briefly) of the NAACP and then as a Black Muslim.

 

David W. Coffey

Virginia Military Institute

 

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