First African American Graduate of Harvard Born
On this day in 1844, Richard Greener, the first African American graduate of Harvard, was born. Born in Philadelphia, his mother moved the family to the Boston area in search of educational opportunities for her children. Greener attended school in Cambridge until age 14, when he began working as a night watchman to support his family. He impressed his employers with his intelligence, and with their financial support, completed college preparatory courses and entered Harvard. After graduating with honors in 1870, he began a successful academic career. Greener later distinguished himself as a lawyer and foreign service officer. Throughout his life, Greener faced painful choices about how best to survive and prosper in a country that denied people of color respect and equal rights.
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