UF in 1958: I was the first black student
A few months ago, my grandson Spencer showed me a 38-second video that had been uploaded to YouTube about the early struggles for desegregation at the University of Florida.
The clip, “Crossing the Color Line,” posted by Wolfsonarchives.org, showed a young black man wearing a suit and wiping his brow as he sat alone in the front of an auditorium — the subject for photographers and reporters who had gathered to record the first black student enrolling at UF. The date was Sept. 15, 1958 — nearly 60 years ago.
I remember it well. I was that student. Specifically, I was the first black student in 105 years to be admitted to any college at UF.
Since that time, September has been a period of reflection and renewal for me. Even with the controversy surrounding white nationalist Richard Spencer speaking at UF (and at other universities under threat of lawsuits), September calls out for fresh starts. It’s the time when students are back on campus, ready to engage in studies and community. Time has flown since 1958.
The very short clip portrays some unease at being the center of attention at this historic event. In prior years, Virgil Hawkins and others had struggled to gain admission and many lawsuits were filed during those days. I was not party to any legal actions. I never met Hawkins. He did call me a few months after classes began to wish me well.
I still recall the quiet measures taken by the university and its then-president, J. Wayne Reitz, to ensure my safety on campus. For the most part, my activity was concentrated on the law school. My goal was to be treated like any other student, and I was, for the most part.
Many in Florida at that time were displeased about desegregation. For several months, the Gainesville Police Department had an officer posted at night across the street from where I lived with relatives — in a house built by my grandfather in the 1890s.
Throughout the first semester, until the Thanksgiving break, I was escorted to classes, unknowingly, by members of the Florida Highway Patrol. They signed up for the same classes I did and were near me at all times until the library closed at night. No one knew the troopers were not really students but members of law enforcement.
Fortunately, they were not needed. There never were any incidents — though I did have trouble finding a mentor, but later did. The troopers introduced themselves to me as they were reassigned — satisfied that my safety on campus was not an issue going forward. By that time, I felt accepted by my classmates. Coincidentally, I had been warned by the Governor’s Office to avoid driving through the Ocala National Forest on my way to Orlando for the Thanksgiving holiday. It was recommended that I drive by way of Jacksonville, due to Klan activity near Ocala.
I did not get to complete law school. I had planned to return to UF one day to finish, but life intervened. I enjoyed a satisfying career as a businessman, got married, and raised a son. But I can never forget about my UF experiences.
About 20 years following my matriculation, Reitz (then president-emeritus) initiated a search to locate me, and I am delighted that he did so. Until then, I had not been back to the campus. He asked me to participate in some affairs of the university. To start, I was asked to serve on the board of the alumni association, which I did for several years. Subsequently, I was selected for membership in the Florida Blue Key, an honorary leadership society. I strengthened relations with the College of Law, and subsequently did some fundraising for the UF Foundation. In 2009, I was awarded one of the university’s highest honors: the Distinguished Alumnus Award.
Since then, it has been a pleasure to retain a lifelong relationship with the University of Florida and the Fredric G. Levin College of Law, named such a few years ago after my classmate and good friend.
As we embrace the start of another school year, let us remember September cannot only be a time of reflection and renewal, but a time of reconciliation and accomplishment as well.