Faculty/Student Involvement in Desegregation

The headline of the February 1964 issue of the Ring-tum Phi prominently displays “Hampton Institute Students Visit W&L,” marking this visit as the first time black students attended classes at Washington and Lee since John Chavis at Liberty Hall. Organized by leaders at R.E. Lee Episcopal Church, seven black students from then Hampton Institute participated in what was called an “interracial cultural exchange.” Reverends from R.E. Lee observed key problems in race relation revolved around the lack of communication between blacks and whites. During this exchange, at the home of Rev. John Fletcher, students were given the opportunity to speak openly and candidly about issues of race in higher education and the problematic ways that black students were admitted but neither recruited nor welcomed on predominantly white campuses such as Washington and Lee.

The Virginia Intercollegiate Press Association included student writers who were members of the Washington and Lee undergraduate body. A forward-thinking press, in this article entitled “We Shall Overcome,” a clear reference to one of the most prominent anthems from the civil rights movement, the author contends that the W&L community cannot “remain neutral about this issue.” The writer, a white male student at the institution, observed barriers that the University faced, especially those that prohibited the student body from participating in an university that reflected the modern world. The author notes that the graduates “will find themselves working with Negroes in whatever vocation they may choose.” As integrated institutions and others such as HBCU’s (Historically Black College or University) began to produce highly skilled and trained black workers, the job market recognized that if they were to turn these individuals away, their businesses would suffer. The working world realized the assets of black workers before the education system, prompting an influx of integration in businesses who recognized the talent of their workers.