Gregory Hayes Swanson: Difference between revisions

From Cvillepedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search
(+topic)
Line 7: Line 7:


==References==
==References==
<references/>
{{reflist}}


[[Category:University of Virginia]]
[[Category:University of Virginia]]
[[Category: Black Stories at UVA]]

Revision as of 11:03, 4 November 2015

Gregory Hayes Swanson was the first African-American student admitted to the University of Virginia.


People.jpg This biographical article is a stub. You can help cvillepedia by expanding it.

History

A Howard University graduate, Gregory Swanson applied to the University of Virginia's Law School in 1949. With excellent academic credentials, Swanson was an ideal candidate. Polling of students suggested that there was not a strong sentiment against enrolling an African-American and Attorney General James Lindsay Almond, Jr. advised the Board of Visitors that the applicant's race would not be suitable grounds with which to reject his application. The Visitors, citing segregation laws that were established by the Constitution as well as the State of Virginia, rejected Swanson based on race. Swanson then sued for admission and won on appeal, gaining admission in 1950.[1] As the first African-American at UVA, Swanson faced many difficulties, including being forced to live off-grounds and social exclusion. In 1951 he withdrew from the University.[2] Following his departure from UVA Hayes practiced law in Martinsville and Alexandria. In 1961 he joined the legal staff of the IRS, remaining there until his retirement in 1984. He died in 1992.[1]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Web. Gregory Swanson, First African-American Admitted to UVA, University of Virginia, retrieved June 19, 2012.
  2. Web. The Road to Desegregation: Jackson, NAACP, and Swanson, University of Virginia, retrieved June 19, 2012.