Generic Rejection Letter, College of William and Mary, 1956

Generic Rejection Letter, College of William and Mary, 1956

This is a draft of a generic rejection letter from the College of William & Mary to prospective African-American students. The letter cites “existing policy in the Commonwealth” as the premise for denying acceptance to applicants, and directs them toward Black institutions, which at the time consisted of schools such as Virginia State University, Norfolk State University and Hampton Institute. Despite the Brown v. Board of Education ruling of 1954, the state’s policy of segregation remained virtually unchanged throughout schools and universities. Up through this point, no student of color had been awarded a degree from the College of William & Mary. Hulon Willis was the first African-American student to be admitted to the College, and in August of 1956, graduated with a Masters in Physical Education – Willis’s circumstances were exceptional, as no other institution in the state offered such a degree. His success helped establish precedence for further acceptances of Black students into College.

Office of the President, College of William and Mary

Swem Special Collections

1956

Anonymous William and Mary students, description
Ari Weinberg, metadata