Delaware State College Commencement (1969)

Item

Type
Photograph
Title
Delaware State College Commencement (1969)
Rationale
This photograph prompts discussion about access to higher education, the importance of HBCUs, and the perseverance of Black public figures in Delaware.
Description
Dr. Luna I. Mishoe, President of Delaware State College 1960-1987, presenting an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws to Herman Monwell Holloway, the first African American State Senator in Delaware who served the Delaware General Assembly from 1963-1994.

The Delaware College for Colored Students, now Delaware State University, was established in 1891 under the Morrill Act of 1890, which determined that each state must show that race was not considered during admissions, or they must to designate a separate land-grant institution for people of color (7 U.S.C. § 323).

Herman Monwell Holloway was a Black politician and community activist. He was the first African American State Senator in Delaware and entered into office in 1964, a time in which it was incredibly difficult for Black people to hold positions of power in historically white institutions, both in terms of attaining said position and earning the respect of white coworkers and the public. See "References" for more information about Holloway.
Date
June 2, 1969
1960s
Place
Dover, Delaware
Subject
Holloway, Herman M., Sr.
Mishoe, Luna I.
Delaware State College
Creator
Delaware State College, Office of Public Relations
Extent
Physical dimensions: 10 x 8in
Digital dimensions: 578 x 477px
Medium
Gelatin Silver Print (presumed)
Publisher
Delaware State University Archives and Special Collections
Rights
The copyright and related rights status of this item has not been evaluated. Please refer to the organization that has made the Item available (noted above in Publisher and Identifier) for more information.