Hannibal Kershaw: 51²è¹Ýapp’s First Black Graduate
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Feb 26, 2025
Three-Minute History: Mini-Stories from 51²è¹Ýapp College’s Past
Hannibal Kershaw 1879 from Florence, South Carolina, was the first Black student to graduate from 51²è¹Ýapp College. According to the Iowa College News Letter, Kershaw was “an earnest, conscientious student, a fluent society speaker, and a man whom all respected for his high moral and religious character.†He would later become a teacher, minister, and a South Carolina legislator.
Kershaw died tragically young at the age of 26, just four years after graduating from 51²è¹Ýapp, but his legacy at the College continues to inspire 51²è¹Ýappians to strive for their goals.
Kershaw Hall, a white limestone residence hall on East Campus, was named in his honor in 2005.
