佩德鲁-耶茨宿舍

1953年9月, 欧文·林伍德·佩德鲁三世, was the first Black student admitted to Virginia Polytechnic Institute. In 1951, Everett Pierce Ramey applied to study business at Virginia Polytechnic Institute; however, his application was denied because Black students were only considered for admission if they wished to study something that was not offered at Virginia State University, a historically Black public land-grant university. This made Virginia Polytechnic Institute the first historically white, 四年, public university in the former 11 states of the Confederacy to admit a Black undergraduate.

Although he was a member of the 学生军团, Peddrew suffered years of isolation and mistreatment. Peddrew was the only Black student among 3,321 white students on campus his first year. He was not allowed to live on campus or eat in the cafeteria. He lived with a Black couple, Mr. 和夫人. William Hoge, about a mile away from campus.

1954年秋天, three more Black students were admitted to the engineering program at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute: Lindsay Cherry, 弗洛伊德威尔逊, 和查理·耶茨, 全部来自布克T. Washington High School in Norfolk, Virginia. They, too, were not allowed to live on campus or eat in the cafeteria with their classmates.

在他大三的时候, Peddrew relocated to California w在这里 he worked in the aerospace and food industries. In 1958, Yates became the first Black student to graduate from 弗吉尼亚理工大学. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering with honors. Yates later returned to 弗吉尼亚理工大学 to teach in the Department of Mechanical Engineering followed by the Department of Aerospace and Ocean Engineering. In addition, he served as a member of the Board of 访问ors.

In 2010, Yates passed away after a long battle with leukemia. His legacy continues through the 弗吉尼亚理工大学 Yates Society. 点击这里 了解更多.

2002年11月, 塔玛拉肯内利, 大学档案, held an oral history interview featuring Peddrew discussing his experience at 弗吉尼亚理工大学. 可以找到采访内容 在这里.

你也可以 点击这里 for more 弗吉尼亚理工大学 Black History featured in the University Archives.