Youth Wins a Scholarship
April 6, 1907
Summary
A young black scholar becomes the first black person to win the Cecil Rhodes Scholarship, allowing him to attend Oxford University for a semester.
Transcription
Youth Wins a Scholarship
To a young colored man falls honor of winning the Cecil Rhodes Scholarship and representing Pennsylvania at the Oxford University, England.
The fortunate student, the first of his race to win such a high honor, is Alan LeRoy Locke, of No. 712 S. Twelfth Street, Philadelphia. His appointment was announced Tuesday by the committee as the result of its deliberations, and the examination of all claims for the honor made last Saturday in the office of Provost Harrison, of the University of Pennsylvania.
Locke was born in Philadelphia on September 12, 1885, and is therefore in his 22nd year. He received his early education in the public schools, and went from the Close Grammar School, Seventh and Dickinson streets to the Central High School in 1898.
Always studious and quick to learn he usually kept at the head of his classes. He graduated from the High School with honors in 1892, and went from there to the Philadelphia School of Pedegogy, from which he graduated No. 1 in June, 1904.
In the fall of the same year he entered Harvard University, where he is still a student. Since going there he has won successively the Price Greenleaf, Rebecca Perkins and Bowditch scholarships, and last December was awarded a detur in recognition of his scholastic attainments.
Mr. Locke won a place in the first group of Harvard Students, and is now after honors in philosophy. He is coxswain of his crew at the University.
When he finishes his course at Oxford it is his intention to travel through Europe and study the school systems in vogue, and upon his return to America will take up teaching as a profession.
The successful student is well known. He will leave for Harvard in a day or two and will sail for England in September.
To a young colored man falls honor of winning the Cecil Rhodes Scholarship and representing Pennsylvania at the Oxford University, England.
The fortunate student, the first of his race to win such a high honor, is Alan LeRoy Locke, of No. 712 S. Twelfth Street, Philadelphia. His appointment was announced Tuesday by the committee as the result of its deliberations, and the examination of all claims for the honor made last Saturday in the office of Provost Harrison, of the University of Pennsylvania.
Locke was born in Philadelphia on September 12, 1885, and is therefore in his 22nd year. He received his early education in the public schools, and went from the Close Grammar School, Seventh and Dickinson streets to the Central High School in 1898.
Always studious and quick to learn he usually kept at the head of his classes. He graduated from the High School with honors in 1892, and went from there to the Philadelphia School of Pedegogy, from which he graduated No. 1 in June, 1904.
In the fall of the same year he entered Harvard University, where he is still a student. Since going there he has won successively the Price Greenleaf, Rebecca Perkins and Bowditch scholarships, and last December was awarded a detur in recognition of his scholastic attainments.
Mr. Locke won a place in the first group of Harvard Students, and is now after honors in philosophy. He is coxswain of his crew at the University.
When he finishes his course at Oxford it is his intention to travel through Europe and study the school systems in vogue, and upon his return to America will take up teaching as a profession.
The successful student is well known. He will leave for Harvard in a day or two and will sail for England in September.
About this article
Source
Location on Page
Lower Left Quadrant
Topic
Contributed By
Benton Camper
Citation
“Youth Wins a Scholarship,” Black Virginia: The Richmond Planet, 1894-1909, accessed May 17, 2025, https://blackvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/473.