University of Virginia Library

Decision Condemned

On October 10, 1935, College
Topics reported that the National
Students League of the University
of Virginia condemned the decision
of the board of visitors, "we
criticize the Board's stand because
it implies the desirability of
continuing educational inequality."
Of the board's statement the league
said, "We gather from this
statement that the student in
question was refused admittance
solely because of her race."

September 16, 1950, the word
"negro" was finally capitalized by
the University newspaper. "Gregory
H. Swanson, Martinsville attorney,
became the first Negro ever to be
admitted to the University when he
registered as a graduate student in
the department of law yesterday.
The way was cleared for his
registration after the Board of
Visitors heard a federal court order
his admission here. A second Negro
made application to the University
prior to the recent court ruling on
the Swanson case and was referred
to the Virginia State University for
Negroes in Petersburg, in line with
University policy."

"Swanson first applied to the
University in the spring, and there
were never any doubts about his
qualifications, which were approved
by a law school committee. But
because the state constitution
requires segregation in the Virginia
educational institutions, Swanson's
application was referred to the
Board of Visitors at their monthly
July meeting, when it was rejected
on the grounds that in spite of
recent supreme court decisions the
Board did not have authority to set
aside Virginia law.

The article concluded, "Other
Negroes have applied for entrance
to the University and other
institutions, but for more than a
decade the state has provided funds
for their education in schools
outside Virginia".

On September 28, 1950, a
second Negro was accepted. The
new student, a faculty member at
Virginia State College, was
admitted, pursuant to the recent
court decision to pursue the degree
of master of philosophy in
education. This was the same year
that Bernard Fontana became head
of University Food services, the
McCormack Road Dorms were
opened, and a referendum was
passed banning women from
Student Council.