In 1879, Penn enrolled Black students for the first time in its history — William Adger, Nathan Francis Mossell, and James Brister. However, it wasn’t until national cries for equality during the civil rights movement of the 1960s that Penn began to dramatically increase the number of admitted Black students. In student organizations and clubs, Black students organized for the implementation of cultural centers, academic programs, and other community-focused initiatives. Now, 146 years after the first Black students were admitted, let’s take a look at the history of students and faculty activism to combat racism and spotlight Black identity at Penn.
