40th Anniversary of the Desegregation of the University of Georgia
January 9, 2001
Firsts
1961 In 1961, Charlayne Hunter and Hamilton Holmes became the first African-American students to enroll at the University of Georgia. They were later joined by Mary Frances Early, a graduate student, who became the first African American to earn a degree from UGA when she received her master’s in music education in 1962. Holmes and Hunter received their undergraduate degrees in 1963.
1968
 Dr. Richard M. Graham became the first African-American faculty member at UGA when he joined the School of Music in 1968. He later became director of the school in 1994.
1969 The Zeta Pi chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity became the first African-American fraternity at UGA on May 10, 1969. The first members were Eddie Cheeks, Alan Jackson, Richard Morgan, Bennie Roberson, Michael Stover, Russell William and Alonzo Wilson.
1970 The first African American to play a major sport at UGA was basketball player Ronnie Hogue in 1970.
1976 The Black Theatrical Ensemble was founded in 1976 to give African-American students the opportunity to put on major stage productions for large audiences. Larry Calhoun was the first president, while Micah Penn served as the first director.
1977 Dr. Leroy Ervin and Dr. Ron Fadden founded Abeneefoo Kuo Honor Society, the first and only honor society dedicated to black students, in 1977. Abeneefoo Kuo means "circle of honor" in Swahili.
1981 Harold Wright from Meridian, Miss., became the first African-American drum major for the Redcoat Marching Band in 1981.
1986 The Black Faculty Staff Organization grew out of a series of lunchtime meetings in the early 1980s involving Katheryn Davis, Maurice Daniels, Asa Boyton, Ed Wilker and others. The original purpose of the group was to discuss issues such as the recruitment and retention of minority faculty, staff and students. In 1986, Davis and Daniels co-founded the annual Status of Blacks at UGA forum.
1989 The Office of Minority Services and Programs opened in the fall of 1989. The first director was Dr. Leslie K. Bates, who joined the office in April of 1990.
1993 Telvis Rich and his running mater Ron Jones were elected president and vice president of the Student Government Association in 1993, the first African-American students to hold those positions.
1994 The African American Cultural Center was founded by the division of student affairs, African-American studies, and members of the black faculty and staff in 1994. The first coordinator for the center was Kimberly Thomas.
1999 Mark Anthony Thomas became the first African American editor-in-chief of the Red & Black in the summer of 1999.
Compiled by Sharon Coar, class of 2001

Do you know of other firsts at UGA? E-mail the information to columns@uga.edu.