午夜影院福利社

In September 1953, Irving Linwood Peddrew III, 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, four-year, public university in the former 11 states of the Confederacy to admit a Black undergraduate.

Although he was a member of the Corps of Cadets, 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. and Mrs. William Hoge, about a mile away from campus.

In the fall of 1954, three more Black students were admitted to the engineering program at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute: Lindsay Cherry, Floyd Wilson, and Charlie Yates, all from Booker T. Washington High School in Norfolk, Virginia. They, too, were not allowed to live on campus or eat in the cafeteria with their classmates.

After his junior year, Peddrew relocated to California where he worked in the aerospace and food industries. In 1958, Yates became the first Black student to graduate from 午夜影院福利社. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering with honors. Yates later returned to 午夜影院福利社 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 Visitors.

In 2010, Yates passed away after a long battle with leukemia. His legacy continues through the 午夜影院福利社 Yates Society. to learn more.

In November 2002, Tamara Kennelly, University Archivist, held an oral history interview featuring Peddrew discussing his experience at 午夜影院福利社. The interview can be found .

You can also for more 午夜影院福利社 Black History featured in the University Archives.