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| BIOGRAPHICAL
SKETCHES OF DIVERSITY AT RUTGERS |
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| Late
1860's - Japanese Students |
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Rutgers
was the first American college to enroll a student from Japan,
following the modernizing period in that country. Dozens of
Japanese students attended Rutgers in the 1870's and 1880's
and went on to important positions in the Japanese government.
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| 1892
- James Dickson Carr, Attorney |
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In
1892 James Dickson Carr became the first African American
graduate of Rutgers College. The son of a Presbyterian minister
from Elizabeth, New Jersey, he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa
at Rutgers and was known for his distinguished oratory skills.
He later went to Columbia Law School and became one of New
York City's first black judges. His untimely death in 1920
snuffed out what would have been a brilliant career on the
bench. His legacy continues through the James Dickson Carr
Scholar Program, a part of the Outstanding Scholar Program
of New Jersey that honors James Dickson Carr's legacy by designating
his name to the scholarships of Rutgers University's top African-American
and Latino applicants.
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| 1919
- Paul Robeson, Athlete, Singer, Actor, and Political
Activist |
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In
1919 Rutgers' most famous graduate, Paul Robeson graduated
as valedictorian of his class. In addition to his distinguished
academic work, he excelled in athletics, earning 12
letters in football, basketball and track. He was named
Rutgers' first All-American football player in 1917.
He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Cap & Skull.
He received his law degree from Columbia in 1923, and
later pursued a Broadway career, and played major roles
in Porgy and Bess, Show Boat, and Othello. He created
a sensation in Show Boat in 1932 with his famed rendition
of "Ol' Man River." His legacy continues through
the Paul Robeson Cultural Centers on the New Brunswick
and Newark Campuses and the designation of the Camden
Library as the Paul Robeson Library.
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