James Pennington was the first black man to take classes at Yale in 1837. At the time, Connecticut didn't allow the education of blacks. Pennington, a former illiterate runaway slave, faced many barriers to his education including a ban on speaking in class and using the library at the university. After graduation, he worked as a abolitionists and pastor.
Now, Yale has honored Pennington by naming a classroom after him. Previously, all the recognized former students were white. According to Dean Greg Sterling of the Divinity School:
"When I announced this decision at commencement, students spontaneously stood up and applauded, not randomly, but with vigor," Dean Sterling said. "Part of the reason this decision was made is that Yale is based on tradition and that tradition is largely, but not entirely, white. This is a way for students who haven't been able to lay claim to Yale's history to have a chance to do so."
