The Divinity School was the first part of Duke to advocate for integration. In their 1948 petition, they argue for the admission of Black students to their school, wanting to give Black Christians the same chance at preparing for ministry and stating that other seminaries in the South have already started to integrate. The 1948 petition and another in 1956 were given to the Board of Trustees and President A. Hollis Edens, but failed to sway either. The graduate and professional schools desegregated in 1961, with the undergraduate schools following shortly after in 1962. Ruben Lee Speakes was the first Black student enrolled in the Divinity School in 1961.
A. Hollis Edens records, Box 21, Duke University Divinity School Petitions, Duke University Archives, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.
JANUARY 8, 2024 – DECEMBER 15, 2024 Duke University Libraries