Greener, Richard T – USC Faculty Member
By
John C Abercrombie
Richard Theodore Greener is best known as the first Black to graduate from Harvard University and being the first Black professor at the University of South Carolina right after the Civil War. Amazing accomplishments during an extremely difficult period for Black Americans.
The great myth justifying slavery is that enslaved people were intellectually inferior, unable to make decisions for themselves, and were beneficiaries of the institution of slavery. As a result of these long-held, but false beliefs many continue to operate on these false assumptions.
We discuss this and other topics every Sunday at 4:00 pm Eastern time, 1:00 pm Pacific use the following information to join us. Ask questions, express yourself.
Ways to Listen and Interact with Us:
By phone Login to your BlogTalkRadio Schedule program Guest Call In(646) 668-8217
On your devise use the link below
blogtalkradio.com/crowntalkingdrums
To comment during the program, or ask questions, use the phone number.
Africa is the home of great intellect, with early Romans and Greeks going to Africa for educational opportunities.
Richard T Greener is an example of the falsity of this concept and as a result has been written out of history by omission. Greener is not an anomaly but in the grand scheme of justification of evil is omitted from history.
Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1844. The family moved to Boston in 1853, where he was unable to attend public school because of the color of his skin. This is in direct conflict to those who believe that all Americans had an equal chance at success. This is not possible considering the treatment of Blacks to better themselves through education being thwarted by the law which in many places made it a crime to teach any Black, slave or free to read, write or do numbers.
Greener was enrolled in a private school but dropped out to support the family after his father left for the California Gold Rush and never returned. Again, we see history omit this important fact. They do not talk about Blacks being drawn to the possibility of riches as if they did not exist. We also see in the case of Barney Lancelot Ford in Colorado, who found gold in Colorado only to find that Blacks could not file claims. Fair?
Greener was enrolled at a private school but dropped out within a few years to support his family after his father left for the California Gold Rush, and never returned to earn money to support his family. It is unknown what happened to his father as there were challenges to being Black in America, he may have been enslaved as per the 1850 Fugitive Slave Law. He could have been incarcerated. He could have been killed. We do know that there were Blacks in California who were prosperous but again history becomes silent in revealing the true story.
One of his employers, Franklin B. Sanborn, helped him to enroll in preparatory school (Oberlin Academy) at Oberlin College.
He then enrolled at Phillips Academy and graduated in 1865. He studied at Oberlin College for three years before transferring to Harvard College where he earned a bachelor’s degree in 1870. His admission to Harvard was “an experiment” by the administration and paved the way for many more Black Harvard graduates.
While at Harvard, he earned the Bowdoin Prize for elocution twice, which the Rochester Daily Democrat mentioned in an article on August 16, 1869. Elocution is the skill of clear and expressive speech, especially of distinct pronunciation and articulation:
Richard Theodore Greener, a young colored man and a member of the senior class of Harvard College, is giving public readings in Philadelphia. Mr. Greener’s history is that of a persevering young man who has succeeded in living down the prejudices against his race and color, and attaining by industry, ability, and good character, a position of which he may well feel proud. He was awarded last year, at Harvard College, the prize for reading, and this year he has drilled two young White men who have likewise obtained prizes in the same branch. His course at Harvard has throughout been honorable. He is the first colored youth who has ever passed through that college.
Greener served as a principal at the Institute for Colored Youth in Philadelphia after graduating from Harvard, later serving as principal of Sumner High School a colored preparatory school in Washington, DC.
A very talented man, Greener to a job as associate editor of the New National Era, working under editor Frederick Douglass. Greener was also associate editor for the National Encyclopedia for American Biography.
Greener became the first Black faculty member in October of 1873 when he accepted the professorship of mental and moral philosophy at the University of South Carolina.
He also served as a librarian there helping to “reorganize and catalog the library’s holdings which were in disarray after the Civil War” and wrote a monograph on the rare books of the library. His responsibilities included assisting in the departments of Latin and Greek and teaching classes in International Law and the Constitution of the United States.
In 1875, Greener became the first African American to be elected a member of the American Philological Association, the primary academic society for classical studies in North America.
Greener graduated from law school at the University of South Carolina and was admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of South Carolina on December 20, 1876.
In June 1877, following the end of Reconstruction in South Carolina, the university was closed by Wade Hampton III. Greener moved to Washington and was admitted to the Bar of the District of Columbia on April 14, 1877. He took a position as a professor at Howard University Law School and served as dean from 1878 to 1880.
Greener worked on a number of famous legal cases. He was associate counsel of Jeremiah M. Wilson in the defense of Samuel L. Perry and of Martin I. Townsend in the defense of Johnson Chesnutt Whittaker in a court of inquiry in April and May 1880 where Towsend and Greener successfully gained Whittaker release and the granting of a court-martial. Greener assisted Daniel Henry Chamberlain in Whittaker’s defense during the court-martial.
From 1876 to 1879, Greener represented South Carolina in the Union League of America and was president of the South Carolina Republican Association in 1887 and was active in freemasonry. In 1875, Greener was appointed by the South Carolina Assembly to a commission to revise the South Carolina school system.
A common belief is that Blacks will seek retribution for past wrongs while the evidence is the opposite. We do things that advance civilization and the quality of life for ALL people.
From 1880 until February 28, 1882, Greener served as a law clerk of the Comptroller of the United States Treasury.
One of the major difficulties to understanding the racial divide is the notion that we speak with one voice. There are debates that take place, such as the one that follows. Not everyone agreed with Booker T Washington. This takes nothing away from the greatness of any of these people. It does show that like other people, we don’t all agree on everything. This is a healthy debate.
In 1883, Greener and Frederick Douglass conducted a heated debate. Greener and the rising generation of Black leaders advocated moving away from political parties and White allies, while Douglass denounced them as “croakers.” Greener, who nonetheless still respected Douglass’s achievements, helped organize a major convention to present Black grievances to the nation. Decades had passed since the Civil War, the Emancipation Proclamation, and years since the passage of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments, but these advances had been rolled back or left unenforced, while Jim Crow laws spread in the South. Greener joined younger Black leaders in questioning Douglass, who remained loyal to the Republican Party that had first fought for Black freedom then abandoned them. Douglass accused Greener of writing anonymous attacks motivated by “ambition and jealousy” that charged the older leader with “trading off the colored vote of the country for office.” Greener wrote that there were two Douglass’s, “the one velvety, deprecatory, apologetic – the other insinuating, suggestive damning with shrug, a raised eyebrow, or a look of caution.”
From 1885 to 1892, Greener served as secretary of the Grant Monument Association, where he is credited with having led the initial fundraising effort that eventually brought in donations from 90,000 people worldwide to construct Grant’s Tomb. From 1885 to 1890, he was chief examiner of the civil service board for New York City and County. In the 1896 election, he served as the head of the Colored Bureau of the Republican Party in Chicago.
Just as Greener opposed Douglass, he was on the Washington side of the growing split in the African American world. On the one side was an accommodationist, and therefore politically powerful and adequately funded, Booker T. Washington. On the other were Monroe Trotter, W.E.B. DuBois, and their followers, who insisted that under the Constitution they had rights and that those rights should be respected.[citation needed] From it were born the Niagara Conferences, and from them the NAACP.[citation needed] Greener was so closely allied with Washington that Washington sent him to the Second Niagara Conference with the explicit charge of spying and reporting.
Greener was appointed as General Consul at Bombay, India in 1898 and later to United States Commercial Agent in Vladivostok, Russia
When Greener retired he lived with relatives in Chicago and worked a job as an insurance agent, practiced law and on occasion lectured on his life and times. He died May 2, 1922, and is buried in Graceland Cemetery. He was 78 at the time of his death.
His Harvard diploma and other personal papers were rediscovered in an attic in the South Side of Chicago in the early 21st century. Fortunately, the papers were not discarded by someone who did not recognize the name.
Along with having accomplished many African American firsts, Greener earned several awards in his lifetime.
In 1902, the Chinese government decorated him with the Order of the Double Dragon for his service to the Boxer War and assistance to Shansi famine sufferers.
He received two honorary Doctor of Laws, from Monrovia College in Liberia in 1882 and Howard University in 1907.[6] Phillips Academy and University of South Carolina both grant annual scholarships in Greener’s name.
The central quadrangle at Phillips Academy was named in honor of Greener in 2018. The University of South Carolina erected a statue of Greener.
In 2009, some of his personal papers were discovered in the attic of an abandoned home on the south side of Chicago by a member of a demolition crew.
On February 21, 2018, a nine-foot statue of Greener was unveiled at the University of South Carolina. It stands in front of the Thomas Cooper Library.
Just think this amazing man had have been lost to history was rediscovered because someone found a clue and followed it up. This reminds me of a friend telling me about relatives of his throwing away a number of papers because they did not know the person named in them. We often overlook and contribute to this when we do not take our history seriously.
**
Virtue of Cain: From Slave to Senator – Biography of Lawrence Cain
This book focuses on the short but extraordinary life of Reconstruction era Senator Lawrence Cain of Edgefield, South Carolina. He was considered an honorable and virtuous man and helped shape South Carolina politics between 1865 and 1877 as one of the leaders of the Republican Party. He rose above numerous obstacles transitioning from slavery to a state senator. Over 150 years ago he was at the epicenter of social injustice and racism in South Carolina and became a major leader who fought for political and civil rights. The facts of his life had been forgotten like much of African American history during Reconstruction. Now the facts and reality of his life have been uncovered by Lawrence Cain’s great great-grandson in this new book with the help of family, genealogical research, archived papers, and genetic DNA results.
**
The goal of our posts is to educate. We use a variety of methods to enhance the experience and as you continue to scroll, you will find in this post five videos and several books to enhance the experience and allow you to dig deeper into those posts that attract your attention.
We also encourage you to help support our work by using a partner that most of you already use. Amazon among others. The links that you see take you directly to Amazon and do not add one cent to your price. This is a win – win for both of us. It allows us to continue our research and it costs you nothing extra. We depend on your support and thank you for your support.
**
Using the link below, you can shop for any and everything that Amazon offers. From toilet paper to refrigerators. Shoes, clothes, books, coffee makers and so much more. There is no additional costs to you and we both benefit. So, anytime you shop Amazon or other partner, we encourage you to use our links. Thank YOU!
**
Richard T Greener – A man of many firsts
In 1898, he was appointed United Consul to Bombay India, then transferred to Vladivostok, Russia, becoming the first American to hold that post. In 1902, the Chinese Government decorated him with the Order of Double Dragon for his service to the Boxer War and assistance to Shansi famine sufferers.
After retiring in 1906 and until his death in 1922, Greener lived in Chicago, joined the Harvard Club, and continued to write and speak about his life and times.
Partnering with USC Libraries to acquire the Richard T. Greener Diploma:
– The Honorable Stephen K. Benjamin and the Honorable DeAndrea Gist Benjamin
– Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity/Alpha Iota Boule
– USC School of Law
**
Book
Don’t buy books blindly. With the links you can sample the books which often are available in several forms. Kindle (eBooks), Audible (listen), paperback, hard cover etc. Sample them before buying. Some are delivered instantly, others quickly. Your satisfaction is guaranteed.
Uncompromising Activist: Richard Greener, First Black Graduate of Harvard College
(The Johns Hopkins University Studies in Historical and Political Science.)
Almost forgotten until his papers were discovered in a Chicago attic, Richard Greener was a pioneer who broke educational and professional barriers for Black citizens. He was also a man caught between worlds.
Richard Theodore Greener (1844–1922) was a renowned Black activist and scholar. In 1870, he was the first Black graduate of Harvard College. During Reconstruction, he was the first Black faculty member at a southern White college, the University of South Carolina. He was even the first Black US diplomat to a White country, serving in Vladivostok, Russia. A notable speaker and writer for racial equality, he also served as a dean of the Howard University School of Law and as the administrative head of the Ulysses S. Grant Monument Association. Yet he died in obscurity, his name barely remembered.
His Black friends and colleagues often looked askance at the light skinned Greener’s ease among Whites and sometimes wrongfully accused him of trying to “pass.” While he was overseas on a diplomatic mission, Greener’s wife and five children stayed in New York City, changed their names, and vanished into White society. Greener never saw them again. At a time when Americans viewed themselves simply as either White or not, Greener lost not only his family but also his sense of clarity about race.
Richard Greener’s story demonstrates the human realities of racial politics throughout the fight for abolition, the struggle for equal rights, and the backslide into legal segregation. Katherine Reynolds Chaddock has written a long overdue narrative biography about a man, fascinating in his own right, who also exemplified America’s discomfiting perspectives on race and skin color. Uncompromising Activist is a lively tale that will interest anyone curious about the human elements of the equal rights struggle.
**
Ulike Laser Hair Removal for Women and Men, Air 3 IPL Hair Removal with Sapphire Ice-Cooling System for Painless & Long-Lasting Result,
Flat-Head Window for Body & Face at-Home Use, White
Payment plans
$22.92/mo (18 mo) at example APR of 30% (rates from 10-30% APR)
Upgrade Sapphire Ice-cooling Painless Hair Removal: Ulike Sapphire Air 3 hair removal device adopts sapphire ice-cooling technology with 4-fold ice-cooling system, can lower the temperature from 158°F to 50°F during the treatment, and 30 minutes of icy sensation at 50°F.
Salon-level Result In 3 Weeks: Stop shaving and say goodbye to unwanted hair. The Ulike Sapphire Air 3 deliver powerful IPL (Intense Pulse Light ) and 21J high energy that targets hair at the root to break the hair growth cycle, achieve long lasting result. With 2 treatments per week, you can get a visible result in 3 weeks. Unlimited flash times support for long-term use. An alternative to salon hair removal without additional cost. Enjoy salon-level smooth skin all year around.
10 Minute Fast Treatment: Fast and effective hair removal. Up to 0.7S per flash and auto-glide mode for an effortless treatment. Ergonomic flash window for better coverage and less missed spots. 3 intensity level suit for whole body use.
Safe & Professional IPL Hair Removal At-home: Approved by multiple globally certified, and recommended by Dermatologists, the Ulike Sapphire Air 3 provide your safe solution to get rid of unwanted hairs.
Use On-the-go: Flat-head window design that is easy to clean. And weighs only 271g, it is lightweight to hold for effortless treatment. Provided with a leather case so you can hold the IPL hair removal device and attachment whenever and wherever.
**
Spark Talks – Christian K. Anderson: Who was Richard T. Greener and why we should remember him.
Modeled after the well-known TED Talks, these brief addresses will give insight into research in a unique, fast-paced and entertaining way – each talk lasting just a few minutes.
**
Book
The Black Intellectual Tradition: Reading Freedom in Classical Literature
The powerful legacy of classical education among Black intellectuals and teachers in America is a national treasure with the capacity to bless teachers and students the world over! In The Black Intellectual Tradition, authors Dr. Anika Prather and Dr. Angel Adams Parham introduce us to readers, writers, teachers, artists, and people of action who loved, taught, and put into practice the wisdom and virtue of the great voices who came before.
These Black educators and intellectuals, while living with the injustices and hardships that gave them unique insights, mined the tradition, weaving it together with their African and African American heritage to create a new narrative that would aid all people in understanding injustice and was thus integral to the fight for liberation and equality. In the process, they brought to light a wealth of truth, goodness, and beauty from within the great tradition.
With this rich heritage increasingly lost from view, this book restores stories and experiences to us that will inform and inspire ideas for action and application within all classical schools and homeschools. Dr. Prather and Dr. Parham bring to the book two different scholarly perspectives and voices as well as their own personal experiences as classical educators, parents, and organizational leaders.
**
Kindle Paperwhite (16 GB) – Now with a 6.8″ display and adjustable warm light – Black
The ad-supported option (also known as Special Offers or Lockscreen Ads) displays sponsored screensavers on your device’s lockscreen. Learn more
Bundle and Save
Cork Case Essentials Bundle. Includes Kindle Paperwhite, Cork Cover, and Power Adapter Fabric Case Essentials Bundle. Includes Kindle Paperwhite, Fabric Cover, and Power Adapter. Leather Case Essentials Bundle. Includes Kindle Paperwhite, Leather Cover, and Power Adapter
Kindle Paperwhite – Now with a 6.8” display and thinner borders, adjustable warm light, up to 10 weeks of battery life, and 20% faster page turns.
Purpose-built for reading – With a flush-front design and 300 ppi glare-free display that reads like real paper, even in bright sunlight.
More books in more places – Store thousands of titles, then take them all with you. A single charge via USB-C last weeks, not hours.
Easy on the eyes – Now with adjustable warm light to shift screen shade from white to amber.
Waterproof reading – Built to withstand accidental immersion in water, so you’re good from the beach to the bath.
Find new stories – With Kindle Unlimited, get unlimited access to over 2 million titles, thousands of audiobooks, and more.
Go hands-free – Pair with an Audible subscription and Bluetooth headphones or speakers to listen to your story.
**
Richard T. Greener Black Excellence Brunch: October 18, 2020
Although Homecoming was virtual this year, our Black Alumni Council wanted to celebrate our Greener Scholars and alumni.
**
Book
The Black Intellectual Tradition: African American Thought in the Twentieth Century (New Black Studies Series)
Considering the development and ongoing influence of Black thought
From 1900 to the present, people of African descent living in the United States have drawn on homegrown and diasporic minds to create a Black intellectual tradition engaged with ideas on race, racial oppression, and the world. This volume presents essays on the diverse thought behind the fight for racial justice as developed by African American artists and intellectuals; performers and protest activists; institutions and organizations; and educators and religious leaders. By including both women’s and men’s perspectives from the U.S. and the Diaspora, the essays explore the full landscape of the Black intellectual tradition. Throughout, contributors engage with important ideas ranging from the consideration of gender within the tradition, to intellectual products generated outside the intelligentsia, to the ongoing relationship between thought and concrete effort in the quest for liberation.
Expansive in scope and interdisciplinary in practice, The Black Intellectual Tradition delves into the ideas that animated a people’s striving for full participation in American life.
Contributors: Derrick P. Alridge, Keisha N. Blain, Cornelius L. Bynum, Jeffrey Lamar Coleman, Pero Gaglo Dagbovie, Stephanie Y. Evans, Aaron David Gresson III, Claudrena N. Harold, Leonard Harris, Maurice J. Hobson, La TaSha B. Levy, Layli Maparyan, Zebulon V. Miletsky, R. Baxter Miller, Edward Onaci, Venetria K. Patton, James B. Stewart, and Nikki M. Taylor
**
New Balance Men’s Made in Us 990 V5 Sneaker
50% Synthetic, 50% Mesh
Made in US
Rubber sole
Heritage Style: The 990v5 is an iconic sneaker, built with a pigskin and mesh upper in a classic running silhouette designed to look amazing anywhere from morning run to runway
Supportive Fit: Venture on, wherever the day takes you, with the New Balance 990v5 lifestyle shoe. An ENCAP midsole combines lightweight foam with a durable polyurethane rim to deliver all-day support.
Helps Protect Ankles: Designed for all-day comfort, these everyday running shoes from New Balance also include dual-density collar foam that offers support and comfort for your ankles.
Built to Last: These New Balance everyday shoes are designed with a durable blown rubber outsole that stands up to daily wear and helps provide comfort in every step
Made in the USA: Manufactured in the US for over 75 years and representing a limited portion of US sales, New Balance MADE is a premium collection that contains a domestic value of 70% or greater
**
Richard T. Greener Scholars
University of South Carolina Richard T. Greener Scholars sharing what the scholarship means to them.
**
Book
Black Intellectuals: Race and Responsibility in American Life
An important and necessary history of African thought and culture, from slavery to the present day. In the volumes of literature on black history and thought, until now there has been no book focusing on the black thinkers who have shaped the course of American culture. Now this landmark work reveals the complex and vital role of African American intellectuals in the United States. It is a rich history, beginning with the arrival of Africans as slaves, when medicine men and conjurers held ancient, powerful wisdom. Author William Banks discusses with absorbing insight prominent figures ranging from black pioneers like Alexander Crummell, Frederick Douglass, and Anna Cooper, to intellectuals of the modern age such as W. E. B. Du Bois, Alain Locke, E. Franklin Frazier, and Toni Morrison. These and hundreds of other black scholars and artists many of them interviewed for this volume people an enlightened and imaginative landscape, fascinating in both its range and its diversity. Unique in historical scope and cultural vision, Black Intellectuals further illuminates facets of American history such as African tribal institutions; American slavery; and black schools, churches, politics, and popular culture in this, the first comprehensive, overall history of African American intellectuals.
**
adidas Women’s Ultraboost 1.0 Sneaker
Free 7-day try-on available for some sizes and colors.
Free shipping & returns. Learn more
Fit: True to size. Order usual size.
Size:
Select
Select
Color: Grey/Grey/Semi Coral Fusion
Wonder Beige/Wonder Taupe/Impact Orange
Black/Black/Beam Pink
Black/Black/White
White/White/White
Crystal White/Crystal White/Preloved Blue
Ecru Tint/Ecru Tint/Semi Coral Fusion
Grey One/Grey/White
Black/Iron Metallic/Pulse Magenta
Grey/Grey/Semi Coral Fusion
Off White/Off White/Gold Metallic
Pink Fusion/Pink Fusion/Gold Metalli
Halo Blue/Halo Blue/Cloud White
Wonder Taupe/Wonder Taupe/Cloud Whit
Core Black/Carbon/Blue Dawn
Off White/Off White/Silver Metallic
Silver Dawn/Silver Dawn/Silver Viole
Mgh Solid Grey/Light Solid Grey/Zero
Wonder Quartz/Wonder Quartz/Wonder White
Size Chart
Rubber sole
adidas womens Sneaker
**
Richard T. Greener Statue Unveiling | SGTV News4
The newly erected statue of the first African-American professor at UofSC, Richard T. Greener, was unveiled outside of Thomas Cooper Library.
**
Book
New Perspectives on the Black Intellectual Tradition
From well-known intellectuals such as Frederick Douglass and Nella Larsen to often-obscured thinkers such as Amina Baraka and Bernardo Ruiz Suárez, black theorists across the globe have engaged in sustained efforts to create insurgent and resilient forms of thought. New Perspectives on the Black Intellectual Tradition is a collection of twelve essays that explores these and other theorists and their contributions to diverse strains of political, social, and cultural thought.
The book examines four central themes within the black intellectual tradition: black internationalism, religion and spirituality, racial politics and struggles for social justice, and black radicalism. The essays identify the emergence of black thought within multiple communities internationally, analyze how black thinkers shaped and were shaped by the historical moment in which they lived, interrogate the ways in which activists and intellectuals connected their theoretical frameworks across time and space, and assess how these strains of thought bolstered black consciousness and resistance worldwide.
Defying traditional temporal and geographical boundaries, New Perspectives on the Black Intellectual Tradition illuminates the origins of and conduits for black ideas, redefines the relationship between black thought and social action, and challenges long-held assumptions about black perspectives on religion, race, and radicalism. The intellectuals profiled in the volume reshape and redefine the contours and boundaries of black thought, further illuminating the depth and diversity of the black intellectual tradition.
**
Visit the SWAROVSKI Store
Swarovski Attract Trilogy Crystal Necklace and Earrings Jewelry Collection
Stunning and elegant: The Attract Trilogy drop pierced earrings combine the precision and quality of Swarovski crystals with a rhodium plated setting, for a romantic and refined accessory
Vividly sparkling: A trio of clear crystals are embellished with pavé and rhodium plating in this scintillating design that is timelessly elegant and will be a treasured keepsake.
Designed to last: Swarovski jewelry will maintain its brilliance over time when simple care practices are observed; remove before contact with water, lotions or perfumes to extend your jewelry’s life
Elegant and eye-catching: The versatility of these drop earrings makes them a fashionable everyday accessory, a glamorous addition for more formal occasions or a charming gift for your loved one
Items delivered: 1 x set of Swarovski attract trilogy drop pierced earrings with white crystals in a rhodium plated setting and hinged closure, complete with Swarovski earring box
**
UofSC: Richard Greener Statue
The Richard Greener Statue was unveiled on UofSC’s campus on February 21, 2018.
**
We often believe that all facts are presented in history. This is far from the truth as we have seen in the story of Richard T Greener. This is just one in a long line of missing facts. The lack of facts show inequality of our foundation in solving the biggest problem facing America today.
Lack of revealing the truth involves not only race but many other facts, especially any that show the deceit of Europeans. Truth is essential to facing past problems and seeking solutions. The time for games is long since passed. It is time to put our adult clothes on, face problems and falsehoods and solve them, least we kick the problem down the road for our kids to solve rather than solving them now. This is grossly unfair to our kids.