After the Civil War, a new educational institution was born
March 5, 2005
By DON KRAUSE ¥ Hannibal Courier-Post
During the Civil War, the 62nd and 65th Colored Infantries were largely made up of freed slaves or those who ran away. These men joined the army hoping to make a difference.
At a time of prejudice and misunderstanding, when many others saw blacks as an inferior, these units saw little fighting during the war. Instead, much of their time was spent on other tasks, such as digging trenches. Their units were poorly equipped and disease took its toll. During their service more than 400 men from the 62nd and 65th died not from injury, but disease.
Mostly from Missouri, the men of the 62nd and 65th were uneducated, as were most blacks at the time. But 1st Lt. Richard Foster, who came from an abolitionist family and who was educated at Dartmouth, taught these soldiers to read. Foster had worked with John Brown against slavery.
Once the soldiers realized the power of education, they sought to ensure others would have the opportunity to learn.
These soldiers came up with an idea to found a school, a place where African-Americans could gain the skills necessary to become successful in life.
Their idea was only a starting point, and with the help of Foster and others, their dream became reality.
"Foster knew he had to do something that was very much out of the normal thing of the time," said Elizabeth Wilson, director of the Inman Library at Lincoln University and researcher of the school's history.
"He was a hero."
Lincoln Institute
Full Story: http://www.hannibal.net/stories/030505/happenings_20050305014.shtml
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