On This Day In Alabama History: First African-American Graduated From University Of Alabama

Alabama News Center | May 30, 2017 @ 5:00 am

By Graydon Rust
Alabama 200

May 30, 1965

Vivian Malone Jones became the first African-American to graduate from the University of Alabama. Jones was one of two black students, with James Hood, who enrolled at the university after initially having their entry blocked by Gov. George Wallace. While Hood left the university after two months, Jones remained and earned her degree in business administration with a B-plus average. She went on to work for the U.S. Justice Department in its Civil Rights Division and the Environmental Protection Agency as director of civil rights and urban affairs and director of environmental justice. In 1996, former Gov. Wallace presented Jones with the inaugural Lurleen B. Wallace Award of Courage.

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