BAA Timeline

2018

Wanda Austin

1st African American President of USC (Interim)

2014

Verna Dauterive

Opening of Peter and Verna Dauterive Hall; 1st Interdisciplinary Building at USC.

2000

Crispus Attucks Wright

1st African American Multimillion Dollar Major Gift Donor to USC

1994

Maulana Karenga

Best known as the creator of the pan-African and African-American holiday of Kwanzaa; Ph.D Dornsife

1983

Amy Trask

1st Female CEO of the NFL, Oakland Raiders; USC Law School Graduate.

1981

Samuel L. Williams

1st African American USC Trustee, 1961 Graduate of USC Law School.

Stayce Harris

1st African American Female to pilot a 747; 1st Afrcian American Female Lt. General Air Force

1976

Rev. Thomas Kilgore

Establishment of USC Black Alumni Association; Scholarship Assistance provided to low-income students, all minorities (with Verna Dauterive, Peter Dauterive, Thomas Griffith, Sr., Portia Griffith–alumni).

Aulanna Peters

1st African American Female SEC Commissioner.

1968

Cynthia Watson Arnold

1st USC African American Helen of Troy.

Linda Murray Fuller

1st USC African American Song Girl.

Michael Garrett

1st USC Heisman Trophy Winner.

1956

Adam Herbert

1st African American President, Indiana University. Graduate of School of Public Policy

Yvonne Braithewaite Burke

1st African American Congresswoman, California; Graduate of USC Law School.

1949

Chester Carter

1st African American USC Student Senator.

1931

Edwin L. Jefferson

1st African American Justice for the California 2nd Appellate Court of Appeals; USC Law School Graduate.

1927

Faye Jackson

1st African American Female Nationally Renowned Journalist.

Helen Wheeler Riddle

1st African American female USC Law School Graduate.

1925

Brice Union Taylor

1st USC All-American in Trojan Football history.

1919

Paul Revere Williams

1st African American Architect

1918

Vada Watson Somerville

1st Female Graduate, USC School of Dentistry (Married to John Somerville).

1914

Booker T. Washington

USC Address/visit w President of USC. (fundraising tour for Tuskegee Institute)

1913

Howard Porter Drew

“The Fastest Man in the World;” World record holder in Track and Field 100 meter (1913-16 attended USC)

1909

John A. Somerville

1st African American Graduate USC School of Dentistry.

Diana McNeil Pierson

BA in 1909; MS in 1910. At one time thought to be the first Black woman to attend USC.

1907

Joseph P. Widney

Former USC President, publishes “Race Life of the Aryan Peoples”, a best selling book on “scientific racism”.

1904

Clarence Bertrand Thompson

1st African American Law School Graduate.

1894

Laura Gertrude Brown

Graduates with a degree in Music. Her degree is conferred by USC President Joseph P. Widney

1880