University Archives & Historical Collections

WILLIAM O. THOMPSON, Class of 1904, the first known African American graduate of Michigan Agricultural College.

MYRTLE CRAIG, Class of 1907, received a Bachelor of Science degree in Home Economics. The first African American woman to graduate from Michigan Agricultural College, President Jonathan Snyder praised her as a young woman "of more than ordinary ability," "considerable dignity," and "good sense". Myrtle Craig chose a career as an educator, serving on the faculty of Lincoln Institute in Jefferson City, Missouri for more than twenty years. In 1990 Michigan State University established the Myrtle Craig Mowbray Scholarship in her honor.

GIDEON SMITH, Class of 1916. A talented athlete, he was one of the first two Blacks in the country to play college football and the one of the first to play professional football. At Michigan State, he also served as Secretary and Treasurer of the Cosmopolitan Club. After serving in World War I, Smith joined the faculty of Hampton Institute in Virginia as football coach and Professor of Physical Education from 1921 until his retirement in 1955. He was named to the Michigan State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1992.

DELBERT McCULLOCH PRILLERMAN, Class of 1917, came to Michigan State to study horticulture. Returning to West Virginia after receiving his B.S. degree, Prillerman took a teaching position at Bluefield Institute.

BENJAMIN LIVINGSTON GOODE, Class of 1925, left Michigan State with an impressive record as an athlete. In addition to being a member of the Varsity football team and Varsity track squad, he participated in freshman basketball and baseball. Following graduation he joined the faculty of West Virginia Collegiate Institute as Football Coach and Assistant Professor in Agriculture.

CLARENCE BANKS, Class of 1926, earned a B.S. in Agriculture, majoring in Dairy Science. At Michigan State he was a member of the Varsity Cross-Country team and the freshman track team. After graduating, he joined the faculty of Mechanical, Technical, and Industrial School in Bordentown, New Jersey.

AEOLIAN EDWARD LOCKERT, Class of 1926, came to Michigan State from Clarksville, Tennessee. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture.

MABEL JEWELL LUCAS, Class of 1927, graduated with a B.S. in Agriculture. A Lansing resident when she enrolled at Michigan State, she later made her residence in Chicago.