A black woman is to finally receive her degree 55 years after she became one of the first non-whites to enroll at her university.
Burlyce Logan, 73, was forced out of the University of North Texas because she was abused by students and teachers after signing up in 1956 – just two years after desegregation.
Only two out of the 11 members of the first class of African American freshman made it through the course because of the harassment they were forced to endure.
But almost half a century after she joined the university, Ms Logan returned in 2005 to complete a bachelor’s degree in applied arts and sciences.
She last left in 1958, two years through her course.
At the time black students were not allowed to live on campus and not a single one of them passed their English exam because the teachers did not allow them.
‘I was kind of wiped out,’ she told DentonRC.com. ‘No one really acknowledged or approached us.’
At the time the undergraduate, an accomplished piano player was studying music, and doing well in her classes.
Once she has received her degree she is thinking of going back to complete a masters course in History.
