Madison’s first African American graduate earned her degree 50 years ago
‘It was meant to be’
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BY JANET SMITH (‘81)
heary Darcus Johnson (’70, ’74M) did not set out to be a trailblazer, but as this institution’s first African American graduate, the mantle was nonetheless on her shoulders. Growing up in Harrisonburg, where public schools were racially segregated, Johnson and her siblings were shielded from the harsh realities of discrimination by their parents, Pastor Henry Darcus Sr. and Ann Darcus. But as a student at Lucy F. Simms School, Johnson realized that “sep-
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arate but equal” meant secondhand books, teachers with limited experience beyond the African American community and less rigorous academic standards. “What made me really want to change was when we had someone who was a valedictorian from Simms School go to Virginia State, which is an allblack college, and have to take remedial courses,” Johnson said. “Well, to me, that didn’t make sense. It said that we weren’t receiving proper preparation all the way around.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 26 >>>
DA RC U S S E N I O R PO RT R A I T CO U RT E SY O F TH E B LU ESTO N E, 1 970 A N D CO LO R IZ AT I O N BY SA N N A D U LL AWAY; B L AC K WO M E N I N AC A D E M I A BY T I FFA N Y S H OWA LT E R
