George B. Vashon (1824-1878)
Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
Lawyer, writer, educator, and abolitionist. Oberlin College’s first Black graduate and valedictorian, 1844. Denied a seat on Pa. bar due to race; became first Black lawyer in New York, 1848. A founder and professor at Howard University, and president of Avery College. Grew up nearby.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
George B. Vashon, who grew up near this Pittsburgh site, was a lawyer, poet, educator, and abolitionist who broke barriers throughout his life. In 1844 he became Oberlin College's first Black graduate and its valedictorian; denied admission to the Pennsylvania bar because of his race, he became the first Black lawyer in New York in 1848. He went on to help found and teach at Howard University and to serve as president of Avery College.
Why it matters
Vashon's life of firsts, achieved in the face of racial exclusion, helped lay the groundwork for Black higher education and the long struggle for equal standing in the American professions.
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