New Site Honors First Black Student at Auburn University

AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — A new site on the Auburn University campus honors the school’s first black student, Harold A. Franklin. The university and members of the Franklin family dedicated a marker and a brick courtyard during a ceremony on Thursday. Franklin, who enrolled as a graduate student in January 1964, died on Sept. 9 at the age of 88. Despite his admission, Franklin wasn’t allowed to defend his thesis at Auburn and earned a master’s degree from the University of Denver. In 2020, he was allowed to complete the thesis process at Auburn and participated in commencement exercises.

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