Thomas E. Miller was born in 1849 in Ferrebeeville, South Carolina. Historians say that his mother was a fair skinned mulatto and his father was a rich, young white man who's parents disagreed with their relationship and forced them to put the child up for adoption. Miller was adopted by 2 former slaves Richard and Mary Ferrebee Miller, thus his last name.
Prior to becoming the president of this institution, Miller was a lawyer, a state legislature and a U.S. Congressmen who during his tenure defended the right for black men to not only obtain suffrage but to continue to participate in the entire political system.
As a president he was involved in the building and fertility of the school, the teaching of the students when for the first 3 decades what is now South Carolina State University was merely a primary and secondary school for training. The school did not offer a bachelors degree until 1925.
Miller was not completely in charge of all affairs having to do with the students and the school itself. He had to seek permission from a board of trustees full of white men who controlled the curriculum and the courses, books that are ordered, teacher salaries and all other important matters pertaining to the now University. This may have made it hard for him to move in favor of the students with their struggles in mind, because of this he chose to resign but the board persuaded him to stay for the students.
Later another incident happened where Miller admitted to asking voters not to vote for a known racist who opposed the education of black people and after he was elected ordered the resignation of Miller for "pernicious political activity". Miller did not deny, and thus ended his 15-year tenure as president.
Overall, Thomas E. Miller had much more to him than what even today, meets the eye. He went beyond what was expected of him as a fair-skinned man, not only verbally but with his actions. Some could argue that he is the epitome of what a president or a leader should be, a man led by the people, for the people and his people just so happened to be black and in need of an education...he helped them with that.
He died on April 8, 1938. At his request, the following was placed on his gravestone: "Not having loved the white less, but having felt the Negro needed me more", related to his work for civil rights and his decision to identify as African American rather than white.
Sources:
Carologue, Winter 1996
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_E._Miller
No comments:
Post a Comment