Integration at Meredith College

In observance of Black and Women’s History Months, Sophomore Miranda Johnson reached out to The Herald in hopes of discussing the history of integration at Meredith, and celebrating our first Black female student. 

Gwendolyn Matthews, a member of Raleigh’s Method Community, was one of the first 6 African American students to attend Cary High School amongst integration efforts in 1963. This was certainly not an easy experience for Matthews as a teenager. She faced a lot of adversity from teachers, administrators, students, and the Raleigh community. Nevertheless, she graduated in 1965.

In 1968, Gwendolyn Matthews became the first Black woman to attend Meredith College where she graduated in 1971. Matthews found her voice at Meredith, engaging in activities on and off campus ranging from performances to protests. She graduated with an English Degree that she used to teach at Broughton High School before earning her masters degree from Columbia University. She then returned to Raleigh to teach at NC State University for a brief time before settling in Virginia to teach at the historically Black Hampton Institute (now Hampton University).

In honor of her legacy, Meredith’s African American Alumnae Chapter established the Gwendolyn Matthews class of 1971 Scholarship. The Scholarship is available for African American students with a minimum 3.25 GPA and a commitment to civic engagement. Gwendolyn Matthews Scholars are recognized as leaders both on and off campus.

By Grayson Morris, EIC