Charles Foster is the first African American to enter The Citadel as a cadet in the South Carolina Corps of Cadets. As a graduate of CA Brown High School in Charleston, SC he was the only one of six African American applicants to complete the requirements for admission and enter as a member of the Class of 1970.
Joseph Shine of Charleston, SC becomes the second African American to join the SC Corps of Cadets
Norman Seabrooks becomes the first African American football player for The Citadel as well as the first African American to receive an athletic scholarship from The Citadel.
The Class of 1973 reports to The Citadel and is the first class with more than one African American cadet. This group includes Norman Seabrooks, the first African American football player and the first African American to receive and athletic scholarship.
Charles Foster becomes the first African American to graduate from The Citadel. He is commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Army.
Joseph Shine becomes the second African American graduate of The Citadel. He was a Cadet Captain and served on the 2nd battalion staff. He was an honor student and an Air Force ROTC Scholarship recipient. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Air Force.
The Citadel hires Thad Miller as the first African American barber and he is instructed by the Commandant to only cut the hair of African American cadets.
Oscar Scott enrolls as the first African American basketball player. Scott was a graduate of CA Brown High school and a military veteran. He enrolled as a veteran student and played two seasons for The Citadel.
Ken Feaster arrives as a member of the Class of 1975 as the first African American baseball player
The Afro American Society is established at The Citadel. The concept was the idea of Joseph Shine and Larry Ferguson. Larry Ferguson became the first President of the Society. Originally established as a study group, the organization evolved to serve as a support network for African American cadets as well as a mechanism to voice their grievances.
Members of the Afro-American Society waive a banner with a black fist crumbling the confederate flag at a football game to address the issue of Confederate flags being flown during The Citadel football games.
George Graham becomes the first African American member of the Summerall Guards, the elite drill team at The Citadel.
Dr. Marlene O’Bryant-Seabrook was the first African American and second woman appointed as a full-time permanent member of The Citadel faculty. She taught in the Department of Education.
Greg Horton becomes the first African American to earn the rank of 1st Sgt. He is a member of Foxtrot Company. He is also the first African American member of the elite Junior Sword Drill.
Greg Horton becomes the first African American Company Commander and takes the lead in Foxtrot Company. He is also the first African American Rear Guard of the Summerall Guards.
Lyvonia "Stump" Mitchell graduates from The Citadel and becomes the first African American graduate to be drafted by an NFL team. Mitchell played for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1981-89 and spent one year with the Kansas City Chiefs. He is currently the running backs coach with the Arizona Cardinals.
Charles Foster, the first African American graduate, dies tragically in a house fire in Garland, TX.
African American cadet freshman Kevin Nesmith leaves The Citadel after several white upper-class cadets enter his room dressed in pillow cases and towels that resemble Ku Klux Klansmen and burn a paper cross in his room. The incident garnered national attention and the cadets were disciplined by being awarded 195 tours, the largest punishment ever awarded for a single offense (a tour is a 50-minute period marching on the quadrangle with a rifle). Kevin's brother Al Nesmith, Citadel Class of 1979, was a member of The Citadel Board of Visitors at the time of the incident.
The Citadel Gospel Choir was created by cadets Tommy French, Kenyetta Jackson, and Charles Wallace. The early Gospel Choir only performed a couple of times a month and did not have a pianist, so most performances were done a capella. Today, the Gospel Choir has 25 members who are culturally and racially diverse. The choir regularly performs at the Veteran’s Hospital in Charleston and during Martin Luther King Day at celebrations at area colleges.
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Norman Doucet, a Charleston native and graduate of Garrett High School, becomes the first African American Regimental Commander (highest ranking cadet).
Bryant Butler, of Goose Creek, SC, becomes the second African American to be named the Regimental Commander (highest ranking cadet).
David Rawlinson becomes the first African American cadet to receive the Truman Scholarship.
Ken Feaster, Class of 75, becomes the first African American Citadel graduate promoted to the rank of Colonel.
Wendy Anderson becomes the first African American head coach when she is named the coach for The Citadel's Volleyball team.
Two cadets from The Citadel remove the confederate flag from the dome of the South Carolina Statehouse in Columbia. Cadet Michael Tolbert from South Carolina handed the flag to Governor Jim Hodges. The flag had flown over the dome since 1962.
Toshika (Peaches) Hudson becomes the first female African American company commander and takes the lead in Lima Company.
The first group of African American females graduate. The group includes Genieve Hardney, Toshika J. Hudson, Renee E. Hypolite, Jamey McCloud, Natosha Mitchell, Lesjanusar “Sha” Peterson, and Adrienne "AJ" Watson.
Joseph Shine, the second African American graduate, dies. His death came a few days after being appointed to The Citadel Board of Visitors.
The Citadel launched the African American Studies minor, with director Marcus Cox, with help of the duPont grant. 11 cadets enrolled for the first semester. African American Studies continues to encourage an appreciation for the contributions of people of African descent and emphasize the importance of diversity of the Corps of Cadets and the surrounding community.
Thomas J. Elzey is named the college’s first executive vice president for finance, administration and operations. He is the first African American named to a senior level position at The Citadel.
BG Wayne Black, Citadel Class of '84, becomes the first African American graduate to be promoted to General. BG Black assumed duties as Assistant Adjutant General - Army, Indiana National Guard, on 1 June 2013.
Stanley Myers becomes the first African American graduate elected to the Board of Visitors. Myers is a 1998 graduate.
During a prayer service, Dylann Roof, a 21-year-old white supremacist shot and killed nine members of Mother Emanuel church in downtown Charleston. Mother Emanuel was Charles Fosters' home church.
By a 9-3 vote, the Citadel's Board of Visitors put in motion the removal of the flag. This decision was largely brought about by the shooting at Mother Emanuel. It will requirie the authorization of the South Carolina legislature, as the flag's placement was part of the state's Heritage Act, the 2000 legislation that also put the Confederate battle flag on the state Capitol grounds.
Rear Admiral Stephen Evans, Class of '86, becomes first African American graduate to be selected as Rear Admiral on active duty in the US Navy.
Cadet LT COL Ilanna Green becomes the first African American female Battalion Commander. Cadet Green is also a captain for the soccer team.
BG David Wilson, Class of 91, becomes the first African American graduate to be selected as Brigadier General on active duty in the US Army.
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