Report on Savannah, GA Property: R. R. Wright, Sr. Estate
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Authors
Wright, Richard R. Jr.
Advisors
Department
Keywords
African American College Presidents
Savannah (Ga.)
savannah state college
Savannah State University
Chatham County (Ga.)
african american colleges
Georgia State College
Georgia State Industrial College
Georgia State Industrial College for Colored Youths
Savannah (Ga.)
savannah state college
Savannah State University
Chatham County (Ga.)
african american colleges
Georgia State College
Georgia State Industrial College
Georgia State Industrial College for Colored Youths
Issue Date
1953-08-10
Type
Other
Language
en_US
Description
Richard R. Wright, Sr., Estate Correspondence dated August 10, 1953. Richard R. Wright, Sr. served as the first president of Georgia State Industrial College. During his thirty year tenure, enrollment increased from 8 to 585 students and the expanded curriculum included a normal division, courses in agriculture and mechanical arts, and four years of high school. The college awarded its first baccalaureate degree in 1898. He was an American military officer, educator, politician, civil rights advocate, and banking entrepreneur, who served as president from 1891 to 1921. He was the first African American to serve as an Army paymaster and was the highest ranking African-American officer during the Spanish-American War. Wright resigned as President in June 1921 and moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. There he opened the only African-American owned bank in the North, Citizens & Southern Bank & Trust Co.