Following an intense and fascinating first day working on the Lemon Project, I find myself thinking about pioneers. In the interview that we saw, I was struck by the fact that none of the three women set out to be the first black student on campus. In fact, they were not aware of their status as the first black residential students until they arrived at W&M. Each of them applied to college, got in, and chose to attend this institution simply because they wanted an education. Just like the women of Hidden Figures, they had a goal and decided to achieve it. The fact that they were the first to do so was simply a byproduct of their determination. Although it seems obvious in retrospect, this was an interesting revelation for me. It also served as a reminder that those making history do not necessarily realize their own significance. I really enjoyed meeting Janet Brown Strafer, and I’m very excited to speak with all three women in person tomorrow.
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