VT mourns loss of first Black student, Irving L. Peddrew III
BLACKSBURG, Va. (WFXR) — Virginia Tech (VT) has announced that the first Black student to be admitted into the university, Irving L. Peddrew III passed away on May 11. He was 88.
Peddrew was the first Black student to be admitted to a historically white, four-year public institution in any 11 former states of the Confederacy. He integrated Virginia Tech’s classrooms in 1953 and is known on the campus for blazing the trail for other Black students.
More than six months before the Supreme Court decision on the historic Brown v. Board of Education case, Peddrew arrived in the Town of Blacksburg. During his first year at the university, he was the only Black person among 3,322 students.
While enrolled at the university, Peddrew was forced to live and eat off-campus. He chose to withdraw from the university before the start of his senior year. Despite this decision, his academic performance and character left a mark on the Hokie community.
Virginia Tech celebrates nearly 8,000 Hokies in 2024 graduation ceremony
“Mr. Peddrew endured unfair and oppressive treatment with dignity and strength, hoping to make a difference for those who would follow him — and he did,” said Sands. “It was an honor to know him and present him with the Virginia Tech degree he earned. He will be remembered as a leader among those who laid the foundation for our growth as a diverse and inclusive institution.”
In honor of his legacy, Virginia Tech named Peddrew-Yates Residence Hall after Peddrew and Charlie L. Yates, who was the university’s first Black graduate in 1958.
In 2016, Peddrew became the ninth person to receive an honorary degree from Virginia Tech. President Tim Sands also conferred a bachelor’s degree in engineering to Peddrew during the commencement ceremony.
It takes a special person to be a pioneer,” said Baine, a member of the Class of 1995. “I’m grateful to Irving Peddrew who opened the door for thousands of Black students who followed at Virginia Tech. As a student, he chose to leave after three years, but he came back to Virginia Tech, time-after-time, later in life, to help connect our community. He was a dear member of the Hokie family, and we extend our condolences to his family. We will all miss him.”
While growing up in the City of Hampton, Peddrew attended George P. Phenix High School. There Preddew played the saxophone and clarinet. Education was a priority in his family and his parents attended Hampton University.
During Peddrew’s search for the next steps in his education, he considered attending the University of Southern California. However, a teacher encouraged him to apply to several schools in Virginia, that never admitted Black students.
After immersing himself in several applications, Virginia Tech was the only school that accepted him. But that was just the tip of the iceberg.
VT police break record in annual hot dog fundraiser for Special Olympics
“I thought I would be a part of the student body all around,” Peddrew said in 2020. “I didn’t know about all the restrictions. But since I was there, I said, ‘Well, let’s make the best of it.’
During several interviews, Peddrew described his time at VT as good and bad. He recalled school administrators telling him, “Because of my performance and the way I carried myself during my first year, my freshman year, they were convinced that it didn’t necessarily have to be a problem accepting more Black students.”
While under social pressure, things took a turn for Peddrew and he withdrew from the school. He recalled that rumors, that were not proven, began circulating that if he attended the “Ring Dance,” an event that celebrates rising seniors, nearby women’s schools would not allow their students to attend.
Shortly after, he continued his education at the University of Southern California (USC). Eventually, Peddrew moved back to Hampton and worked at the Newport News Shipyard and Hampton University. He retired in 1994.
Years later, a moment came full circle. Peddrew learned VT’s class of 2023 chose him to be the class ring namesake.
“I wasn’t fully a student,” Peddrew said when the honor was announced. “I wasn’t fully accepted, and now I am. I am. I really feel part of the university, and I can say, ‘That I May Serve.’”
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFXRtv.
