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BW Celebrates Black History Month

  • University Relations
  • 16 February 2021

The contributions of five alumni are being recognized by Baldwin Wallace University during Black History Month. These alumni are a few of the many generations of BW graduates who have made a mark in their professions as well as in the lives of others.

photo of Rev. Dr. Daniel Webster

Rev. Dr. Daniel Webster Shaw, Class of 1883

Having graduated from Baldwin University, Shaw is BW's first known Black graduate. He became a prominent clergyman and writer. He earned a Doctor of Divinity degree and was on the faculty of Howard University. The story of his mother, Harriet Shaw, was featured in the book and film "12 Years a Slave."

photo of Hazel Mountain Walker

Hazel Mountain Walker, Class of 1919

She was one of the first Black women admitted to the practice of law in the state of Ohio. Later, she found her calling in education and eventually became the first Black principal in the Cleveland Public Schools. Walker is also attributed to naming Karamu House, where she was a member and actress.

photo of Harrison Dillard

Harrison Dillard, Class of 1949

He won four Olympic gold medals in track and field, was named the nation's top amateur athlete, and became a charter member of the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame. BW's Harrison Dillard Track in the Lou Higgins Recreation Center is named in his honor. A bronze statue of Dillard stands outside of BW's George Finnie Stadium.

photo of Jane Edna Hunter

Jane Edna Hunter, Class of 1925

She is nationally recognized for her social work in Cleveland. She founded the Phillis Wheatley Association, a Cleveland settlement house for poor, single women who migrated north for work — which became a model for organizations nationwide. Her credits include nurse, attorney, author, and social justice advocate.

photo of Rev. James Lawson

Rev. James Lawson, Class of 1951

As a minister who trained many activists in nonviolent resistance, Lawson made critical contributions to the American Civil Rights movement. He was a leader in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and an adviser to Martin Luther King, Jr.

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