Furman University unveils statue of Joseph Vaughn

During Friday’s unveiling of the Joseph Vaughn statue honoring the first Black man to enroll at Furman University, family members and others from the Furman community gathered to celebrate and reflect on Vaughn’s legacy. Furman NAACP President Quameek Bethea ’21 spoke during the ceremony, which was covered by Ariel Gilreath of The Greenville News. “While correcting the wrongs of the past, we cannot forget those made in the present,” Bethea said. “Had the students of the past not pushed for the admission of the first African American student to our institution, where would we be today?”

Vaughn, who enrolled at Furman in 1965, graduated cum laude in 1968 with majors in English and French.