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The Gilded Years is the true story of Anita Hemmings, the first Black woman to graduate from Vassar. The year is 1897, and Vassar is a very exclusive, upper crust, white women's college. Vassar’s atmosphere might have been best described as aristocratic. The prestigious women’s school had catered almost exclusively to the daughters of the nation’s elite. Had Hemmings marked her race as "colored" on her application, her admittance to the college most certainly would have been denied. It was not until the 1940's that Vassar admitted Black students. Other “Seven Sister” schools, like Radcliffe and Smith, had begun to admit Black women during this period, but Vassar held fast to its policy of “exclusivity.” Hemmings – brilliant, beautiful and a talented – was fair skinned and “passed” as white. She almost made it through her four years at Vassar until mere weeks before graduation, her vengeful roommate discovered the truth and alerted school officials. Vassar, probably to spare their reputation and to save face, kept Anita's secret and allowed her to graduate.
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Bio A voracious reader with a love for historical and literary fiction, art, and poetry. Archives
May 2018
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