Smithonian
After More Than 150 Years, Sculptor Edmonia Lewis Finally Gets Her Degree
Throughout her lifetime, Edmonia Lewis, born in 1844 to parents with Black and Native American ancestry, broke barriers to achieve widespread renown as a talented sculptor. One of those barriers: In 1859, she was among a handful of Black students to enroll in Oberlin College, one of the first institutions to admit Black students and women.