Charles Foster & The Black Experience

Title

Charles Foster & The Black Experience

Subject

Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina
Integration

Description

Charles D. Foster desegregated the Corps of Cadets in the fall of 1966 as a member of Golf Company. He graduated with a degree in Business Administration in 1970 and entered the Army as a Second Lieutenant. After serving in the Army, Foster moved to Dallas, Texas, where he died in a fire in 1986.

This collection contains stories, photographs, and interviews relating to Charles Foster and minority experiences at The Citadel. The goal of this project is to provide a deeper understanding of an aspect of Citadel history that deserves to be preserved and shared through our historical collections.

To submit an entry of your own, please visit our project webpage.

Source

2019 Charles Foster & The Black Experience

Publisher

The Citadel Archives & Museum

Rights

Materials in The Citadel Archives & Museum Digital Collections are intended for educational and research use. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants of copyright. For more information contact The Citadel Archives & Museum, The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, 29409.

Relation

Charles Foster & the Black Experience

Format

application/pdf

Language

English

Type

Text

Identifier

https://citadeldigitalarchives.omeka.net/collections/show/30

Collection Items

Photograph of Charles Foster and his mother in the barracks, circa 1966
Photograph of Charles D. Foster walking with his mother, Blanche Foster. Walking behind them are Charles Foster's grandmother Naomi DeLesline and Blanche’s friend, Liz McCray. This photograph is featured in The Citadel's 1967 yearbook.

Memo from D. D. Nicholson to Hugh P. Harris, July 14, 1966.
D. D. Nicholson was The Citadel's Public Relations officer in 1966. This memo, written to Hugh P. Harris, then-president of The Citadel, describes an interview offer with Charles D. Foster, The Citadel's first African American cadet, which was…

Photograph of Charles Foster on Matriculation Day, 1966
Charles D. Foster desegregated the Corps of Cadets in the fall of 1966. This photograph depicts Foster checking in on Matriculation Day at The Citadel, 1966.

Photograph of Charles Foster his freshman year, 1966
Charles D. Foster desegregated the Corps of Cadets in the fall of 1966. This photograph depicts Foster marching on campus with classmates.

Oral History of William Foster, interviewed by Robert Pickering and Tessa Updike, 12-13 June, 2019
Watch video clips from the interview here. William Foster is the brother of Charles Foster, who was The Citadel’s first African American graduate of the Corps of Cadets. Charles Foster desegregated the Corps of Cadets in the fall of 1966 as a member…

George Graham is a member of The Citadel’s Class of 1973. In this interview, conducted by Tessa Updike, Mr. Graham talks about how he came to join the Corps of Cadets in 1969. Mr. Graham describes two encounters he had with Charles Foster, The…

Norman Seabrooks is a member of The Citadel’s Class of 1973. In this interview, conducted by Tessa Updike, Mr. Seabrooks talks about how he was the first African American athlete to be recruited by The Citadel, and describes his cadet experience. Mr.…

Dr. Larry Ferguson is a member of The Citadel’s Class of 1973. In this interview, conducted by Tessa Updike, Dr. Ferguson talks about how he came to join the Corps of Cadets. He describes an experience he had with Charles Foster in the spring of…

Herbert Legare is a member of The Citadel’s Class of 1973. In this interview, conducted by Tessa Updike, Mr. Legare describes how he came to join the Corps of Cadets, and his experience as a cadet. Mr. Legare reflects on how Charles Foster, The…

Arnold Benson is a member of The Citadel’s Class of 1973. In this interview, conducted by Tessa Updike, Mr. Benson describes how he came to join the Corps of Cadets, and describes his own cadet experience. Mr. Benson talks about how Charles Foster,…
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