‘History Came Alive’: Scholar of African-American Philanthropy Extols Lincoln University’s Virtues in Forbes

By

Tyrone Freeman
Image via IUPUI.
Tyrone Freeman.

Tyrone Freeman enrolled at Lincoln University in the early 1990s not only because HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) “were in his blood,” but also because the school was close to his home and had an impressive record of famous graduates like poet Langston Hughes and Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, writes Marybeth Gasman for Forbes.

“Call me corny, but I believed that walking the same yard and staying in the same dorms that they did would somehow rub off on me,” said Freeman. “When I arrived on campus, history came alive. People I had only read about or seen on TV regularly came to campus to interact with us including (poet) Sonia Sanchez, (actress) Ruby Dee, (comedian and civil rights leader) Dick Gregory, and (attorney) Randall Robinson. And they didn’t speak and run. They hung out. We could talk with them.”

Freeman, now a scholar of African-American philanthropy and a professor at Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis (IUPUI), graduated from Lincoln in 1995.

“I would not be a scholar without Lincoln,” said Freeman. “My professors challenged me to serve my community and create a big vision for myself. They gave me opportunities to reach and grow.” 

Read more about Tyrone Freeman in Forbes

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