Heart of Central Texas: Baylor University to honor its first Black graduates with statues
Reverend Robert Gilbert and Mrs. Barbara Walker both graduated from Baylor in 1967. They both broke barriers and made significant impacts in their communities. Author: Taheshah Moise Updated: 8:55 AM CDT July 15, 2021
WACO, Texas Thousands of students have walked across the graduation stage at Baylor University since it was founded in 1845.
But two students are receiving special recognition: Rev. Robert Gilbert and Mrs. Barbara Walker, the university s first two Black graduates.
Currently, the front of the Tidwell Bible building at Baylor University is empty, but soon two life-size bronze statues of Rev. Gilbert and Mrs. Walker will stand there.
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WACO, Texas (April 19, 2021) Baylor University’s department of religion has announced that Wemimo Bright Jaiyesimi of Lagos, Nigeria, has been named the recipient of the inaugural Robert L. Gilbert Scholar in Religion Graduate Fellowship.
The fellowship is named for the Rev. Robert Gilbert, B.A. 67, the first Black graduate of Baylor University, along with Barbara Walker, B.A. ’67. In 1970, Gilbert became the first Black student to enroll in Baylor’s religion graduate program. As an influential educator, pastor and civil rights leader in the Waco area, Gilbert was the first Black member elected to the Waco Independent School District Board in 1976. He also was a champion of women in ministry, being the first Black Baptist pastor to license a female minister.
BaylorProud » Baylor alum s message hits at the confluence of faith, race and social justice baylor.edu - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from baylor.edu Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
First Black graduate of Baylor used his influence to institute change within university, Waco
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and last updated 2021-02-15 20:55:41-05
WACO, TX â A Waco man proved one person can make a huge difference in the world.
With vision and persistence, Reverend Robert Gilbert may have moved the civil rights needle in Central Texas more than anyone else. The first black graduate of Baylor University leveraged his influence to thoughtfully push for change at Baylor and in Waco. What Baylor was like when I was there, I would say that I felt as a person who was on a plantation, said Gilbert in an archived recording.