John Wesley Gilbert: The First African-American Archaeologist Was Fascinated with Athens
John Wesley Gilbert. Credit: Public Domain
John Wesley Gilbert was a groundbreaking figure in the fields of Classics and Archaeology. During his lifetime, Gilbert, the son of slaves, became a renowned scholar and the first Black person to receive an advanced degree from Brown University.
The scholar, who was an accomplished linguist, classicist, and archaeology, broke countless barriers in his life, making history and leaving behind a complicated and impressive legacy for future generations.
John Wesley Gilbert’s early life and education
” width=”1080″>Gilbert was born in Hephzibah, Georgia, in 1863, and he was named after the founder of Methodism, John Wesley.