Established in 1890, Highland Park College was located at the corner of 2nd Avenue and Euclid in Des Moines. In 1908 the college made the front page of the Des Moines Register, lamenting the loss of a (white) star football player found himself unable to compete, on or off the field, with newly admitted Black student, Archie Alphonso Alexander. Several (white) students also threatened to withdraw in response to the admission of a handful of Black students. Another incident occurred when a Black student declined to share a table at meals with the Black custodial staff. The college administration caved and kicked the Black students out. Part of their rationale was that other schools would totally discriminate, too if they felt like they could. The Iowa and Nebraska Negro Baptist Association held a special session at Corinthian Baptist, condemning the decision by Highland Park, fearing that it would embolden other schools to discriminate.
Archie Alexander enrolled at the University of Iowa where he played football and became the first Black person to graduate from the institution. Alexander pursued a successful career in engineering and would go on to become the Governor of the US Virgin Islands under President Dwight Eisenhower.
Sources: Des Moines Register September 10, 1908 p 1
Des Moines Register September 12, 1908 p 7
Des Moines Register September 13, 1908 p 6
Research Credit: Evelynn Coffie
Photo Credit: Getty Images
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