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Although Johnson C. Smith University is well-known for its Black leadership, this was not always the case. The university once known as Biddle University, was originally led by White men. It wasn’t until 1891 that the leadership changed. Daniel Sanders was a former slave, pastor, and public-school principal in Wilmington, NC. He arrived in Charlotte to become Johnson C. Smith University’s first Black president. Sanders remained in this position for 17 years until his death. That’s some real black excellence! Read more about Daniel Sanders here.
