By Kennae Hunter
The legacy of Harold A. Franklin, the first Black student at Auburn University in Auburn, Ala., has been marked on the campus through the unveiling of a bronze plaque featured in the brick courtyard in the same location where he first signed registration papers in 1964.
He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Denver and enrolled at Auburn as a graduate student. Franklin went on to become an educator and continued in that role for 27 years. He taught at Alabama State University, North Carolina A&T State University, Tuskegee Institute and Talladega College. He retired in 1992.
The new plaque states, “Harold A. Franklin, “1964,” and “Dr. Franklin’s bold journey is the epitome of a spirit that is not afraid. His story continues to move our hearts, stimulate our minds and inspire our lives. The same spirit dwells within, reminding us that truth will always prevail.”
