The Integration Statue
Though the doctrine of "separate but equal" in public education was overturned in 1954, integration in Florida's postsecondary institutions did not immediately follow. In the summer of 1962, without the prompting of litigation, FSU broke barriers by admitting its first African American students 12 teachers enrolled in graduate science courses. That fall, FSU enrolled its first three full-time African American students two graduate students and one undergraduate.
In 1965, the undergraduate student, Maxwell Courtney, became the first African American graduate of FSU. Enrolling at FSU in 1965, Fred Flowers became the first African American to wear an FSU athletic uniform. In 1970, FSU students elected the first African American Homecoming Queen, Doby Lee Flowers. With those students and so many others in mind,
this page online
The prominent placement of this monument ensures that the students of today and tomorrow are reminded of the journey their fellow FSU alumni undertook in demanding social, academic and athletic equality. As Fred Flowers said at the unveiling of this monument, "Florida State University stands alone as a shining light, as a beacon of diversity and multiculturalism.
[text from related plaques mounted around base of sculpture]
W. Stanley "Sandy" Proctor (USA)
Bronze, 2003
This artwork is a celebration of the hardships and successes of a group of young men and women with a vision. That vision was to make Florida State University a center of learning for all people a great university with cultural diversity as part of its mission. This sculpture honors those courageous African-American students who paved the way to integration at Florida State University during the 1960s. The three figures are historically accurate representations of the first African-American graduating scholar from the Class of 1965, the first African-American
Erected 2004 by Florida State University.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Civil Rights • Education • Women. A significant historical year for this entry is 1965.
Location. 30° 26.623′ N, 84° 17.877′ W. Marker is in Tallahassee, Florida, in Leon County. It can be reached from North Woodward Avenue 0.2 miles south of West Tennessee Street (U.S. 90) when traveling south. Marker and "Integration" sculpture are located on the Florida State University Legacy Walk, just south of North Woodward Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Tallahassee FL 32304, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in North Florida. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Deep South. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the territory of the Mississippian Culture,
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Dr. J. Stanley Marshall (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Honoring Student Excellence (about 300 feet away); Paul A. M. Dirac Science Library (approx. 0.2 miles away); Mina Jo Powell Alumni Green (approx. 0.4 miles away); Konrad Emil Bloch (approx. 0.4 miles away); John Robert Schrieffer (approx. 0.4 miles away); Paul Adrien Maurice Dirac (approx. 0.4 miles away); Sir Harold W. Kroto (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Tallahassee.
Also see . . .
1. The Story Behind the Statue: Honoring the Firsts of Florida State. In 1962, nearly a decade after the landmark Supreme court case Brown v. Board of Education, Florida State University officially changed its admittance policy and opened its doors to African American students. In 2002, on the anniversary of this pivotal moment, the sitting University President Talbot DAlemberte commissioned this commemorative monument. (Submitted on May 24, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
2. Integration Statue.
1962-1965 (BA)
First African-American undergraduate student
admitted to Florida State University
April 19, 2012
To celebrate 50 years of integration and diversity, a human chain of hundreds passed, hand to hand, a bronze disk from this statue of Maxwell Courtney to a commemorative pyramid on Westcott Plaza.
1965-1969 (BA); 1973 (MS)
First African-American to wear an FSU athletic uniform
April 19, 2012
To celebrate 50 years of integration and diversity, a human chain of hundreds passed, hand to hand, a bronze disk from this statue of Fred Flowers to a commemorative pyramid at the gateway to the Science Quadrangle.
1967-1971 (BS); 1973 (MS)
First African-American Homecoming Princess
Crowned 1970
April 19, 2012
To celebrate 50 years of integration and diversity, a human chain of hundreds passed, hand to hand, a bronze disk from this statue of Doby Flowers to a commemorative pyramid on the Student Legacy Walk.
April 12, 2012
Starting at the Integration Statue, this disk passed hand to hand along a human chain of hundreds and was set into this pyramid to symbolize the broad reach of diversity across campus.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 27, 2021. It was originally submitted on May 24, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 1,954 times since then and 270 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. submitted on May 24, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
