1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:03,640 Speaker 1: Hey, y'all, Eve's here. Today's episode contains not just one, 2 00:00:03,840 --> 00:00:07,080 Speaker 1: but two nuggets of history. Consider it a double feature. 3 00:00:07,400 --> 00:00:12,160 Speaker 1: Enjoy the show. Hello, Hello, everyone, Welcome to this Day 4 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:15,280 Speaker 1: in History class, where we bring you a new tidbit 5 00:00:15,360 --> 00:00:26,799 Speaker 1: from history every day. The day was April eighteen fifty four. 6 00:00:28,360 --> 00:00:33,600 Speaker 1: The Ashman Institute, now called Lincoln University, received its charter 7 00:00:33,720 --> 00:00:37,880 Speaker 1: from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It became the first degree 8 00:00:37,920 --> 00:00:44,040 Speaker 1: granting historically Black college and University, or HBCU, in the country. 9 00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:48,880 Speaker 1: The university was founded by John Miller Dickey and his wife, 10 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:53,640 Speaker 1: Sarah Emlyn Crescent. Dickie was a Presbyterian pastor, and Crescent 11 00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:56,880 Speaker 1: was a Quaker whose family had a history of service 12 00:00:57,000 --> 00:01:03,080 Speaker 1: and philanthropy. Dickie was involved in the American Colonization Society, 13 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:06,720 Speaker 1: a group established to help free black people immigrate to Africa. 14 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:12,080 Speaker 1: He also contributed to the liberation of Rachel and Elizabeth Parker, 15 00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:15,400 Speaker 1: who were kidnapped in the town of Oxford for sale 16 00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:20,480 Speaker 1: into slavery. Before the Civil War, it was extremely difficult 17 00:01:20,520 --> 00:01:22,959 Speaker 1: to get into a white college as a black person. 18 00:01:23,920 --> 00:01:28,280 Speaker 1: Many institutions were founded to provide black students with elementary 19 00:01:28,280 --> 00:01:32,600 Speaker 1: and secondary schooling, since that education was limited for black people. 20 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:37,240 Speaker 1: A lot of those institutions did not offer post secondary 21 00:01:37,240 --> 00:01:41,640 Speaker 1: courses in programs until the early nineteen hundreds. But in 22 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:44,880 Speaker 1: the eighteen fifties, Dickie had been trying to get a 23 00:01:44,959 --> 00:01:49,680 Speaker 1: young free black man named James Ralston Amos into college. 24 00:01:50,360 --> 00:01:53,520 Speaker 1: Amos was the treasurer of the fund for Negro church 25 00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:56,640 Speaker 1: building that Richard Allen had established at the end of 26 00:01:56,640 --> 00:02:00,680 Speaker 1: the eighteenth century. But Dickie's efforts to get Amos into 27 00:02:00,720 --> 00:02:04,600 Speaker 1: Princeton University, seminary and a religious academy ran by the 28 00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:09,880 Speaker 1: Presbyterian Senate of Philadelphia failed, so Dickie himself began preparing 29 00:02:09,919 --> 00:02:14,639 Speaker 1: Amos for ministry. Unhappy was Amos's inability to get into 30 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:18,800 Speaker 1: a white institution, Dickey aimed to establish a higher education 31 00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:24,120 Speaker 1: institution just for black men. In October of eighteen fifty three, 32 00:02:24,440 --> 00:02:28,880 Speaker 1: the Presbyteria of Newcastle approved Dickey's request for quote an 33 00:02:28,880 --> 00:02:33,440 Speaker 1: institution to be called Ashman Institute for the Scientific, Classical, 34 00:02:33,560 --> 00:02:37,200 Speaker 1: and Theological Education of Colored Youth of the male sex. 35 00:02:38,280 --> 00:02:42,399 Speaker 1: Dickie and Crescent named Ashman Institute at their Yehoudi Ashman, 36 00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:47,280 Speaker 1: a social reformer who was active in the American Colonization Society. 37 00:02:47,840 --> 00:02:51,560 Speaker 1: Ashman was a US representative and governor of the colony 38 00:02:51,639 --> 00:02:56,960 Speaker 1: in Liberia that free black people were repatriated to. The 39 00:02:57,000 --> 00:03:01,840 Speaker 1: Ashman Institute opened to students on January first, eighteen fifty seven, 40 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:06,359 Speaker 1: with four students enrolled. In its early years, the school's 41 00:03:06,480 --> 00:03:10,320 Speaker 1: education was based in the teachings of Christianity, and the 42 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:16,360 Speaker 1: Newcastle Presbytery appointed trustees and faculty. Reverend John pim Carter 43 00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:20,520 Speaker 1: became the first president of the university, serving from eighteen 44 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:24,680 Speaker 1: fifty six to eighteen sixty two. Since Dicky was providing 45 00:03:24,720 --> 00:03:27,320 Speaker 1: a lot of the funding from his own pockets, the 46 00:03:27,360 --> 00:03:30,920 Speaker 1: school did not have much money in the beginning in 47 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:35,160 Speaker 1: eighteen fifty nine. The first three graduates went to Liberia. 48 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:40,200 Speaker 1: During the Civil War, enrollment dropped as students enlisted. Ashman 49 00:03:40,320 --> 00:03:44,440 Speaker 1: Institute was renamed Lincoln University in eighteen sixty six, not 50 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:49,600 Speaker 1: long after President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. It's amended eighteen 51 00:03:49,640 --> 00:03:52,760 Speaker 1: sixty six charter increased the size of the board of 52 00:03:52,760 --> 00:03:56,560 Speaker 1: trustees from nine to one, and the maximum property holding 53 00:03:56,640 --> 00:04:00,440 Speaker 1: rights were increased. After the Civil War, support for black 54 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:05,400 Speaker 1: higher education institutions increased. The second Moral Act, passed in 55 00:04:05,560 --> 00:04:10,040 Speaker 1: eighteen ninety, targeted former Confederate states and resulted in the 56 00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:15,080 Speaker 1: establishment of public land grant institutions designated for black people 57 00:04:15,200 --> 00:04:19,400 Speaker 1: and the founding of many black land grant colleges. In 58 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:25,080 Speaker 1: nineteen Dr Horace Mann Bond, a historian and social science researcher, 59 00:04:25,520 --> 00:04:29,479 Speaker 1: became the first black president of Lincoln University, and in 60 00:04:29,560 --> 00:04:33,400 Speaker 1: nineteen fifty three the university began to award women degrees. 61 00:04:34,120 --> 00:04:38,480 Speaker 1: Poet Lenston Hughes, u S, Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshal, 62 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:42,760 Speaker 1: poet and musician Gil Scott Heron, and former Ghanaian President 63 00:04:42,839 --> 00:04:47,479 Speaker 1: qualm and Kruma are some of Lincoln's notable alumni. Though 64 00:04:47,520 --> 00:04:52,200 Speaker 1: Ashman Institute was the first degree granting black higher education institution, 65 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:57,040 Speaker 1: Cheney University was the first higher education institution for black 66 00:04:57,040 --> 00:05:00,120 Speaker 1: people in America. It was founded as a se can 67 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:03,719 Speaker 1: dairy school called the African Institute in Cheney, Pennsylvania, in 68 00:05:03,760 --> 00:05:07,080 Speaker 1: eighteen thirty seven, but it did not award its first 69 00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:11,640 Speaker 1: degree until nineteen fourteen. I'm evestf COO and hopefully you 70 00:05:11,680 --> 00:05:14,919 Speaker 1: know a little more about history today than you did yesterday. 71 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:20,599 Speaker 1: You can follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook at 72 00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:26,400 Speaker 1: t d I h C podcast Tune in tomorrow for 73 00:05:26,440 --> 00:05:40,839 Speaker 1: another Day in History. Hi everyone, I'm Eves and welcome 74 00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:43,720 Speaker 1: to This Day in History Class, a podcast that flips 75 00:05:43,760 --> 00:05:54,839 Speaker 1: through the book of history and tears out of page. 76 00:05:55,920 --> 00:06:00,640 Speaker 1: The day was ap Riots, a up did in Los 77 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:04,760 Speaker 1: Angeles in response to the acquittal of police officers charged 78 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:09,680 Speaker 1: with excessive force in the beating of Rotney King. By 79 00:06:09,720 --> 00:06:13,080 Speaker 1: this point, instances of police brutality had been causing civil 80 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 1: unrest in Los Angeles for decades. On March third, Rotney 81 00:06:19,279 --> 00:06:22,760 Speaker 1: King was speeding on a Los Angeles highway when California 82 00:06:22,839 --> 00:06:27,400 Speaker 1: Highway Patrol officers noticed him. King did not immediately pull over, 83 00:06:27,720 --> 00:06:30,839 Speaker 1: leaving the officers on a high speed chase. He later 84 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:33,120 Speaker 1: admitted that he had been drinking and did not want 85 00:06:33,160 --> 00:06:35,839 Speaker 1: to be charged with driving under the influence since he 86 00:06:35,880 --> 00:06:40,239 Speaker 1: was on probation from a robbery conviction. King eventually pulled 87 00:06:40,279 --> 00:06:43,719 Speaker 1: over and officers from the Los Angeles Police Department arrived 88 00:06:43,720 --> 00:06:48,039 Speaker 1: on the scene. Lawrence pal Theodore Brazino, Stacy Coon, and 89 00:06:48,080 --> 00:06:52,000 Speaker 1: Timothy Winn proceeded to restrain taser and then beat King. 90 00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:56,960 Speaker 1: George Holliday, who lived in a nearby apartment videotaped the 91 00:06:57,000 --> 00:07:00,240 Speaker 1: beating and captured the officers hitting King with batons and 92 00:07:00,320 --> 00:07:04,280 Speaker 1: kicking him while he was on the ground. Holiday released 93 00:07:04,279 --> 00:07:07,000 Speaker 1: the video to the press, which incited outrage in people 94 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:12,880 Speaker 1: around the US over police brutality. King was released without charges. Coon, 95 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:16,640 Speaker 1: Pal Went, and Brasino were charged with felony assault and 96 00:07:16,840 --> 00:07:20,480 Speaker 1: excessive use of force. Pal and Coon were also charged 97 00:07:20,520 --> 00:07:24,880 Speaker 1: with filing false reports. The sergeant and officers put not guilty. 98 00:07:26,400 --> 00:07:28,680 Speaker 1: Because the case got a lot of publicity and there 99 00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:31,880 Speaker 1: were concerns around the charged atmosphere in Los Angeles County, 100 00:07:32,320 --> 00:07:35,800 Speaker 1: the trial was moved to Semi Valley Inventura County. Out 101 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:41,480 Speaker 1: of the twelve jurors, nine were white on APO. After 102 00:07:41,560 --> 00:07:45,240 Speaker 1: seven days of deliberations, the jury found the officers not 103 00:07:45,400 --> 00:07:49,000 Speaker 1: guilty on all accounts, except for an assault charge against 104 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:53,280 Speaker 1: Poal that ended in a hung jury. Protesters gathered outside 105 00:07:53,280 --> 00:07:57,480 Speaker 1: the courthouse. Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley called the verdict senseless. 106 00:07:57,920 --> 00:08:01,000 Speaker 1: As more people across Los Angeles found doubt about the verdict, 107 00:08:01,320 --> 00:08:05,440 Speaker 1: riots began. According to news reports at the time, the 108 00:08:05,520 --> 00:08:08,920 Speaker 1: riots began at the intersection of Florence and Normandy Avenues 109 00:08:09,000 --> 00:08:13,120 Speaker 1: in South Los Angeles people burned and looted stores. They 110 00:08:13,160 --> 00:08:16,200 Speaker 1: pulled some non black motorists out of their cars and 111 00:08:16,200 --> 00:08:20,880 Speaker 1: beat them. Tensions caused by racism, economic inequality, unemployment, a 112 00:08:20,960 --> 00:08:25,200 Speaker 1: drug epidemic, and frustrations with the criminal justice system turned 113 00:08:25,240 --> 00:08:28,560 Speaker 1: into politically charged violence. In the aftermath of the trial, 114 00:08:29,960 --> 00:08:32,800 Speaker 1: Los Angeles police weren't prepared for rioting on such a 115 00:08:32,880 --> 00:08:36,680 Speaker 1: large scale. The mayor called a state of emergency. Into 116 00:08:36,720 --> 00:08:41,480 Speaker 1: citywide curfew was declared. The California governor ordered two thousand 117 00:08:41,600 --> 00:08:46,120 Speaker 1: National Guard troops to the city. When one King made 118 00:08:46,120 --> 00:08:49,760 Speaker 1: a public appeal for peace, asking can we all get along? 119 00:08:50,920 --> 00:08:54,319 Speaker 1: But the riots continued, and US President George Bush ordered 120 00:08:54,360 --> 00:08:57,920 Speaker 1: military troops and riot trained federal officers to Los Angeles. 121 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:02,800 Speaker 1: The curfew was did on May three, though occasional violence continued, 122 00:09:03,240 --> 00:09:05,839 Speaker 1: but by the time the riots were over, more than 123 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:09,040 Speaker 1: fifty people had died, more than two thousand were injured, 124 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:13,080 Speaker 1: and around six thousand people were arrested. Many buildings and 125 00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:18,200 Speaker 1: businesses were destroyed. After a civil trial, King was awarded 126 00:09:18,200 --> 00:09:21,720 Speaker 1: a settlement. Coon and Powell were found guilty of violating 127 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:25,160 Speaker 1: King's civil rights and serves time in prison. When and 128 00:09:25,280 --> 00:09:28,960 Speaker 1: Brasino were fired from police force. L A's police chief, 129 00:09:29,080 --> 00:09:33,559 Speaker 1: Darryl Gates, was forced to resign. Police brutality and racial 130 00:09:33,600 --> 00:09:38,160 Speaker 1: injustice remained topics in the national conversation long after the 131 00:09:38,240 --> 00:09:42,200 Speaker 1: riots were over. I'm Eve Jeff Coote and hopefully you 132 00:09:42,240 --> 00:09:45,480 Speaker 1: know a little more about history today than you did yesterday. 133 00:09:46,280 --> 00:09:48,240 Speaker 1: And if you want to send us any notes, you 134 00:09:48,240 --> 00:09:50,760 Speaker 1: can do so via social media where at t d 135 00:09:50,920 --> 00:09:53,679 Speaker 1: i h C podcast. You can also send us an 136 00:09:53,720 --> 00:09:57,880 Speaker 1: email at this day at iHeart media dot com. Thanks 137 00:09:57,880 --> 00:10:00,000 Speaker 1: again for listening to the show and we'll see you tomorrow. 138 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:11,560 Speaker 1: M For more podcasts from I Heart Radio, visit the 139 00:10:11,559 --> 00:10:14,240 Speaker 1: iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to 140 00:10:14,280 --> 00:10:15,040 Speaker 1: your favorite shows.