Fifty-nine years ago, Roosevelt Chapman made history as one of the first African American students to attend Faulkner, then called Alabama Christian College (ACC).
Roosevelt Chapman died March 20, 2022, yet his legacy lives on. In a time of social and racial unrest of the civil rights movement, Chapman and his peers at ACC crossed the lines of division. They saw each other simply as brothers and sisters in Christ.
Today, his daughter, Dawn Chapman continues to share his story and his legacy by working at Faulkner as the Director of the Eagles Soar 1 program, which provides support to black students. The program funded by the Predominately Black Institution (PBI) Competitive Grant is dedicated to enhancing the educational experience and success of African-American undergraduate students.
“I am very grateful for my Faulkner family. My dad was very proud that I am a part of an institution that held a special place in his heart,” Dawn said. “My dad was added to the Lord’s church at an early age under the preaching of John Henry Clay. He was later trained under Fred D. Gray, Esq. He received his high school diploma from Nashville Christian Institute where he graduated Salutatorian of his class. He began his ministry at the age of 13. While attending Nashville Christian Institute, he traveled with the renowned Marshall Keeble and continued his religious education at Alabama Christian College (Faulkner University) where he was the first African American to ever attend. My dad served in the ministry for over forty years bringing many souls to Christ.”
Chapman, who was born on April 26, 1946, attended ACC from the fall of 1965 through the spring of 1967 before he was sent to fight the war in Vietnam. He then later attended to ACC in the Winter of 1971 and stayed until Spring 1971.
Two other African American students to attend ACC around the same time were Richard Rose, Chapman’s best friend, and Elijah Anthony. All three would later serve as preachers.
After Chapman attended ACC the second time, he transferred to Auburn University where he completed his degree in sociology. He later earned his Master’s degree from Wright State University in Ohio and served as a minister for 40 years. Rose eventually left in the spring of 1967 and started preaching.
Unlike Chapman and Rose, Elijah Anthony started college at the Tuskegee Institute and then transferred to ACC where he was a student from Fall of 1965 to Summer of 1966. He then left and transferred to Harding University to finish his degree in 1966.
While a student at ACC, Chapman decided to live off campus, while Rose and Anthony were roommates in the dorms. Chapman relayed to his daughter his memories of campus life and described to her what his friends thought of the dorms.
“Elijah remembers that the dorms were nice. A place they could play music and sing, and could call home for free,” Dawn said. “Attending ACC that first year, did require courage, but said that their experience at ACC set him up for the rest of his life.”
Chapman would later become an associate minister at Newtown Church of Christ in Montgomery, where attorney and Faulkner alumnus Fred Gray also served as a minister.