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In his report to be presented to the Peabody Board of Trustees at their June 1954 meeting, Reginald Stewart included this lengthy statement on the acceptance of African-American students to the Institute.

After Reginald Stewart presented his report, the Board of Trustees discussed his statement on the acceptance of African-American students. They agreed with most of his proposals, but appointed a committee to decide whether to accept African-American…

Leah Thorpe, Dean of the Preparatory, submitted a plan for integrating the Preparatory Department over the course of four years. This plan paralleled a similar model used by the Friends School, a private school nearby, but was not adopted at Peabody.

Reginald Stewart received this inquiry from Katherine J. Lane regarding the Preparatory’s policies on accepting African-American students. He then wrote to William Marbury saying, “This is obviously a test letter. I should like to have your opinion…

After a five and a half year long conversation and nine months after Brown v. Board of education, the Peabody Institute Board of Trustees made the decision to drop all discriminatory policies in all branches of the Institute.

Audrey Cyrus McCallum was the first African-American student to enroll at the Peabody Preparatory, and this is a program from what was likely her first recital at Peabody.

Karl Porter sent this letter to Charles Kent informing him of his decision not to return to Peabody.

Dr. Kent,

I will not hesitate to tell you that the check you had sent to me arrived right on time! Thanks again for saving me!!!
…

In the summer of 1963, President Kennedy sent a letter to schools across the country requesting a report on their implementation of non-discriminatory admission policies. William Marbury, Charles Kent, and U.S. Commissioner of Education Francis…

Pianist Ellis Larkins, a Baltimore native and child prodigy, was never allowed to enroll at the Peabody campus. This enrollment record from the 1939-1940 school year notes his studies with Peabody faculty member Pasquale Tallarico who taught him at…

Although he studied with Peabody faculty members off campus, pianist Ellis Larkins could not officially enroll at Peabody because of his race. He received this acceptance and scholarship letter from the Juilliard School of Music during the summer…