Abstract Dr. Walter N. Ridley (1910-1996) was an accomplished professional in the world of higher education. In 1953, Dr. Ridley became the first black person to receive a doctorate from a Southern public university, after the State of Virginia integrated its all-white university system in 1950. Dr. Ridley ended his professional career as the Chair of the Department of Secondary Education and Professional Studies at West Chester University (then West Chester State College). Throughout his professional...

Overview The West Chester University Facilities Division Collection contains materials related to the work of the Facilities Division at the university. Materials include campus room and building inventories, as well as correspondence, reports, and other administrative materials. Items range in date from 1887 to 1999, with the bulk of items being from the 1960s to late 1970s.