White valedictorian makes Morehouse history
'We are all brothers,' Joshua Packwood tells college classmates

By MARCUS K. GARNER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 05/18/08

Joshua Packwood took the road less traveled when he chose Morehouse College four years ago.

And Sunday morning he made history, becoming the historically black, all-male college's first white valedictorian.

Despite the difference in skin color, he said he sees no difference between himself and his more than 500 fellow graduates.

"Though there may be diversity of race, ethnicity, religion or background, we are all brothers of Morehouse College," Packwood, 22, said during his valedictory address.

Packwood's mother, Kim Packwood was there to celebrate her son's accomplishment.

"I'm so proud, it's beyond words," she said. "My heart is full."

Packwood, a Kansas City, Mo.-native, graduated with a bachelor's degree in economics and a perfect 4.0 grade-point average.

Graduating under new college president Robert Franklin, Packwood lived up to the president's charge to be a "Renaissance Man."

He was elected to Phi Beta Kappa National Honor Society, has studied abroad in China, London, and Switzerland, and has landed a job as an analyst for financial giant Goldman Sachs in New York City.

Packwood has said he came to Morehouse because of the air of high expectations surrounding the school.

"It cultivates you to be a well rounded [person]," he said before the ceremony. "It expects you to be a servant leader, a scholar, but also an enjoyable person."

The call to become a Morehouse Man will stay in the family, it seems.

In the fall, younger brother John will be a freshman at Morehouse, likely majoring in marketing.

"Just him being here, and coming here to visit him helped me decide," John Packwood said.

Does the younger Packwood feel pressure in the shadow of big brother?

"It's always had big shoes to fill," John Packwood said. "But I've always tried to make my own path."

In his address, the valedictorian acknowledged his place among the ranks of top black college alumnus, invoking educator W.E.B. DuBois' assertion that 10 percent of the population must aspire to leadership.

"We are the Talented 10th," Packwood said, citing a phrase from DuBois' writings.

Morehouse's commencement speaker, California community activist and philanthropist Emmett Carson, challenged graduates to take charge of their generation.

"We are an endangered species in desperate need of a new generation of your leadership," Carson said.

But it was Packwood who garnered much of the national media attention as the school's first white valedictorian.

As Packwood wrapped up his speech, he became emotional.

"For four years, you have given me inspiration," he said to his classmates. "I thank each and every one of you for making your ancestors proud, and for making me proud."

I graduated last year from high school. The only white person to graduate in our class, a girl, was the valedictorian. Embarrassing.

American college traditions are a mystery to me, but I assume a valedictorian is nominated by the leaders of the college?

Why would a historically black institution do something like this? What message does that send to their students.

Even in a place built for us we still end up second best.....

I don't know there could be a few reasons why they did this and one of those reasons could be that guy was actually the best student that year. It would be a bit unfair if they admitted him to the college and he was the best and them deny him ever becoming a valedictorian even if was the best student that year.

I believe you get to be valedictorian based on your GPA(grade point average) and his was 4.0,there's also something called Salutatorian(sp) which means you have the second best grades in your class.

Also there's something called Magna Cum Laude(best in class) and Suma Cum Laude,this means first and second in class.(I think...someone may have to correct me on these)

I don't think this is a big deal really,if anything it will cause the student body at Morehouse to step up their game.You can't have YT coming onto your patch and blowing you out of the water,lol....doubt this is gonna happen year after year after year,no more than Yale,Harvard or Princeton having bare black val's.
I'm not what this guys motivation was for wanting to attend a traditonally all Black Uni but he did and he kicked ass,good luck to him

@jett

Probably motivated by the full scholarship he probably received as a minority at a HBCU

More and more white people in US are playing the game. Its a good move tbh as Morehouse, Howard, etc are good unis

Ahhh,yes! I nver thought about that. Is that the new scam??

Dyaaam!

They're trying to make us look bad on purpose.

the entire higher education system over here is based on UK system....

so I thought the terms were the same over here as over there....

he had the highest grade point average in the class....so he earned the valedictorian position


there is no minority scholarship at Morehouse or any other HBCU that I know of...

cum laude means with honors...suma means higher honors..magna cm laude means with highest honors based on your gpa

there was a CLASSIC "Jefferson's" episode about these terms years ago..

George's son was graduating from college and George felt uncomfortable because even though he was rich.....he had dropped out of high school....

when someone explained to him the pronunuciation and meaning of "cum laude"...he said "I thought it was a gospel song "pronounced "come lordy"



I just thought this was an interesting story....no conspiracy....he went to Morehouse....and graduated first... it's odd.....it's a bit shocking.....but that's about it...

and for the record......Black, Indian, Korean students are valedictorians at all the highly slective schools each year....