Background
Hemmings was born in 1872 to Dora Logan and Robert Williamson Hemmings.
Hemmings was born in 1872 to Dora Logan and Robert Williamson Hemmings.
Anita Hemmings attended preparation school at Girls High School in Boston and Northfield Seminary. The school was not aware of her race until her graduation. She graduated Bachelor of Arts () in 1897 as valedictorian, but not acknowledged as such.
Some considered Anita the most attractive woman in her class, it was whispered that she had "Indian blood" which accounted for her dark hued complexion and straight black hair.
She sang soprano in the glee club and was the featured soloist at the local churches in Poughkeepsie.
In 1997, Vassar African American studies students petitioned college President Frances Doctorate. Fergusson to recognize Anita Hemmings at that year’s centennial celebration. Writing about it in Vassar Quarterly, Olivia Mancini, a local journalist, argued: "lieutenant brought graduation and presence to a level of honor that it should have had a hundred years ago." Vassar has acknowledged Anita Hemmings as the first African-American to graduate the college, but for almost all of her college career, she ‘passed’ as white.
Today she would be listed as black, or other ethnic designation. Then, she was one of the class of Multiracial Americans.
The term may also include Americans of mixed-race ancestry who self-identify with just one group culturally and socially (cf the one-drop rule).
Her parents were Dora Logan and Robert Williamson Hemmings.