Special collections librarian highlights Talladega College's legacy
Perry H. Trice, special collections librarian at Talladega College, shared insights into the college's legacy at the Rotary Club of Calhoun County on Tuesday in honor of Black History Month.
Trice, who has been with Talladega College since the pandemic, told members how the institution has helped shape his personal journey.
'Talladega College has meant so much to me. I ended up there during the pandemic just as a volunteer, and I never left,' he said. 'It really has become my home away from home. And it's true for a lot of the students that go there as well.'
Trice delved into the college's historical roots, tracing its origins to the aftermath of the Civil War.
'You have to go back a little bit further to … the Amistad mutiny,' he said, referring to the Supreme Court case that led to the creation of the American Missionary Association, which helped establish Talladega College in 1867. He also told the story of the college's founders, William Savery and Thomas Tarrant, who were formerly enslaved men that walked 450 miles to Mobile to seek resources to create a school for their community.
Trice shared the college's legacy of notable alumni and the institution's success despite its smaller size.
'Before 1972, we graduated more students that went on to earn medical degrees, dental degrees, masters and PhDs, than any other HBCU (historically Black college or university) in the country,' he said.
Notable figures include Joseph Fanning Drake, the namesake of Drake State Community and Technical College in Huntsville; Jane Ellen McAllister, the first African American woman to earn a PhD in education; and Arthur Shores, who represented Autherine Lucy in the integration of the University of Alabama.
'Talladega has never had a student body that has totaled more than 900 students,' Trice said. 'And to have had this many notable alumni that have graduated and had such an important impact on social justice and legislation and science and the arts, it really is worth coming and having a look to see what is so special that is happening in Talladega.'
Trice extended an invitation for the public to explore the college's historical archives, including its art collection, which features Hale Woodruff's Amistad Murals, valued at $59 million.
'I would invite you to come and view our historical archives,' he said. 'It's right there in your backyard, and it's always free to the public. I would encourage you to come and see the miracle in Talladega, which is Talladega College.'
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