Varsity Trumps Wilkes 47-17
The photograph is featured in a newspaper from 1955, and it is focused on a women’s basketball player dribbling down the court. I found this picture interesting and important because the player is a black woman named Dorthea Green. I have a personal connection to this picture because I am one of the two black women on the basketball team at Misericordia University. My freshman year, I was the only black girl on the team which was a very difficult experience. When I saw this picture, a flood of questions came rushing to my mind! First, I discovered that Dorthea is from North Carolina, so how did she find Misericordia University? Then, I was curious about when Misericordia began accepting students of color, and how were they treated on campus. During the 1950’s, the demand for black people to attend higher education institutions significantly increased. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled “separate but equal” for all educational institutions; however, we are aware that the black students were not awarded the same treatment and quality of products and services compared to the white students. However, I am giving Misericordia during the Jim Crow era the benefit of the doubt. We are a school founded on the principles and beliefs of the Sisters of Mercy, which addresses racism. After seeing this picture, and learning about Dorthea; I am very interested in exploring the topic of when Misericordia became integrated.