First African American graduate of Rice University continues to make history

1st African American graduate from Rice University continues to make history

The odds were stacked against him in the 60s, but Raymond Johnson says he never let fear intimidate him and he certainly never let it interfere with his education.

HOUSTON - He was the first African American to earn a degree from Rice University in the 60s. 

He then went on to become one of the first Black faculty members at the University of Maryland.

"I think the world is a better place now than it was 50 years ago," said Raymond Johnson. 

The odds were stacked against him in the 60s, but Raymond Johnson says he never let fear intimidate him and he certainly never let it interfere with his education. 

The now 77-year-old was one of the first black students admitted to Rice University in 1963. Johnson was pursuing a PhD in mathematics, but his life was never quite that simple. 

"Two alumna file suit to stop Rice from desegregating and to uphold William Marsh Rice's will. So as a result when fall came, I was not able to enroll in classes. Instead, I was a research associate for the first year. Now, the university won the suit and until the second year in 1964, I became a student," Johnson said. 

Growing up the small town of Alice, Texas, just outside of Corpus Christi, Johnson was familiar with the concept of “keeping his head down.”

His life in grad school proved no different. 

As the only African American student in his math group of six, it was like he lived two parallel lives in Houston.

"8 to 5, I was in the Rice environment, but from 5 until the next morning, we were out in Third Ward. Surrounded by other African Americans, listening to our music and you know our entertainment,” he said.

"Sometimes I had to go outside the math department bubble and then I frequently ran into a problem if I was in Houston. So when I first got there, the restaurants were segregated. They would just say ‘we don't serve, we don't serve your kind. We don't serve African Americans.’ That's the way it was,” Johnson said. “In those days, you know, there were certain places where you knew you couldn't go or you could expect a very chilly reception if you went.”

Johnson’s intellect and courageous attitude continued to break barriers for him and countless others following in his footsteps, inspired by his accomplishments. 

Upon graduating from Rice in 1969, Johnson became the first black faculty member at the University of Maryland where he would spend the next 41 years teaching.

Eventually his career, brought him back full circle to Rice returning as a math professor in 2009. 

"I've always felt, I guess I've always felt like I was equal to everybody else. Most of the people in the program treated me like I would equal to everybody else. And so to me it was just very straight -- I was there to get an education," Johnson said. 

In 2015, Johnson was invited to the Oval Office to meet President Barack Obama, after winning the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math Mentoring.

In the last few years, Johnson’s been enjoying retired life in Columbia, Maryland with his wife.  

His advice to those maneuvering a new wave of civil unrest is actually quite simple. 

"You should concentrate on what you can accomplish while you're also living your life. I think you can do both," Johnson said.