author
John Hope
1868–1936
A pioneering Black educator and activist, he helped shape higher education in Atlanta and argued for broad, ambitious learning at a time when opportunities for Black students were sharply limited.
1 Audiobook
The Negro and the elective franchise. A series of papers and a sermon
by Archibald Henry Grimké, Charles C. (Charles Chauveau) Cook, Francis J. (Francis James) Grimké, John Hope, John L. Love, Kelly Miller
About the author
Born in Augusta, Georgia, in 1868, John Hope became one of the most influential African American educators of the early twentieth century. He studied at Brown University and built a reputation as a gifted teacher, speaker, and advocate for higher standards in education.
Hope made history in 1906 as the first Black president of Morehouse College. He later became the first African American president of Atlanta University, where he worked to strengthen graduate study and expand academic opportunity. His career placed him at the center of debates about Black education, and he was known for supporting a full liberal-arts education rather than limiting students to narrow vocational training.
Beyond campus life, Hope was also active in public affairs and civil rights leadership. He worked alongside major figures of his era and helped make Atlanta an important center of Black intellectual and civic life before his death in 1936.