Forever in the Path

“Dagbovie’s comprehensive examination of Blacks at Michigan State University brings to light the struggles and triumphs of Black students at predominantly white institutions, and establishes Dagbovie as a new authoritative voice in Black higher education history. Concise and highly accessible, this is a masterful study at the intersection of African American history and studies and higher education.” —Derrick P. Alridge, Philip J. Gibson Professor of Education and director of the Center for Race and Public Education in the South, University of Virginia

“Forever in the Path: The Black Experience at Michigan State University is masterfully done. Dagbovie seamlessly weaves the histories of Black academic trailblazers, the land-grant university, and student life into a single volume. I am in awe. This book is a testament to inspiring stories of Black students, faculty, and administrators, whose world-changing efforts have been omitted from the public record. May we never forget them.” —Eddie R. Cole, author of The Campus Color Line: College Presidents and the Struggle for Black Freedom

“Dagbovie’s book is a welcome addition that humanizes Black student activists through rich biographies, inserts black faculty into the process of institutional transformation, and reminds us that the past can be inspiration for a more perfect future.” —Joy Ann Williamson-Lott, dean of the Graduate School and professor of the history of education, University of Washington

“Dagbovie’s exhaustively researched Forever in the Path introduces us to the Black students, staff, and faculty who courageously built the path to racial integration at Michigan State University during the twentieth century. Along the way, Dagbovie tells us how people and events on the local, state, and national stages influenced developments at MSU and how the university’s story fits into the larger historical picture. To understand the history of MSU this magnificent book is a must-read.” —Keith R. Widder, author of Michigan Agricultural College: The Evolution of a Land-Grant Philosophy, 1855–1925