The Lost History of Washington and Lee: New Discoveries

About the Book

Forty years in the making, this book constitutes an unveiling of hitherto unrecognized archival records pertaining to the founding of Washington and Lee University. These startling records created by men of the highest reputations and character disclose long-held secrets both shocking and at the same time assuaging. In the process, the true character of the university’s founding first president is illuminated as is his astounding significance to the history of the Great Valley of Virginia and to all the nation’s lovers of liberty. Within a vast array of pearls of wisdom are disclosed serving to quash long-held but mistaken notions and several myths exposed as utterly false narratives concerning when the institution was founded and by whom. The institution’s current mistake on this subject is only wrong by twenty-five years. Some of those who are today heralded as founders turn out had nothing whatever to do with establishing Washington and Lee. Within these pages lies the unmistakable evidence of who was responsible and when the historical miscalculations were committed. Empty assertions too numerous to mention here are discredited as are many of their perpetrators. Some of those named were merely credulous and or too disinterested to scrutinize unauthenticated assertions of the past. Others, more agenda driven, failed to rise above their predispositions and selective perceptions, all failing to exercise due diligence in preserving the heritage and legacies of their forebears. The vast majority of the conclusions presented here for the first time since 1850 are virtually incontrovertible, at least by critics employing empirical standards nearly universally accepted since the dawn of the enlightenment. Footnotes are liberally employed to emphasize facts and uncover truths, as well as giving citations of authority. A bibliography is also attached, as are several important appendices. In a few select cases, those with the intent to deceive or cover up are specifically exposed. In the case of one particular false narrative, its exponent is held up to just ridicule for knowingly publishing a malicious and unjust traducement of a noble paragon of virtue, Rev. William Graham. In all, Washington and Lee University and its founding first president, William Graham, are shown in an entirely new light. The university is compellingly demonstrated to deserve to be considered the most progressive American institution of higher learning of the eighteenth century. As the new nation gave to the world an unprecedented democratic vision of freedom, this book reveals Washington and Lee University in its infancy (Liberty Hall Academy), introducing a vision of higher education for men and women of all races. This chartered degree-granting institution was then the only such institution with its doors open to all. Then the only campus in America where one might observe a black or female regular undergraduate student was at Lexington, Virginia—a sight never yet seen at Harvard, Yale, or even Princeton in the eighteenth century. This noble idea unfortunately died when the university’s founder, William Graham, died. His vision in this regard is but a part of his heretofore mostly unknown legacy. Although unheralded, he was, nevertheless, unquestionably the only educator in America who dared to prove that a black man, if given the opportunity, can succeed in securing a college education. A powerful lesson that once learned remained a powerful and enduring truth.

About the Author

The author grew up in Lansing, Michigan, and resides in East Lansing with his wife, Donna. He is a rare book dealer and amateur historian. He began his professional career as the Director of a state government agency. At the same time, he served on numerous boards and commissions as an active member. As Director, he was an advisor to Governors and Legislative leaders on matters pertaining to public policy. He also served for several years on an advisory committee to the chief administrator of the Michigan Supreme Court and was appointed the Chair of a public utility research funding committee by the Chairman of the Public Service Commission. During this period, he also taught as an adjunct instructor on consumer law and politics at Eastern Michigan University and at a local Community College. After his governmental career, he founded Claverhouse Associates, a national performance auditing firm that conducts federal and state arbitration audits. He has been the President and Senior auditor for twenty five years.