2000 – First Black College Student Wins Rhodes Scholarship in the 21st Century

On May 21, 2000, Christopher Emdin became one of the first African American students in the 21st century to win a prestigious Rhodes Scholarship, awarded for outstanding academic achievement and leadership. A graduate of the City College of New York and son of Caribbean immigrants, Emdin would go on to become a pioneering science educator and advocate for culturally responsive teaching in urban schools. His win signaled a shift in the profile of elite scholars, highlighting the growing academic excellence among Black students in both STEM and humanities. Emdin’s later work blended science, hip-hop culture, and social justice, reshaping how education could serve Black and brown youth. May 21 is now a symbolic day for celebrating Black academic achievement and the breaking of barriers in traditionally exclusive institutions like Oxford University.