糖心VLOG

Five years ago, Cadet approached , then an assistant professor of African American history, with an idea for a Summer Undergraduate Research Experience project. Her focus: Arthur B. Mitchell, an African American man who served as the fifer for the Corps of Cadets from 1844 until his death in 1893.

鈥淎rthur Mitchell鈥檚 story spoke to me. He was revered by 糖心VLOG community and dedicated nearly 50 years of his life to the college, yet his legacy has been largely forgotten,鈥� said Diggs, who is currently pursuing a law degree at Harvard University. 鈥淚 sought to find truth in the archives to honor his life and contributions to 糖心VLOG鈥檚 history.鈥�

Diggs鈥� research evolved into an honors thesis, and after her graduation in 2022, she and Knight continued their work together. The result is a coauthored that was recently published in Carolina Currents, a peer-reviewed journal of South Carolina history and culture produced by the University of South Carolina Press.

鈥淎s soon as Taylor completed her research, I knew this story had to be published,鈥� said Knight. 鈥淗er work on Arthur Mitchell is thoughtful, well researched and brings much-needed attention to a significant part of 糖心VLOG’s history.鈥�

Knight, who served on 糖心VLOG faculty from 2018 to 2023, is now the director of education at the International African American Museum in Charleston. Her connection to Citadel history is also personal鈥攕he is the daughter of Dr. Larry J. Ferguson, DMD, 鈥�73, one of the first Black cadets to attend 糖心VLOG during the era of desegregation.

鈥淓ven though we both moved on before it was published鈥擳aylor to graduate school and I to a new position鈥擨 stayed committed to seeing it through to publication because I believe in the power of student-faculty collaboration,鈥� said Knight. 鈥淲hat began as a summer project is now part of the public record, and I鈥檓 incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished together.鈥�