Autograph Letter Signed by HBCU Howard University President & Abolitionist William W. Patton on Student Aid, November 2, 1888

Item Details

Autograph letter signed, Howard University letterhead, Washington, D.C., November 2, 1888, written by Rev. William W. Patton, D.D. (1821–1889), President of Howard University from 1877 until his death in 1889. Addressed to Rev. John A. Hamilton, Secretary, the letter requests financial aid for a new theological student, Mr. Minnock, noting his prior preparation and urgent need for support to continue his studies.

Patton writes: “He will need the full seventy-five dollars to get through this educational year. I trust that you will place him on the list of beneficiaries.” The letter is signed clearly at the conclusion, “Wm. W. Patton, President.”

Rev. William Weston Patton was a Congregationalist minister, abolitionist, and educator, remembered for his anti-slavery hymns during the Civil War and his long involvement in moral reform causes. As Howard University’s third president, he oversaw the institution during a critical era in which it advanced its mission of training African American clergy, teachers, and professionals in the face of the intensifying racial barriers of the late 19th century. This letter exemplifies the university’s efforts to secure theological and educational opportunities for Black students during the Reconstruction and Jim Crow transition.

Condition:

One-page autograph letter signed on printed Howard University letterhead Old folds; upper edge with closed tears and small losses (one affecting the printed header “Howard University”). Several early tape repairs on verso. Moderate toning; scattered ink blots in the upper right; slight paper fragility at folds. Despite flaws, the letter remains fully legible with strong ink and a bold presidential signature.

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