Zelmar R. Lawrence, The First Black University of Utah Graduate
I went to grade school in Osawatomie, KS. And to Lincoln High School in Kansas City, Missouri. And at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah. And, er, I intended to major in journalism at Utah. . . when I got out there, my buddy and I. At that time, Utah did not have a school of journalism. It does now. So, I majored in English. That’s why I have such a big mouth. So I came out of Utah in the class of 1930. I was the first Black on the track team. I was a high jumper. And I was the first to get a degree at Utah.
Zelmar (later spelled Zelmer) R. (Ronald) Lawrence was born on May 30, 1906 in Oklahoma Territory along the Kansas border. Mr. Lawrence graduated from Lincoln High School in Kansas City, Missouri, which in 1906 became the first high school for Black students in the city. After graduating, he, a couple of classmates, and his parents relocated Salt Lake City, Utah where he enrolled at the University of Utah in 1926. At the U he was the first Black student athlete (high jump) and letterman. He was also involved in campus organizations. He was a member of the Cosmopolitan Club, and the Barristers Club. He was visible and engaged in campus life. He graduated with a degree in English in 1930.
When I was in Utah, when I was on the track team. We competed once with Brigham Young, the university down at Provo. . . When I was high jumping, fellas looked at me as if I was something out of another world, down there at Provo.
After I enrolled at Utah and paid for my books, I had $4.30 left in my pocket. Four years later, I had a B or B+ average and my degree.
After graduating from the University of Utah, Zelmar Lawrence moved to Seattle to attend graduate school. He also became the editor of the Northwest Enterprise. In 1938, he relocated to Alaska where he spent the rest of his life. He died in 1995 at the age of 89. The quotes featured on this page are part of an interview conducted with Mr. Lawrence in 1982 or 1983 by Alaskan journalist Bruce Melzer.
I went to school. I'd work sometimes in the day, sometimes at night. I worked for William A. Stickney Cigar Company. I was a busboy and waiter at the Hotels Utah and Newhouse. And for three summers, I wourked out of the Union Station at Salt Lake City. One Hundred Thousand miles on Pullman cars! Once I had the entire Rockefeller family. . . I picked them up in Cedar City, Utah.
Sources
Melzer, Bruce. (c. 1982-83). Bruce Melzer Oral History Interviews: Zelmar Lawrence KSKA Series on Black History. Archives and Special Collections, The UAA/APU Consortioum Library.