Encyclopedia article about Horace T. Ward, the first African American to challenge the racially discriminatory practices at the University of Georgia (UGA). Although Ward's application was rejected his challenge to the university's policies began a legal process that would bear fruit in 1961. He was valedictorian of East Depot Street High School and later attended Morehouse College and Atlanta University before applying to the University of Georgia's law school. Ward received a suspiciously timed draft notice and served two years in the U.S. Army, including a year in Korea. Ward enrolled in law school at Northwestern University's law school which was eventually used as grounds to deny Ward's application to UGA. After graduating from Northwestern, Ward returned to Georgia as part of the legal team that helped Charlayne Hunter and Hamilton Holmes win admittance to UGA. In 1979 U.S. president Jimmy Carter appointed him to a federal judgeship, making Ward the first African American to ever sit on the federal bench in Georgia.

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Cite as: "Horace T. Ward (b. 1927)," New Georgia Encyclopedia. Retrieved [date]: http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org.

Forms part of the New Georgia Encyclopedia.