Sarah Sherman

History 8
3/13/16
Report

September 23, 1795, Alexander Lucius Twilight was born.

Although most websites say this is, the correct date some others
say was the 26th of September of the same year or July 15th.
Alexanders parents were Ichabod and Mary Twilight were both of
the African descent. When they moved to Corinth, Vermont, they
were known as the first African- Americans to settle there. His first
twenty years of life were filled with reading and studying but also
working in various farming positions. At age twenty, Alexander
enrolled at Randolphs Orange County Grammar School in 1815.
In 1821, age 26, he got into Middlebury College. After two
more years of very hard work, he graduated with a bachelors
degree. This made Alexander the first known African-American to
receive a degree from an American institution. After receiving his
degree Alexander went to Peru, New York to teach. Here
Alexander met Mercy Ladd Merrill. They went on to get married in
1826. Later in 1829, they moved back to Alexanders home state,
Vermont. They never had children. Alexander became principal of
the Orleans County Grammar school in Brownington also in 1829.
Alexander studied theology and ministered as a Christian for
most of his life. Athenian hall was the house Alexander built which
served for the co-educational school, or Brownington School.
Alexander also built his house which still stands. Both these
building are part of the list of national register of historic places.
Alexander went on, in 1836, to become the first African-American
to be elected to a state legislature.
He continued to thrive in his varied roles, educating and
preaching until the late 1840s. During this same time, Twilight
developed conflicts with both his school and church that
ultimately led him to resign from his positions. He went on to
teach in Quebec, Canada, for several more years.
In 1852, Alexander Twilight returned to Brownington to work
as a minister and to run the academy. He gave up his church
duties after only a year into his new role, but stayed on at the
school until he got very sick and was forced to retire in 1855. He
died two years later, on June 19, 1857, in Brownington. We dont
know when his wife Mercy died.
Alexander Lucius twilight might have just had a few small
accomplishments but he really did change his community and
tried to help other have a good life.
 Works Cited
Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2016.
Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2016.