Cos Denson ’56 was the first African-American graduate of the university.

Cos Denson ‘56 arrived on campus in Fall 1951 and would make history as the first African-American student to ever graduate from Lehigh. During his four years on campus, he was a “minority of one.”

“‘You’re kind of an experiment, we’re not sure how it’s going to go, and so you are going to have a private room,’” Denson recalled the vice president of student affairs explaining his lack of a roommate. He was crushed to realize the challenge that lay before him but was determined to make it work. 

Denson joined the fencing team, and eventually became captain. After graduation, he went on to have a stellar academic and corporate career, returning to Lehigh in 1968-69 as a visiting professor in chemical engineering. He later created a scholarship for chemical engineering students.