Rhodes Scholarships are arguably the most prestigious academic honor available to college graduates, but they have an ominous history. Cecil John Rhodes, who established the Rhodes Trust through his will, was an prominent British imperialist who believed in the supremacy of English people, and who had a significant role in British colonization of various African nations. Women were excluded from consideration for the first 75 years of the Rhodes Scholarship, and up until the 1990s, all winners from Africa were White.
Nevertheless, given the academic prominence of the Rhodes, it is important to recognize the recent accomplishments of African American students who are named Rhodes Scholars. For 2017, a record seven African Americans won Rhodes Scholarships. And this year, that record was once again broken: 10 African Americans were awarded these prestigious scholarships for 2018. Whatever misgivings we may have about Cecil Rhodes and the history of the Rhodes Scholarship, we should celebrate people of color who achieve such excellence.