Fanny Ruth Patterson’s legacy lives on at NIU

lindathelibrarian
Mar 1
1 min read

February 19,2026 By Nihya Walker, Former News Reporter

DeKALB — In 1915, Fanny Ruth Patterson made history as the first Black woman to graduate from NIU, then known as Northern Illinois State Normal School. She earned her two-year degree at a time when opportunities for Black Americans, especially women, were limited by segregation and discrimination.

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