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Contribution #342 of 365
William David Chappelle
School President, Printer and Educational Publisher
1897–1914
The contribution
How this work helped shape America
Born enslaved in South Carolina in 1857, William David Chappelle became an educator, minister and institution builder after emancipation. As president of Allen University, he expanded academic and industrial education, strengthened the campus and supported printing and publishing activity connected to the institution. His leadership created educational and communications infrastructure serving Black students and communities.