Samuel Osborne (custodian)

Samuel Osborne
Photograph of Samuel Osborne
photograph of Samuel Osborne
Born(1833-10-20)October 20, 1833
NationalityAmerican
Occupationcustodian

Samuel Osborne (1833–1903) was an African American custodian and caretaker at Colby College. Osborne was born enslaved in Lanesville, Virginia on October 20, 1833. After emancipation, he and other family members moved to Maine. Osborne's father was initially hired at Colby, and Osborne succeeded him as custodian after his father's death in 1867.[1] His history and treatment at the college are controversial; in particular, he received low pay from the school and suffered racist pranks at the hands of students.[2] He and his wife Maria Iveson Osborne had seven children.[1] In 1900, his daughter Marion became the first African-American woman to graduate from Colby.[3]

  1. ^ a b "A People's History of Colby College: Activism and Social Justice Since 1813 » Sam Osborne". Retrieved 2020-06-25.
  2. ^ Levitt, Alison (April 19, 2018). "Evaluating Colby's dark past with "Janitor Sam" Osborne".
  3. ^ Elgersman - Lee (ed.), Maureen (2008-04-01). "A Place in Time: Maria Osborne and Her Daughters, Waterville". The Griot. 11 (2). {{cite journal}}: |last= has generic name (help)