Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
The First Black Archaeologist: A Life of John Wesley Gilbert by John Lee is a story of a boy who grows up in poverty, facing racism and violence, a boy who seemed like he would have no opportunities. But thanks to dedicated teachers – both black and white –, his unceasing drive to learn, and the opportunities that unexpectedly presented themselves, he was able to rise from those humble beginnings and achieve in a lot of different areas. My book takes this story from his boyhood in Augusta, Georgia, through his early education in Georgia. It takes him to his years at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, where he was only the third African American graduate. Then it takes him to Athens, Greece, where he was one of the very first students of the new American School of Classical Studies at Athens. It was the first research institution that the United States had ever planted overseas. He became one of the first 50 Americans of any race, ethnicity, or background to do professional archaeological work in Greece.
— FROM THE BACK OF THE BOOK —
The First Black Archaeologist reveals the untold story of a pioneering African American classical scholar, teacher, community leader, and missionary. Born into slavery in rural Georgia, John Wesley Gilbert (1863-1923) gained national prominence in the early 1900s, but his accomplishments are little known today. Using evidence from archives across the U.S. and Europe, from contemporary publications, and from newly discovered documents, this book chronicles, for the first time, Gilbert's remarkable journey. As we follow Gilbert from the segregated public schools of Augusta, Georgia, to the lecture halls of Brown University, to his hiring as the first black faculty member of Augusta's Paine Institute, and through his travels in Greece, western Europe, and the Belgian Congo, we learn about the development of African American intellectual and religious culture, and about the enormous achievements of an entire generation of black students and educators.
— BUY THE FIRST BLACK ARHCAEOLOGUST: A LIFE OF JOHN WESLEY GILBERT —
global.oup.com/academic/product/the-first-black-archaeologist-9780197578995?utm_campaign=oupac-campaign:1350568266611279117&utm_source=third%20party&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=web+banner+link&utm_term=world+history+encyclopedia
— LEARN MORE! —
John Wesley Gilbert worldhistory.org/John_Wesley_Gilbert
John's UCSB web page https://www.history.ucsb.edu/faculty/john-w-i-lee/
Paine University https://www.paine.edu/web/mycampus/home
American School of Classical Studies at Athens https://www.ascsa.edu.gr
— SUPPORT US VIA OUR PATREON—
patreon.com/join/whencyclopedia
— BUY OUR MERCH —
https://www.worldhistory.store/ (https://www.worldhistory.store/%E2%80%8B)
— CHAPTERS —
0:00 Introduction
0:39 What is the book about and who is John Wesley Gilbert?
5:28 Why did John write the book?
12:13 What was the most interesting thing you learned during your research?
16:12 What is something that everyone should know about Professor Gilbert and your book?
22:20 Did you have any involvement with the community in Augusta, Georgia while researching and working on this book?
27:51 Outro
— ATTRIBUTIONS —
The music used in this recording is the intellectual copyright of Michael Levy, a prolific composer for the recreated lyres of antiquity, and used with the creator's permission. Michael Levy's music is available to stream at all the major digital music platforms. Find out more on:
ancientlyre.com
open.spotify.com/artist/7Dx2vFEg8DmOJ5YCRm4A5v?si=emacIH9CRieFNGXRUyJ9
youtube.com/channel/UCJ1X6F7lGMEadnNETSzTv8A
World History Encyclopedia
worldhistory.org
The First Black Archaeologist: A Life of John Wesley Gilbert by John Lee is a story of a boy who grows up in poverty, facing racism and violence, a boy who seemed like he would have no opportunities. But thanks to dedicated teachers – both black and white –, his unceasing drive to learn, and the opportunities that unexpectedly presented themselves, he was able to rise from those humble beginnings and achieve in a lot of different areas. My book takes this story from his boyhood in Augusta, Georgia, through his early education in Georgia. It takes him to his years at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, where he was only the third African American graduate. Then it takes him to Athens, Greece, where he was one of the very first students of the new American School of Classical Studies at Athens. It was the first research institution that the United States had ever planted overseas. He became one of the first 50 Americans of any race, ethnicity, or background to do professional archaeological work in Greece.
— FROM THE BACK OF THE BOOK —
The First Black Archaeologist reveals the untold story of a pioneering African American classical scholar, teacher, community leader, and missionary. Born into slavery in rural Georgia, John Wesley Gilbert (1863-1923) gained national prominence in the early 1900s, but his accomplishments are little known today. Using evidence from archives across the U.S. and Europe, from contemporary publications, and from newly discovered documents, this book chronicles, for the first time, Gilbert's remarkable journey. As we follow Gilbert from the segregated public schools of Augusta, Georgia, to the lecture halls of Brown University, to his hiring as the first black faculty member of Augusta's Paine Institute, and through his travels in Greece, western Europe, and the Belgian Congo, we learn about the development of African American intellectual and religious culture, and about the enormous achievements of an entire generation of black students and educators.
— BUY THE FIRST BLACK ARHCAEOLOGUST: A LIFE OF JOHN WESLEY GILBERT —
global.oup.com/academic/product/the-first-black-archaeologist-9780197578995?utm_campaign=oupac-campaign:1350568266611279117&utm_source=third%20party&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=web+banner+link&utm_term=world+history+encyclopedia
— LEARN MORE! —
John Wesley Gilbert worldhistory.org/John_Wesley_Gilbert
John's UCSB web page https://www.history.ucsb.edu/faculty/john-w-i-lee/
Paine University https://www.paine.edu/web/mycampus/home
American School of Classical Studies at Athens https://www.ascsa.edu.gr
— SUPPORT US VIA OUR PATREON—
patreon.com/join/whencyclopedia
— BUY OUR MERCH —
https://www.worldhistory.store/ (https://www.worldhistory.store/%E2%80%8B)
— CHAPTERS —
0:00 Introduction
0:39 What is the book about and who is John Wesley Gilbert?
5:28 Why did John write the book?
12:13 What was the most interesting thing you learned during your research?
16:12 What is something that everyone should know about Professor Gilbert and your book?
22:20 Did you have any involvement with the community in Augusta, Georgia while researching and working on this book?
27:51 Outro
— ATTRIBUTIONS —
The music used in this recording is the intellectual copyright of Michael Levy, a prolific composer for the recreated lyres of antiquity, and used with the creator's permission. Michael Levy's music is available to stream at all the major digital music platforms. Find out more on:
ancientlyre.com
open.spotify.com/artist/7Dx2vFEg8DmOJ5YCRm4A5v?si=emacIH9CRieFNGXRUyJ9
youtube.com/channel/UCJ1X6F7lGMEadnNETSzTv8A
World History Encyclopedia
worldhistory.org
