The abolitionist college that served as a stop on the Underground Railroad

Cultures · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Founded in 1860 by evangelical abolitionists, Wheaton College holds a complex legacy. While it became a pillar of North American evangelicalism, its early years were defined by radical social reform, serving as a refuge for those escaping slavery and pioneering early opportunities for women and Black students.

The college's origins are rooted in the social activism of its first president, Jonathan Blanchard. A staunch abolitionist who began his public campaign in 1836, Blanchard led the institution during a period when the campus and the surrounding town functioned as a stop on the Underground Railroad. The presence of fugitive slaves in the area was documented in the letters of Ezra Cook, who noted that the community's anti-slavery convictions were widely shared.

Beyond abolition, Blanchard’s leadership pushed for broader social reforms, including a commitment to universal co-education. At a time when such opportunities were rare, Wheaton hosted the only college-level women's program in Illinois. The college also achieved significant milestones in racial integration; in 1866, Edward Breathitte Sellers became one of the first Black college graduates in the state.

As the institution evolved, it became a central figure in the American 'Bible belt.' This growth brought both prestige and internal tension. Under the presidency of J. Oliver Buswell, who became the nation's youngest college president at age 31 in 1926, enrollment surged from 400 in 1925 to 1,100 by 1940 [S1:passed, S1:p7]. However, this era also saw friction over faculty scholarship and personality clashes, eventually leading to Buswell's dismissal in 1940.

Today, the college maintains a unique academic identity, housing the only conservatory of music within an Evangelical school of higher education and a specialized research center, the Wade Center, dedicated to the works of the Inklings, such as C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien.

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