Final answer:
Oberlin College was the first American college to accept African Americans, with Berea College also making early strides towards integration. Howard University was an important African American university from its inception, focusing on graduate and professional education. W. E. B. Du Bois made history by earning a Ph.D. from Harvard University, reflecting the ongoing advancements in African American education.
Step-by-step explanation:
The first American college to accept African Americans was Oberlin College in Ohio. While schools like the Institute for Colored Youth provided advanced elementary and secondary training, Oberlin College offered higher education opportunities to African Americans and was notably progressive for its time. Berea College in Kentucky was also a pioneer in racially integrated education; however, it was forced to segregate in 1904 due to state law, which didn't change until 1950.
Another significant institution is Howard University, founded in 1867 as a predominantly African American university, offering graduate and professional education from the beginning. Despite facing many challenges, African Americans also attended Dartmouth College for medical school, as was the case with Samuel Ford McGill, and were pioneering figures like James Meredith who was the first black student to attend the University of Mississippi after a federal court case in 1962.
The conversation about African American education was further shaped by figures such as Booker T. Washington and W. E. B. Du Bois, with the latter becoming the first African American to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1895.