The first president of Western Reserve College, Charles B. Storrs (presidency years: 1830–1833)was one of nine Presbyterian ministers to lead this predecessor institution. His tenure from 1830 to 1833 would, in part, set the stage for a legacy of abolitionism in Hudson, Ohio.
Under Storrs’ leadership, the college admitted its first Black student, John Frederick Augustus Sykes Fayette and, in 1832 Storrs was pivotal in the abolitionist activity on Western Reserve’s campus, leading an anti-slavery student organization at the college. He also worked to add several buildings to the campus during his three years as president.
The Storrs House residence hall is named in his honor.
