ATHENS, Ga. (AP) - The University of Georgia is marking the 50th anniversary of the school's first black graduate.
The Athens Banner-Herald reports that school officials this week honored Mary Frances Early's history-making degree.
Early, who became one of Georgia's top music educators, obtained her master's degree in music education on Aug. 16, 1962.
She then became the first black president of the Georgia Music Educators Association in 1981 and went on to become head of the music department at Clarke Atlanta University.
Officials said Early, now 76, was not the first black student to attend UGA.
Charlayne Hunter and Hamilton Holmes were the first to break the color barrier on Jan. 6, 1961. Early soon joined them as a graduate student after transferring to the school from the University of Michigan.
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