Cherry Saber and Ring Donation Shares History Across Campus
By Cadet Kyle Reeder '28
In the fall of 1954, Lindsay Cherry ’58 became the second Black cadet in the Corps of Cadets, following the footsteps of trailblazer Irving Peddrew, whose admittance made Virginia Tech the first historically white, four-year, public university in the former Confederate states to allow a black undergraduate student.
On Sunday, Oct. 27, Cherry returned to campus via Zoom to donate his historic cadet saber and class ring.
To an audience of alumni, cadets, and other Virginia Tech guests, Cherry shared his own trailblazing experience as a Black cadet in the 1950s, donating a part of his history back to Virginia Tech’s Black Cultural Center (BCC).
The ceremony started with a welcome statement from Brig. Gen. Edwards, then the interim commandant of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets, who thanked the audience for attending the event and for the donation of Cherry’s saber and class ring. The podium was passed to Jamal Jefferson-Ross, a graduate assistant for the BCC.
“Mr. Cherry’s journey to Virginia Tech was historic and inspiring,” Jefferson-Ross said. “Mr. Cherry, we thank you. Your life is a testament to what is possible. You are not only a treasure of Virginia Tech, but a beloved role model and friend to us all. Once a Hokie, always a Hokie.”
Cadet Darwin Otchere '26 then spoke, explaining the significance of the cadet saber, an honor that is only worn by senior cadets. “It signifies their role as leaders,” Otchere said. “The willingness of Mr. Cherry to donate his saber – his trophy – back to Virginia Tech, so that it can be displayed and serve as inspiration for all of us is no small gesture.”
Following Otchere’s speech, a glass case holding the saber and class ring were unveiled.
Still in a time of racial segregation, Black cadets such as Cherry were not allowed to live on campus with the white students, nor were they allowed to congregate in the same dining halls. Instead, they spent time with William and Jamie Hoge, a Black family who provided housing, food, and genuine care.
“Every morning before daybreak, she’d make us breakfast, iron our clothes, clean our rooms and make our beds,” Cherry said. “She was just committed to making things perfectly good for us, and we were very fortunate. You know, if we had a tough day in school, we’d come home and she always knew what to say to us, and that is the greatest thing. That lady gave us motivation to be our best. Her house was like a sanctuary for us.”
As a military institution, Virginia Tech - then Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College - opened in 1872 with a structure to raise discipline, morals, and leadership.
“I was required to enter the barracks every day and say, 'Good morning, sir,' 'good afternoon, sir,' and do all that,” Cherry explained. “At the end of my junior year, I was asked to march the troops to the Drillfield, and this was the first time they ever asked any of us Black students to do so.”
“I learned so much about being a member of the cadet corps,” Cherry said. “You learn about honor and discipline. They just break you down and build you up as a new person. With me, I got a lot of criticism. Whenever we marched, there was always a number of people against me – always came after me and fought with me – but overall, things turned out well.”
Cherry’s daughters, Carol and Camille, attended in person to relay history, memories, and gratitude on behalf of their father.
“We’re here to honor our father, and it’s a pleasure being here,” Carol Cherry said. “As one of the first Black men to integrate Virginia Tech, my father bravely took steps that changed the course of your institution. His life is not just a story of breaking barriers, but it is also a story of kindness, strength, and commitment.”
Cmdr. Nate Brown attended the ceremony and reflected on the importance of sharing Cherry’s story. “A lot of the speakers touched on this, but there’s a series of firsts in anything,” Brown said. “It’s important for us to recognize the adversity and struggles that other people have made to make things more accessible for those who follow them.”
Following speeches from family, friends, cadets, and Corps staff, guests were welcomed to a reception with breakfast sandwiches, fruit, juices, and coffee. The tables were decorated with potted maroon flowers, with a picture of Mr. Cherry’s cadet portrait and class ring.
“Everyone here, if I asked them to think of someone who paved the way for them, someone should come to mind,” Lt. Col. George (Billy) Cook ’85 said. “Oftentimes, it’s someone we don’t know.”
“Time flies, but you have a responsibility to leave a legacy, such as Lindsay Cherry.” Cook said. “There is someone looking up to you, someone you will cross paths with. Someone is waiting for you to do what you need to do to make your own legacy.”
Co-President of the Black Cadet Organization, Cadet Divine Nzita '24, said, “It’s important to remember where we started because without that first person, there wouldn’t be any of us. [Cherry] represents a symbol, where we come from...it’s inspiring to know that I will hopefully be in the same shoes in the next few years, setting up my own legacy.”
Looking back, Cherry’s advice is to have faith. “We have challenges in life that shouldn’t be thought of as negative. Think of them as your building blocks to get better. People who go through life in the same routine, life is easy for them. When times are tough, they don’t know how to handle it. With us, when times got rough, we knew we could make it through,” he said.
Following the ceremony, Cherry’s saber and class ring were moved across Upper Quad and into the Black Cultural Center in Squires Student Center, where his legacy will continue to inspire others. To learn more, look to Cherry’s insightful memoir titled “Walk by Faith, Not by Sight” on Amazon.