"Charles Lewis Reason"(July 21,1818-August 16,1893)

Was a mathematician,linguist,and educator.He became the first African-American university

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professor at a predominately white college in the US,teaching at New York Central College,Mcgrawville.He was born in New York City as one of three sons to Michel and Elizabeth (Melville) Reason (their surname was originally Rison),free people of color.They were from Guadeloupe and Saint Domingue,respectively,immigrated as refugees in 1793 shortly after the early years of the Haitian Revolution.His brothers were Elwer W. and Patrick H. Reason,who also became leaders.Their older sister Policarpe died in 1818 at age four.A child prodigy in mathematics,Charles began teaching the subject at age of  fourteen at the African Free School in New York,which he and two of his brothers attended.He next studied at Mcgrawville College,an integrated institution founded by members of the Baptist Church in McGraw,New York.