4 ▁– ▁April ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 1 9 2 3 ) ▁was ▁an ▁African ▁American ▁civil ▁rights ▁leader , ▁college ▁president , ▁past or , ▁and ▁an ▁American ▁football ▁coach . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁studies ▁Dig gs ▁earned ▁degrees ▁from ▁Buck nell ▁University ▁in ▁Lewis burg , ▁Pennsylvania ▁and ▁a ▁Ph . D . ▁from ▁Illinois ▁Wes ley an ▁University ▁in ▁Blo om ington , ▁Illinois . ▁He ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁African ▁American ▁to ▁receive ▁a ▁doctor ate ▁in ▁soci ology ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁the ▁nin th ▁overall ▁to ▁receive ▁any ▁doctor ate . ▁ ▁Way land ▁Sem inary ▁and ▁Virginia ▁Union ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Way land ▁Sem inary ▁fac ulty ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁merged ▁with ▁Virginia ▁Union ▁University ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 8 . ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁school ' s ▁head ▁football ▁coach ▁from ▁ 1 9 0 0 ▁to ▁ 1 9 0 1 . ▁ ▁College ▁presiden cies ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁president ▁of ▁several ▁colleg es , ▁including ▁Virginia ▁University ▁of ▁Lyn ch burg ▁( then ▁known ▁as ▁Virginia ▁Sem inary ) ▁from ▁ 1 9 0 6 ▁to ▁ 1 9 0 8 ▁and ▁Sim m ons ▁College ▁of ▁Kentucky ▁from ▁ 1 9 0 8 ▁to ▁ 1 9 1 1 . ▁He ▁help ▁found ▁the ▁Ni ag ara ▁Mov ement . ▁ ▁Past or ship ▁He ▁later ▁became ▁a ▁Bapt ist ▁past or , ▁leading ▁con greg ations ▁in ▁Washington , ▁DC ▁and ▁Baltimore , ▁Maryland