James Preston Dilworth

Born In: Little Rock,Arkansas
Attended: Abraham Lincoln High School in Port Arthur
Class: UT Austin Fall 1956

James Preston Dilworth was born on August 16, 1938 in Little Rock,Arkansas. He lived with his mother Hazel Wilturner and his stepfather Lionel Wilturner and two younger siblings in Port Arthur, Texas. He attended Abraham Lincoln High School in Port Arthur, Texas and played in the concert band.

He graduated high school in 1956, and that fall Dilworth began his studies at the University of Texas. He lived in San Jacinto Dorm D. Tragically, he died on campus from during his junior year of studies. He was twenty-years-old when he was admitted to the Student Health Center for pneumonia and five days later he died of a pulmonary hemorrhage on Dec. 17, 1958.

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Willie Cleveland Jordan, Jr

Willie Cleveland Jordan, Jr. was born December 12, 1937. As a young person, Jordan showed great creativity and artistic skill. His high school Industrial Arts teacher Mr. James Thomas encouraged him to purse studies and a career in architecture. Jordan received a Worthing Trust Scholarship to further his studies and in September 1956 joined the first Black undergraduate class at the University of Texas.

Last revised on Oct. 30, 2025 by Dr. Olivia Mena