When Georgia Southern College in the small town of Statesboro opened its doors to its first six colored students in 1965, it did so without much of the very public outcry faced at other schools and colleges as part of desegregation. These six pioneers share their personal memories of integrating the college, which opened doors for those who would follow. In 2014, more than 5,400 African American students enrolled at the school, now known as Georgia Southern University (GSU). The essays of those initial pioneers—as well as those by fifteen other alums through the Class of 1985—demonstrate the perseverance of the human spirit and illustrate how social change can be achieved by boldly confronting difficult and frightening situations to bring about lasting reform. Their stories of integration at the southern school tell of emotional ordeals, some of which led to lasting scars and times of defeat. Life wasn’t easy if you were black on a predominantly white college campus. But in the midst of despair comes triumph. In Our Own Words also shares the determination and dedication of those early students, most of whom went on to successful careers and personal accomplishments. This powerful collection of essays that needed to be written showcases a group of students who never dreamed they would one-day help shape the college’s history and leave a legacy that would allow others to follow in their footsteps.