The Dovell Act, or Stephens-Dovell Act,[1] was legislation in the U.S. state of Virginia that provided out-of-state tuition to its African American residents, who were barred from attending in-state public institutions of higher learning during segregation. It passed in 1936 after Alice Jackson was denied admittance to the University of Virginia.[2]
Jackson applied to UVA in 1935. After she was denied admission a graduate school was established at Virginia State University in Petersburg, Virginia.[3] The Foster brothers were among those who used the tuition support program to study out of state.[4] Jackson went on to pursue her studies at Columbia University.[5] Several other states had similar programs.[6]
Gregory Swanson sued to gain admission to University of Virginia Law School.[7] He was admitted in 1950.