Frederick Blackburn Pelham

Frederick Blackburn Pelham (November 7, 1864 – February 6, 1895) was an American civil engineer employed by the Michigan Central Railroad. He was the first African American to graduate from the University of Michigan with a degree in engineering, earning a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering in 1887. During his career, he designed and oversaw the construction of approximately 18 to 20 bridges and culverts in Michigan.

Early life and education Pelham was born in Detroit, Michigan, on November 7, 1864, the fourth son of Robert and Frances Butcher Pelham, both free persons of color. He attended Detroit public schools and graduated with honors from Detroit High School. He later enrolled in the University of Michigan, where he studied civil engineering. He excelled in mathematics and engineering coursework and was elected president of his graduating class.

Dexter bridges Among Pelham’s most notable surviving works are two stone-arch bridges in Dexter, Michigan, constructed around 1890. One is a skew-arch railroad underpass carrying the Michigan Central line over Dexter–Pinckney Road, and the other is a stone arch bridge spanning Mill Creek. The Dexter underpass was constructed following a fatal railroad crossing accident, after which local residents petitioned for a safer grade separation. Pelham designed the replacement structure using a skew-arch configuration, which allows a bridge to cross an obstacle at an angle rather than perpendicularly.

Professional and civic life Pelham was a member of the Michigan Engineering Society, the Young Men’s Christian Association (Y.M.C.A.), and the Maccabees. He was also active in Detroit’s Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, where he taught Sunday school. He is believed to have died of pneumonia. He was buried at Elmwood Cemetery in Detroit.

Legacy Pelham is recognized as a pioneering African American engineer in the United States, a distinction he shares with other 19th century engineers and inventors of African descent such as Elijah McCoy, who had also been employed by the Michigan Central Railroad in prior years.

Pelham's graduation from the University of Michigan in 1887 marked a significant milestone in the history of African American participation in engineering education.