Jack Hurst Anderson, II – To Be Young Gifted and Black

Jack Hurst Anderson, II   Great-Grandson of Dr. Ralph Pughsley

To Be Young Gifted and Black

Jack Hurst Anderson, II is the great-grandson of Laurens’ own Dr. Ralph Pughsley (Pughsley’s Pharmacy) and Irene Foggie Pughsley, and the grandson of Ralphine Pughsley.  He is the son of Abrielle Beaton Anderson and Jack Anderson, Sr., of Maryland, and the cousin of Laurens City Councilwoman, Cassandra Campbell.

Jack, a 2022  high school graduate of the Maret School in Washington, D.C. was accepted early admission to Yale University’s Class of 2026, at the age of 17.  His mother, Abrielle, a corporate attorney, was the high school commencement speaker.  Prior to Covid-19, Jack was a regular church usher board member, and a faithful Sunday School attendee. While in high school Jack was a straight-A student, a National Merit Scholar, inducted into the Cum Laude Society, played varsity soccer and lacrosse, played the baritone and alto saxophone in the school’s jazz band, and often conducted the school’s orchestra. Jack taught himself to play the piano and guitar, a piece of his art is on tour in Europe, he had flight classes and has flown an airplane, and he proudly unscrambles the Rubik’s Cube in one minute.

Jack appreciates learning about different countries’ economies, having visited several countries: Canada, France, Mexico, England, Switzerland, Greece, Spain, and islands in the Caribbean.  For a high school graduation gift, he visited Dubai in the UAE.  A world map hangs on his dormitory wall near a photo of Frederick Douglass, another subject of his personal studies. He has also visited over half of the USA states.

Jack has completed his first semester at Yale with excellent grades, while majoring in Economics. Blessings and best of luck to Jack, his great-grandfather would be proud!