64 years after this civil rights activist was expelled from an all-white school, she is finally getting the recognition she deserves.

Autherine Lucy Foster became the first black student to attend the University of Alabama in 1956 after a federal court order allowed her to enroll in the school.

She was only able to attend three days worth of classes before riots and threats drove the school to suspend her enrollment.

Now 89 years old, Foster was venerated earlier this week with an honorary doctorate from the university’s board of trustees during their spring commencement ceremony – and though Foster was honored to receive the doctorate, she says that she was even more appreciative of the amount of diversity that she saw amongst the graduating students compared to her own time at the school.

(WATCH the interview and news coverage below) – Photo by WVTM

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