Portrait of Henry P. Tappan

Henry Philip Tappan, UM's first president, was a brilliant educator and eloquent speaker who fired the students' enthusiasm. The regents, antagonized by his arrogant manner and liberal approach to religion, fired him in 1863 despite vigorous public protest. President Angell later said Tappan was "the largest figure of a man that ever appeared on the Michigan campus. And he was stung to death by gnats!"

Frame location: West side of State Street north of the walk on the north side of the Michigan Union, facing east

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