There were few Blacks in Columbia and Harvard at that time so this is not exactly like remembering a couple of random White guys like you or I.
I remember the Black guys in my graduate programs because they could be counted on one hand. I sure this would be the case with WhatsHisName? just about every college he has been.
The African kid in one of my Econ. grad courses made an indelible mark on me. He looked absolutely terrified and was sweating bullets for some reason.