Welcome

Joshua Colas is an International Chess Master (elect) from White Plains, New York.

Josh attended  Webster University in St. Louis on a full chess scholarship.  He graduated in June 2020.  The Webster University Chess Team is perennially the top ranked collegiate Chess Team in the United States.

Back on December 16, 2010,  Joshua Colas earned the title of Chess Master making him the youngest African-American Chess Master in history.

Joshua has represented Team USA in World Youth Chess Championships from Greece to Brazil.  

He has won the coveted New York City High School Chess Championships.  

Along with winning 6 national championships, Joshua has been named to the All-American Scholastic Chess Team every year since 2009.

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The 1959 U.S. Junior Chess Championships were held in Omaha, Nebraska.

  Segregation ruled the day.  Blacks were not allowed access to many public facilities.  A teenage chess player from New York named Walter Harris was informed by a local hotel that he was not welcome due to his skin color.  He searched until he found other accommodations.  He entered the tournament and finished fifth in the nation.  As a result, Walter's chess rating would surpass 2200 and qualify him as the first African-American to become a certified Chess Master.

In 1965, Maryland's Frank Street would win the prestigious U.S. Amateur Championships and become the second Black player to earn a Master's title.

During the 1970's and 1980's, Philadelphia's Roberts Vaux High School dominated scholastic chess with their string of six consecutive National Championships.  They were led by Howard Daniels who would break the record of becoming the youngest African-American Master at age 15 years and 4 months.

Howard Daniels would hold that record for 25 years.

In 2008, Kassa Korley of NYC's Dalton School would set a new record by achieving Master status at 15 years and 2 months.

Korley's record would be shattered on September 23, 2010 when Bronx native Justus Williams would shave almost three years from the mark earning him the title at 12 years, 3 months, and 28 days.

That record was to be broken one more time.

On December 16, 2010, White Plains Middle School student Joshua Colas became the youngest African-American Chess Master in history.  He accomplished the feat at the famed Marshall Chess Club in Manhattan.

Joshua claimed the title at age 12 years, 3 months, and 12 days.