Augustus Lushington was born in Trinidad on August 1, 1869. He went to school in Trinidad where he became a teacher and principal before traveling to Venezuela and finally setting off for New York in 1889. Lushington studied agriculture at Cornell University and graduated in 1894. He continued his education at the University of Pennsylvania and became the first African-American to earn a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in the country. Lushington went on to work in a variety of positions, including as an instructor and federal employee. He continued a life of service until his death in February 1939.