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Alcorn State University

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Alcorn State University (Alcorn State, ASU or Alcorn) is a public historically black land-grant university adjacent to Lorman, Mississippi. It was founded in 1871 and was the first black land grant college established in the United States. The university is a member-school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.

Alcorn State University
Former name
Alcorn University
(1871–1878)
Alcorn Agricultural and Mechanical College
(1878–1974)
Motto"Service, Scholarship, Dignity"
"Where Knowledge and Character Matter"
TypePublic historically black land-grant university
EstablishedMay 13, 1871;
153 years ago (1871-05-13)[1]
Parent institution
Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning[2]
AccreditationSACS
Academic affiliations
Endowment$21.3 million (2021)[3]
PresidentTracy Cook [4]
Students2,933 (fall 2022)[5]
Undergraduates2431 (fall 2022)
Postgraduates502 (fall 2019)
Location
Alcorn State
,
Mississippi
,
United States

31°52′37″N 91°08′28″W / 31.8769°N 91.1411°W / 31.8769; -91.1411
CampusRemote rural[6], 1,756 acres (7.11 km2)
Other campuses
NewspaperThe Campus Chronicle[7]
ColorsPurple and gold[8]
   
NicknameBraves and Lady Braves
Sporting affiliations
NCAA Division I FCS – SWAC
MascotBravehawk
Websitewww.alcorn.edu
Oakland Chapel on the campus of Alcorn State University
The Literary Society Building on the campus of Alcorn State University

Alcorn State's athletic teams known as the Braves and compete in the NCAA's Division I. All teams compete as members of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).

History

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Alcorn State University was the first black land grant college in the country. Mississippi's Reconstructionist legislature, dominated by Republicans sympathetic to the cause of educating the formerly enslaved, was established on the site of Oakland College, a college that had gone defunct due to the Civil War.[9] Alcorn University started with what is recognized as three historic buildings.[10][11][12]

United States Senator Hiram R. Revels resigned his seat when he accepted the position as Alcorn's first president. The state legislature provided $50,000 in cash for ten successive years for the establishment and overall operations of the college. The state also granted Alcorn three-fifths of the proceeds earned from the sale of 30,000 acres (12,000 ha) of land scrip for agricultural or land grant colleges under federal legislation. The land was sold for $188,928 with Alcorn receiving a share of $113,400. This money was to be used solely to support the agricultural and mechanical components of the college, which Congress wanted to develop nationally. From its beginning, Alcorn State University was a land-grant college.[10] After a group of white Democrats known as Redeemers took over the legislature, Alcorn's appropriation was slashed by almost 90 percent, to $5,500 per year, and an all-white board of trustees was appointed.[9]

In 1878, the name Alcorn University was changed to Alcorn Agricultural and Mechanical College. The university's original 225 acres (0.91 km2) of land have been expanded to develop a 1,700 acres (6.9 km2) campus. The goals for the college set by the Mississippi legislature following the Reconstruction era emphasized training for blacks rather than academic education. The school, like other black schools during these years, was less a college than a vocational school intended to prepare students for the agricultural economy of the state and of most of their hometowns.

At first the school was exclusively for black males, but women were admitted in 1895. The 2022 freshman class included 339 females and 159 males.[13] Alcorn began with eight faculty members in 1871. Today the faculty and staff number more than 500. The student body has grown from 179 mostly local male students to more than 2,933 students from all over the world.[13]

In 1974, Alcorn Agricultural and Mechanical College was renamed Alcorn State University, representing the development of its programs. Governor William L. Waller signed House Bill 298 granting university status to Alcorn and the other state-supported colleges. Alcorn had already become a more diversified university, with graduate programs. It provides an undergraduate education that enables students to continue their work in graduate and professional schools, engage in teaching, and enter other professions. It also provides graduate education to equip students for further training in specialized fields.

In 1994 Jay Searcy of the Philadelphia Inquirer said that except for its football team, Evers, and "an occasional Olympic athlete," "Alcorn rarely gets mentioned outside the state of Mississippi" although attention on the university increased after Steve McNair made athletic successes.[14]

In 2020, MacKenzie Scott donated $25 million to Alcorn State. Her donation is the largest single gift in Alcorn State's history.[15]

Alcorn State is accredited, with seven schools and degree programs in more than 50 areas, including a nursing and a Master of Business Administration program. The facilities number approximately 80 modern structures with an approximate value of $71 million.[16]

 
Levi J. Rowan

Presidents

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Name Years[17][18] Interim
Hiram Rhodes Revels 1871–1882 No
John Houston Burrus 1882–1893 No
Wilson H. Reynolds 1893–1894 No
Thomas J. Calloway 1894–1896 No
Edward H. Triplett 1896–1899 No
William H. Lanier 1899–1905 No
Levi John Rowan 1905–1911 No
John Adams Martin 1911–1915 No
Levi John Rowan 1915–1934 No
Isiah S. Sanders, Acting President 1934–1934 No
William Harrison Bell 1934–1944 No
Preston Sewell Bowles 1944–1945 No
William Harrison Pipes 1945–1949 No
Jesse R. Otis 1949–1957 No
John Dewey Boyd 1957–1969 No
Walter Washington 1969–1994 No
Rudolph E. Waters Sr. 1994–1995 Yes
Clinton Bristow Jr. 1995–2006 No
Malvin A. Williams Sr. 2006–2008 Yes
George E. Ross 2008–2010 No
Norris Allen Edney 2010–2011 Yes
M. Christopher Brown II 2011–2013 No
Norris Edney 2013–2014 Yes
Alfred Rankins, Jr. 2014–2018 No
Donzell Lee 2018-2019 Yes
Felecia M. Nave 2019–Present No

Academics

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Alcorn State is the second largest historically black college or university (HBCU) and the fifth largest university in Mississippi with an enrollment of approximately 3,700 undergraduate students and 600 graduate students. The university has seven schools, offering more than 50 different fields of study.

  • College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences
  • College of Arts and Sciences
  • School of Business
  • School of Education and Psychology
  • School of Nursing

Alcorn State University consistently ranks among the top 25 HBCUs in the nation according to the annual U.S. News & World Report HBCU rankings.[19]

Alcorn State University is the only HBCU in Mississippi with a comprehensive nursing program, and the first institution in Mississippi and at an HBCU nationwide offering a STEM MBA.[20]

The Myrlie Evers-Williams Honors Program is available to highly motivated undergraduate students seeking to enhance their academic experience and leadership skills.[21]

Master of Business Administration (MBA) & STEM MBA programs

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Alcorn State University's School of Business offers a Traditional Master of Business Administration (MBA) program with a general business management emphasis and a concentration in tourism and hospitality management, as well as a STEM Master of Business Administration program with four concentrations in accounting, healthcare management, data analytics, and artificial intelligence. Both programs are 30 hour credited and structured on an eight-week model, allowing students to complete their degree within one year. All classes are conducted online through Alcorn's learning management system, CANVAS. The MBA program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), a global accrediting body for business degree programs.

Global programs

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Besides coordinating study-abroad opportunities, Global Programs brings worldwide perspectives to campus through exchange programs and special events.[22]

Pre-professional programs

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Alcorn offers pre-professional programs to better prepare students for a transition to specialized studies in the fields of law, engineering, nursing, physical therapy, medicine, pharmacy and dentistry.[23]

Accreditation

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Alcorn State University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award the Associate, Bachelor's, Master's, Specialist's, and Doctorate degrees.

Alcorn's teacher education program is accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education. The Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics is accredited by the American Dietetics Association. The Associate of Science in Nursing degree, the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree, and the Master of Science in Nursing degree programs are accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission. Alcorn State University is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music, the National Association of Industrial Technology, and the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences.

Locations

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Alcorn State University entrance sign

The main campus is located in Alcorn State University census-designated place,[24] an unincorporated area in Claiborne County, Mississippi. It is 45 miles (72 km) south of Vicksburg,[14] 40 miles (64 km) north of Natchez, and 80 miles (130 km) southwest of Jackson.[25] It is near Lorman.

The Nursing School is located in Natchez, Mississippi. The university also has technology centers at the Thad Cochran Mississippi Center for Innovation and Technology (MCITy) in Vicksburg.

Campus housing

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Male residence halls include Medgar Wiley Evers Heritage Village Complex A and B, Hiram Revels Hall and Albert Lott Hall.[26] Female residence halls include Medgar Wiley Evers Heritage Village Complex buildings C and D, John Burrus Hall, Beulah Robinson Hall, and the Female Honors Residence Hall.[27] D Faculty housing, which is open to full time employees,[28] and their dependents, is zoned to the Claiborne County School District.[29] Port Gibson High School is the comprehensive high school of the district.

The county is in the district of Copiah–Lincoln Community College, and has been since 1967.[30]

Athletics

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Main article: Alcorn State Braves and Lady Braves
 
Alcorn athletics logo
See also: Alcorn State Braves football and Alcorn State Braves men's basketball

Alcorn State is a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) and participates in NCAA Division I FCS. Alcorn sponsors 15 athletic programs.[31]

Sounds of Dyn-O-mite

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Alcorn State University's marching band was founded in the 1960s; the band is known as the "Sounds of Dyn-O-mite" (SOD). Led by four or five drum majors, SOD has more than 190+ members.

The "World Renowned Golden Girls" (GGs) is the danceline that has been featured with SOD since its inception. Founded in 1968, they are the first danceline (no twirling batons) featured with a HBCU marching band hence why they often refer to themselves as "The Mother of HBCU dancelines."[32]

Demographics

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Alcorn State University CDP
Census-designated place
 
 
Alcorn State University CDP
 
 
Alcorn State University CDP
Coordinates: 31°52′49.65″N 91°8′26.42″W / 31.8804583°N 91.1406722°W / 31.8804583; -91.1406722
Country  United States
State  Mississippi
CountyClaiborne
Elevation
[33]
259 ft (79 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
1,120
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
GNIS feature ID2586580[33]

Alcorn State University CDP is a census-designated place (CDP) and the official name for an area covering the Alcorn State University campus, in Claiborne County, Mississippi, United States.

It first appeared as a CDP in the 2010 U.S. Census.[34] The population at the 2020 census was 1,120.[35] while the Fall 2019 enrollment at Alcorn State University was 3,523.[36]

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
20101,107—
20201,1201.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[37]
2010[34] 2020[38]

2020 census

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Alcorn State University CDP, Mississippi – racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop. 2010[34] Pop. 2020[38] % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 15 5 1.47% 0.45%
Black or African American alone (NH) 953 1,107 93.71% 98.84%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 1 0 0.10% 0.00%
Asian alone (NH) 12 0 1.18% 0.00%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 0 0 0.00% 0.00%
Some other race alone (NH) 1 1 0.10% 0.09%
Mixed race/multi-racial (NH) 16 1 1.57% 0.09%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 19 6 1.87% 0.54%
Total 1,107 1,120 100.00% 100.00%

Notable alumni

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Politics and activism

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Name Class year Notability Reference(s)
Albert Butler 1970 Mississippi State Senator [39]
Horace R. Cayton, Sr. c.1880s Journalist and politician, one of the first Black people to serve on county and state delegations in Seattle, Washington [40]
Jennifer Riley Collins 1987 Executive director of the Mississippi NAACP [41]
Katie G. Dorsett Member of the North Carolina Senate from the 28th district
Medgar Evers 1948 First NAACP field secretary and assassinated civil rights activist [42]
Ed Smith Former alderman of the 28th ward in Chicago, Illinois 1983–2010
Charles Tillman 1958 Mayor of Jackson, Mississippi [43]

Sports

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Name Class year Notability Reference(s)
Willie Alexander 1971 Former professional football player for the Houston Oilers
Emmanuel Arceneaux 2009 Current CFL and former NFL player
Donald Driver 1999 Former professional football player for the Green Bay Packers
Leslie Frazier 1980 Defensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, former head coach of the Minnesota Vikings, former defensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings, former special assistant coach with the Indianapolis Colts
Jimmie Giles 1977 Former professional football player for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Louis Green 2002 Former NFL player for the Denver Broncos
Issiac Holt 1985 Former professional football player for the Minnesota Vikings and Dallas Cowboys
Nate Hughes 2008 Former NFL player for the Detroit Lions
Iris Kyle 10-time overall Ms. Olympia professional bodybuilder
Garry Lewis Former professional football player for the Oakland Raiders
Milton Mack Former professional football player for the Detroit Lions
Fred McNair Former professional Canadian and arena football player, brother of Steve McNair, and head coach of Alcorn State Football
Steve McNair 1996 Former professional quarterback for the Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens
Bryant Mix 1997 Former NFL player for the Houston Oilers
Elex Price 1973 Former professional football player for the New Orleans Saints
Frank Purnell Former professional football player for the Green Bay Packers
Lee Robinson 2009 Professional football player for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Denver Broncos
Chad Slaughter 2000 Former professional football player for the Oakland Raiders
Torrance Small 1992 Former NFL player for the New Orleans Saints
Larry Smith 1980 Former NBA player and assistant coach in the NBA and WNBA
Charlie Spiller 2007 Former NFL player for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Jack Spinks 1952 Former professional football player for the New York Giants
John Thierry 1994 Former NFL player for the Chicago Bears
Cedric Tillman 1992 Former professional football player for the Denver Broncos
Dwayne White Former professional football player for the St. Louis Rams
Damien Wilson Linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys, transferred out of Alcorn after his freshman season
Roynell Young 1980 Former professional football player for the Philadelphia Eagles

Other fields

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Name Class year Notability Reference(s)
Joseph Dunbar Scientist [44]
Michael Clarke Duncan attended Actor
Alex Haley attended Author [45]
Adena Williams Loston 1973 President of St. Philip's College in San Antonio, Texas
Kimberly Morgan Miss Mississippi 2007
Alexander O'Neal attended Musician
Joseph Edison Walker 1903 President of Universal Life Insurance Company in Memphis, Tennessee

Notable faculty

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  • Melerson Guy Dunham – educator, lay minister, civil rights activist, and history; taught at Alcorn until her retirement in 1970; wrote the book Centennial History of Alcorn College[46][47]

References

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  1. ^ "Alcorn State University is Founded". African American Registry.
  2. ^ "Mississippi Public Universities - Institutions of Higher Learning - Frequently Asked Questions". www.mississippi.edu.
  3. ^ "Alcorn State University | Data USA". datausa.io.
  4. ^ "Mississippi College Board appoints Tracy Cook as interim president of Alcorn State University". Fox News. July 3, 2023. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
  5. ^ "New Student Profile 2022" (PDF).
  6. ^ "College Navigator - Alcorn State University". nces.ed.gov.
  7. ^ "THE CAMPUS CHRONICLE". THE CAMPUS CHRONICLE. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
  8. ^ "Alcorn - Graphics Standards Manual". Redstardigital.net. Retrieved April 9, 2016.
  9. ^ a b Harris, Adam (2021). The state must provide : why America's colleges have always been unequal--and how to set them right (First ed.). New York, NY. pp. 62–68. ISBN 978-0-06-297648-2. OCLC 1204635631.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  10. ^ a b Against Great Odds: The History of Alcorn State University
  11. ^ Brown, Ray C. (December 2, 2014). "Mississippi Colleges that have Closed, Merged, Changed Names". Ray C. Brown. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
  12. ^ "Oakland College". claibornecountyms.org. Archived from the original on May 12, 2019. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  13. ^ a b "New Student Profile" (PDF). Retrieved July 17, 2023.
  14. ^ a b Searcy, Jay. "A Phenom Puts The Middle Of Nowhere On The Map Alcorn State's Steve Mcnair Is An Out-of-this-world Qb In An Out-of-the-way Place. He's Getting It A Lot Of Attention." Philadelphia Inquirer. November 1, 1994. Retrieved on May 3, 2012.
  15. ^ "Story Details - Alcorn State University". www.alcorn.edu. December 29, 2020. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
  16. ^ "About" Archived November 19, 2010, at the Wayback Machine, Alcorn University
  17. ^ "Alcorn State University: Past Presidents". Alcorn State University. Archived from the original on March 22, 2013. Retrieved September 20, 2012.
  18. ^ "Past Presidents". Archived from the original on March 22, 2013. Retrieved September 20, 2012.
  19. ^ "Historically Black Colleges and Universities Ranking". Archived from the original on October 27, 2016. Retrieved October 26, 2016.
  20. ^ "Cora S. Balmat School of Nursing". Archived from the original on November 8, 2016. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
  21. ^ "General Information". Archived from the original on March 19, 2011. Retrieved February 14, 2011.
  22. ^ "About the Office of Global Programs". Archived from the original on February 14, 2011. Retrieved February 14, 2011.
  23. ^ "Welcome". Archived from the original on December 30, 2010. Retrieved February 14, 2011.
  24. ^ "2020 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Alcorn State University CDP, MS" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved August 14, 2022. Alcorn State Univ (in blue text)
  25. ^ "Driving Directions." Alcorn State University. Retrieved on April 25, 2012.
  26. ^ "Male residence halls Archived July 8, 2012, at the Wayback Machine." Alcorn State University. Retrieved on May 3, 2012.
  27. ^ "Female Residence Halls" Archived July 8, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, Alcorn State University. Retrieved on April 25, 2012.
  28. ^ "Employee Housing". Alcorn State University. Retrieved July 31, 2022.
  29. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Claiborne County, MS" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 31, 2022. - Text list
  30. ^ "History". Copiah–Lincoln Community College. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  31. ^ "Football Season Tickets". Official Athletics Website.
  32. ^ "Story Details - Alcorn State University". www.alcorn.edu. November 9, 2018.
  33. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Alcorn State University Census Designated Place
  34. ^ a b c "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Alcorn State University CDP, Mississippi". United States Census Bureau.
  35. ^ "Alcorn State University CDP, Mississippi". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
  36. ^ "Alcorn At-A-Glance" (PDF). www.alcorn.edu. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 19, 2020. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
  37. ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". US Census Bureau.
  38. ^ a b "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Alcorn State University CDP, Mississippi". United States Census Bureau.
  39. ^ [1]
  40. ^ "Online History – Washington State". state.ak.us. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
  41. ^ Cardon, Dustin (April 15, 2013). "Jennifer A. Riley-Collins". Jackson Free Press. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
  42. ^ "The Medgar Evers Assassination". PBS. April 18, 2002.
  43. ^ Fuller, Jacob (August 29, 2012). "Charles Tillman: Speak Softly". Jackson Free Press.
  44. ^ Morin, Katherine A.; Kessler, James H.; Kidd, J. S.; Kidd, Renee A., eds. (1996). Distinguished African American Scientists of the 20th Century. Greenwood. pp. 77–80. ISBN 9780897749558.
  45. ^ Bey, Ishmael (June 10, 2023). "Alex Haley and 'Roots' Plagiarism Changed American Indian identity". FIRST TRIBE ABORIGIN.
  46. ^ "Alcorn Historian: Autograph Party for Mrs. Dunham". Clarion-Ledger. October 17, 1971. p. 59. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
  47. ^ Clio's southern sisters : interviews with leaders of the Southern Association for Women Historians. Columbia : University of Missouri Press. 2004. p. 68. ISBN 978-0-8262-1541-3.
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