Southern University

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For other Southern University campuses, see Southern University System.

Southern University and A&M College is a historically black university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The concept of Southern University was sponsored by P.B.S. Pinchback, T.T. Allain, and Henry Demas for an institution "for the education of persons of color" at the 1879 Louisiana State Constitutional convention. In April of 1880 Southern University was charted by the General Assembly of the State of Louisiana, and was originally located in New Orleans. Southern University opened its doors on March 7, 1881 with twelve students. One of the original locations of the early campus was the former Israel Sinai Temple Synagogue on Caliope Street, between St. Charles and Camp streets in New Orleans Southern University became a land grant school in 1890, and an Agricultural and Mechanical Department was established. Due to the continuing growth of the institution and lack of land for expansion, the university relocated to what was then Scotlandville, LA along Scott's Bluff facing the Mississippi River in 1914.



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The "New" Southern University

The new president and first president of what is now known as Southern University at Baton Rouge was Dr. Joseph Samuel Clark. Dr. Joseph S. Clark, an outstanding citizen in the Baton Rouge African American commmunity, presided over Baton Rouge College and the Louisiana Colored Teachers Association. In 1921, the Louisiana Constitutional Convention of 1921 authorized the reorganization and expansion of Southern University; and Legislative Act 100 of 1922 provided that the institution be reorganized under the control of the State Board of Education. Dr. Joseph S. Clark presided Southern University during a transitionary period for the institution. The student enrollment grew from forty-seven students to 500 students and many of the school's early buildings were built during this time. Dr. Joseph S. Clark presided until his retirement in 1938, in which the position was given to his son, Dr. Felton Grandison Clark. Dr. Felton G. Clark, a renowned speaker and gentleman, was the second president of Southern University. Under Dr. Clark's tenure at Southern University, the university went under tremendous growth. About 33 of 114 current buildings were erected in his 30 years at the university. The student enrollment grew from 500 to nearly 10,000 students and between him and his father, the treasury grew from 14,000 dollars to 10,000,000 million dollars. Due to the reluctancy of Louisiana State University Law School to admit African Americans in its' law program, a special Louisiana Convention allowed a law program to come to Southern University in 1947. The university was one of the first HBCU's(Historically Black Colleges and Universities)to receive a visit from a First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt in 1943. Also during his tenure, Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO)(1956) and Southern University at Shreveport/Bossier City Campus (SUSBO)(1964) were founded. They were later incorporated into the Southern University System in 1974. In 1969, the university saw a change of guard, when Dr. Felton G. Clark retired and Dr. Leon G. Netterville took over the reins of leadership. Unfortuantly, tragedy struck the Baton Rouge campus on 16 November 1972. Two students involved with "Students United" a student protest group on the campus; Denver Smith and Leonard Brown were shot and killed outside the Old Auditorium (now the Southern University Museum of Art.) The mumder, committed by a patrolman, has never been solved. Nevertheless, the institution continued to grow and in 1974 a special session in the Louisiana Congress established the Southern University System. The Southern University System consists of Southern University and A&M College, Baton Rouge, (SUBR); Southern University, New Orleans (SUNO); Southern University, Shreveport (SUSBO is a two year, commuter college) Southern University Law Center and The Southern University Agricultural Center.


The Presidents of Southern University:



(Early Southern University)

A.R. Gourrier, 1881

George Fayerweather, 1881-2

Rev. C.H. Thompson, 1882-3

Rev. J.H. Harrison, 1883-6

George W. Bathwell, 1886-7

H.A. Hill, 1887-1913

Modern Southern University

Dr. Joseph S. Clark, 1914-1938

Dr. Felton G. Clark, 1938-1969

Dr. Leon G. Netterville, 1969-1974

Dr. Jesse N. Stone 1974-1985

Dr. Joffre T. Whisenton , 1985-1988

Dr. Dolores Spikes, 1988-1996 (First female head of any college system in the U.S.)

Dr. Leon Tarver II, 1997-2005

Dr. Edward Jackson, (interim) 2005-

Colleges within the University



Honors College

University College

College of Agriculture, Family,& Consumer Sciences

College of Arts and Humanities

College of Business

College of Education

College of Engineering

College of Sciences

School of Architecture

School of Nursing

The Nelson Mandela School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs

All Southern University programs have 100 percent accrediation and is monitored by SACS.

Southern universal colors are columbia blue and gold and their nickname is the Jaguars. Southern University sports teams participate in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) which is a part of the NCAA Division I-A system (Football teams in the SWAC are in Division I-AA.) Southern University plays its archrival Grambling Tigers in the annual Bayou Classic, which is played in New Orleans at the Louisiana Superdome on NBC every Thanksgiving weekend.

Famous Alumni

Melvin "Kip" Holden, first African-American mayor of Baton Rouge.

Mel Blount, Played with the Pittsburg Steelers and President of NFL Players Association.

Aeneas Williams, Played with the Arizona Cardinals and St. Louis Rams.

Lt. Gen Russel Honore, Commander of the efforts to reviatalize the Gulf Coast from Hurricane Katrina and Rita.

Randy Jackson, music producer and judge of "American Idol" fame.

Lavell Crump, a.k.a "David Banner," music recording artist

Lou Brock, Played with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Rickie Weeks, Plays on the Milwaukee Brewers roster as 2nd baseman.

Source: Southern University Archives

External links


Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC)
Alabama A&M | Alabama State | Alcorn State | Arkansas - Pine Bluff
Grambling State | Jackson State | Mississippi Valley State
Prairie View A&M | Southern | Texas Southern
Image:SouthWesternAthleticConference 100.png
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