Jackson State University has a distinguished history, rich in the tradition of educating young men and women for leadership, having undergone seven name changes as it grew and developed.
Founded as
Natchez Seminary in 1877 by the American Baptist Home mission Society, the
school was established as Natchez, Mississippi "for the moral, religious and
intellectual improvement of Christian leaders of the colored people of Mississippi
and the neighboring states." In November 1882, the school was moved to Jackson;
in March 1899, the curriculum was expanded and the name was changed to Jackson
College.
The state assumed support of the college in 1940, assigning to it the mission
of training teachers. Subsequently, between 1953 and 1956, the curriculum
was expanded to include a graduate program and bachelor's programs in the
arts and sciences; the name was then changed to Jackson State College in 1956.
Further expansion of the curriculum and a notable building program preceded
the elevation of Jackson State College to university status on March 15, 1974.
In 1979, Jackson State was officially designated the Urban University
of the State of Mississippi. Presently, Jackson State University, a public,
coeducational institution, is supported by legislative appropriations supplemented
by student fees and federal and private grants.
