Jump to content

Southern University

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 72.207.212.68 (talk) at 20:59, 24 June 2007 (→‎Notable Student Organizations). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Southern University
File:SU-SEAL.gif
Motto A People’s Institution Serving the State, the Nation, and the World
TypePublic Coeducational
Established1880
ChancellorEdward Jackson
PresidentRalph Slaughter
Undergraduates8,964
Postgraduates1,400
Location
Baton Rouge
,
Louisiana
,
U.S.
CampusUrban
Sports teamsJaguars
ColorsBlue & Gold
MascotLacumba the Jaguar
Websitewww.subr.edu
For other Southern University campuses, see Southern University System.

Southern University and A&M College is one of the most well-known historically black colleges and universities. Southern is located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in the United States. The concept of Southern University was put forth by P. B. S. Pinchback, T. T. Allain, and Henry Demas as an institution "for the education of persons of color" at the 1879 Louisiana State Constitutional Convention. In April 1880, the Louisiana General Assembly chartered Southern University, originally located in New Orleans. Southern opened its doors on 1881-03-07 with twelve students. One of the original locations of the early campus was the former Israel Sinai Temple Synagogue on Calliope Street, between St. Charles and Camp streets in New Orleans. Southern became a land grant school in 1890, and an Agricultural and Mechanical department was established. Due to continued growth and a lack of land for expansion, the university relocated to what was then Scotlandville, along Scott's Bluff facing the Mississippi River in 1914.

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. Clark, an outstanding citizen in the Baton Rouge African American community, presided over Baton Rouge College and the Louisiana Colored Teachers Association. 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. Clark presided over 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. Clark presided until his retirement in 1938, at which time the position was given to his son, Dr. Felton Grandison Clark, a renowned speaker and gentleman. Under his tenure, the university underwent 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 to $10,000,000. Due to the reluctance of LSU Law School to admit African Americans into 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 historically black colleges to receive a visit from a First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt, in 1943. Also during Clark's tenure, Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO) (1956) and Southern University at Shreveport/Bossier City (SUSLA) (1964) were founded. They were later incorporated into the Southern University System in 1974.

In 1969, the university saw a changing of the guard, when Felton Clark retired and Dr. Leon G. Netterville took over the reins of leadership. On November 16 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 murder, apparently committed by a patrolman, has never been solved. Nevertheless, the institution continued to grow and in 1974 a special session in the Louisiana Legislature 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 (SUSLA is a two-year, commuter college) Southern University Law Center and The Southern University Agricultural Center.

Southern University and its northern Louisiana rival, Grambling State University, participate in the Bayou Classic Football Game and other festivities (pageant, job fairs, street festival, concerts, Greek/Step Show and Battle Of The Bands) annually on the Thanksgiving Day weekend in New Orleans. The Classic is considered the "Grandfather" of all the college football classics that it has spawned in recent years. The game attracts upwards of over 400,000 alumni, students, fans and other revelers to New Orleans each year and has contributed hundreds of millions of dollars to New Orleans' economy since its inception in 1974. It is believed to be the largest gathering of African-Americans annually in the US. Due to Hurricane Katrina and subsequent damage to the Superdome in 2005, the game was moved to Houston, Texas, but it returned to New Orleans in 2006. It is the only historically black college or Division I-AA football game that is televised on a major network. NBC has carried the game live for over 15 years and each year it has become the highest rated college football telecast among African-Americans for the network. In addition, sports broadcaster ESPN chose the 2005 Bayou Classic as its highly sought-after locale for its most popular presentation, College GameDay with Lee Corso. It is the only time in the show's twenty year history that it was broadcast from a game involving teams from two historically black universities or Division I-AA schools.

The highly acclaimed Southern University A&M Colege "Human Jukebox" is internationally recognized as if not the top, one of the top marching bands in all of the world. Being Led by he greatest Band Director of all times Dr. Issac Greggs who turned what was once known as the original Marching 100's along with the Southern Bells, into The Human Jukebox, and the beautiful and talented Dancing Dolls. Dr. Greggs who is affectionately known as "Doc". served the band program for almost 51 years until he turned it over to Mr. Jackson at the end of 2005. Doc was known for his slogan "Often Imitated never ever duplicated".In addition to being featured in many television commercials, the Human Jukebox has been invited to participate in the annual Rose Parade in Pasadena, Californiaone of America's most popular parades,a few Presidential Inauguration ceremonies and several Super Bowl halftime presentations. USA Today named the band the number one marching band in the United States so many consecutive times till the magazine ceased from naming top marching bands. For many years, the band was one of the only bands in the U.S. that did not have any female members, but that has changed in recent years. Currently there are over 20 female members.

The first season of the reality television series College Hill on BET premiered in 2004 with the Southern University campus as its locale.

The university is currently in the midst of a major campus facelift with the recent completion of several new dormitories, on campus apartments,renovation of on-campus A.W. Mumford Stadium and plans for construction of other infrastructure.


Notable Student Organizations

Jno G. Lewis Jr. Ldge. 261 Is the only African American Prince Hall F&AM Lodge founded on an Historical Black College and Universities campus historically black universities. This lodge was founded on March 21, 1981 with 37 young men who wanted to hold Masonic discourse while in school for their enlightenment, while being separated from their own home state lodges. Having come from different areas of the United States and teachings of Masonry varying to some degree, they wanted to study together for communication. Hungry for secular and Masonic education while at Southern University, efforts were made to have a lodge established on the campus. This was the dream that became reality for Bro. Isadore E. Tansil, Sr., who is the founder of JNO. G. LEWIS, JR., LODGE 261 and the first Worshipful Master. Last year te lodge celebrated its 25th anniversary and held its annual "Jazzin with the G" which is a fundraiser for the Bro. Isadore E. Tansil, Sr. Scholarship Fund. There are various community service activities and social events that this lodge participates in the Greater Baton Rouge area. Members of this lodge range within various fields and levels of occupational leadership, that impact not only the Metro area of Baton Rouge, but also throughout the world.

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, 1887-1899

Modern Southern University

  • Dr. Joseph S. Clark, 1914-1938
  • Dr. George L. Netterville, 1969-1974
  • Dr. Jesse N. Stone 1974-1981
  • Dr. James J. Prestage 1982-1985
  • 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) 2005-2006
  • Dr. Ralph Slaughter 2006-

Colleges within the University

  • Honors College
  • University College
  • College of Agriculture, Family, and 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 are accredited and also are monitored by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).

Athletics

File:South 2629.gif
Southern University's mascot is the Jaguar

Southern's sports teams participate in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) which is a part of the NCAA Division I system. (Football teams in the SWAC are in Division I-AA.) Southern University's colors are columbia blue and gold and their mascot is the Jaguar.

Southern plays its archrival Grambling Tigers in the annual Bayou Classic in New Orleans at the Louisiana Superdome, telecast on NBC every Thanksgiving weekend. Due to Hurricane Katrina, this game was played in Reliant Stadium in Houston in 2005.

In 2006, Southern's Mens basketball team played Duke University in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Greensboro, North Carolina. The Jaguars played a closely contested game until Duke finally pulled away midway through the second half, eventually winning 70-54. This was Coach Rob Spivery's first season with the school and he was named SWAC coach of the year after winning both the regular season title and conference tournament. In 1993, unheralded Southern University added lore to the NCAA Tournament by defeating fourth-seeded Georgia Tech, one of the biggest upsets in the tournament's history. Avery Johnson, former NBA star who won a title with the San Antonio Spurs, graduated from Southern in 1988. Johnson is currently head coach of the Dallas Mavericks and was named NBA Coach Of The Year in 2006.

The 2005-2006 Women's basketball team also claimed a share of the SWAC regular season title and won the SWAC women's basketball tournament. This was Coach Sandy Pugh's third appearance in the NCAA tournament with the university.

The university's baseball team is a perennial power in the SWAC and has won more regular season championships than any other SWAC member. The first college player selected in the 2003 MLB draft was Southern star Rickie Weeks. Weeks went from obscurity coming out of high school in Florida to become the nation's top collegiate player. The Milwaukee Brewers made him their No. 1 pick, the highest a second baseman has ever been drafted in MLB Draft history.

Often accompanying the S.U. athletic teams is The legendary Southern University Human Jukebox, one of the top marching bands in the nation, with a rich tradition of entertaining millions of fans every year with their precision drills and powerful sound and having performed at several Super Bowls, Yankee Stadium, foreign countries, Bowl games, Presidential Inaugurations, Radio City Music Hall, television commercials and music videos, just to name a few.

Notable alumni

Business figures

  • Eric B. Lewis, founder and president of the Baton Rouge Black Chamber of Commerce.

Sports figures

Entertainers

Politicians

Military commanders

Notes

  1. ^ "2005-06 Fact Book" (PDF). Southern University. 2005. Retrieved 2006-09-12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

Louisiana's official site]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Southern_University&oldid=140377518"