Florida A&M University
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| Motto | Excellence With Caring |
|---|---|
| Established | 1887 |
| Type | Public |
| Endowment | $119 million |
| President | Dr. Castell V. Bryant (interim president) |
| Faculty | 620 |
| Students | 12,792 |
| Undergraduates | 11,223 |
| Location | Tallahassee, Florida, USA |
| Campus | Urban, 419 acres (1.70 km²) |
| Colors | Orange and Green |
| Nickname | Rattlers |
| Mascot | Rattlesnake |
| Website | www.famu.edu |
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, commonly known as Florida A&M or FAMU (pronounced fam-you), is a historically black university located in Tallahassee, Florida and is one of eleven institutions in Florida's State University System.
Florida A&M University student enrollment population consists primarily of undergraduates (students enrolled at the lower division). The University offers 62 bachelor's degrees in 103 majors/tracks. 36 master's degrees with 56 majors/tracks are offered within eleven of the University's 13 schools and colleges. Two professional degrees and eleven PhD degree programs are offered.
Most recently Florida A&M has become the number-one College for African Americans in the country according to Black Enterprise Magazine's September 2006 issue. This ranking is due mostly to the high graduation rate, as well as the high academic and social atmosphere. FAMU is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund. In the fall of 1997, FAMU was selected as the TIME Magazine-Princeton Review "College of the Year" and was cited in 1999 by Black Issues in Higher Education for awarding more baccalaureate degrees to African-Americans than any institutions in the nation. A perennial leader in the recruitment of National Achievement Scholars (NAS), FAMU tied Harvard in fall 2000 and was No.1 in the nation in recruiting NAS in 1992,1995, and 1997.
FAMU has eight fully-funded endowed eminent scholars chairs including two in School of Journalism and Graphic Communications, four in the School of Business & Industry, one in the College of Education, one in Arts and Sciences, and one in its School of Pharmacy, which also has the largest enrollment of African-American Ph.D. students in the country.
FAMU's sports teams are called the Rattlers. The "Marching 100," FAMU's marching band, is world-famous and often travels to high-profile celebrations and functions. The Marching 100 was one of the first "show bands," known for high energy dance performances and gymnastics on the field. The Marching 100, under the direction of Dr. William P. Foster, was invited by the French government to participate in the Bastille Day Parade as the official representation from the United States. This event was held in celebration of the Bicentennial of the French Revolution. The Marching 100 continues to perfect its legacy of excellence, which has resulted in it being labeled as the "Best Marching Band in the Nation" by Sports Illustrated (August, 1992). The band received national recognition in January 1993, when it performed in the 52nd Inauguration Parade in Washington D.C. by invitation of President-Elect Bill Clinton.
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[edit] History
On October 3, 1887, the State Normal College for Colored Students began classes, and became a land grant university four years later when it received $7,500 under the Second Morrill Act, and its name was changed to State Normal and Industrial College for Colored Students. However, it was not an official institution of higher learning until the 1905 Buckman Act, which transferred control from the Board of Education to the Board of Control, creating what was the foundation for the modern Florida A&M University. This same act is responsible for the creation of the University of Florida and Florida State University from their previous institutions. In 1909, the name of the college was once again changed to Florida Agricultural and Mechanical College for Negroes, and in 1953 the name was finally changed to Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University.
FAMU is noted for its School of Business & Industry (SBI) and College of Pharmacy. The School of Architecture, School of Journalism, and College of Engineering are also highly acclaimed. The university marching band, known as the Marching "100", has become the standard for marching band programs around the world.
The FAMU Rattlers football team was a powerhouse in the middle of the 20th Century. From 1938 to 1961 it won the Black College National Championship eight times, including six times under head coach Jake Gaither, in 1950, 1952, 1954, 1957, 1959 and 1961. When Gaither retired after 25 years of coaching in 1969, his FAMU teams had a 203-36-4 (wins-losses-ties) record, for a .844 winning percentage. Thirty-six players from Gaither's teams were All-Americans, and 42 went on to play in the National Football League. During his 25 years as head coach, FAMU won 22 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships. Gaither was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1975.
| Florida Agricultural and Mechanical College Historic District | |
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| IUCN Category V (Protected Landscape/Seascape) | |
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| Location: | Leon County, Florida, USA |
| Nearest city: | Tallahassee, Florida |
| Area: | 370 acres |
| Established: | May 9, 1996 |
| Governing body: | National Park Service |
[edit] National historic status
Part of the campus is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places as the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical College Historic District. It received that designation on May 9, 1996. The district is centered along the section of Martin Luther King Boulevard that goes through the campus. According to the National Register, it covers 370 acres, and contains 14 historic buildings and 1 object.
[edit] Presidents
Thomas DeSaille Tucker 1887-1901 Nathan B. Young 1901-1923 W.H.A. Howard* 1923-1924 John Robert Edward Lee, Sr. 1924-1944 J.B. Bragg* 1944 William H. Gray, Jr. 1944-1949 George W. Gore, Jr. 1950-1968 Benjamin L. Perry, Jr. 1968-1977 Walter L. Smith 1977-1985 Frederick S. Humphries 1985-2001 Henry Lewis - Interim 2001-2002 Dr. Fred Gainous 2002-2004 Dr. Castell Bryant - Interim 2005-Present
[edit] Notable alumni
- Julian "Cannonball" Adderley, jazz alto saxophonist
- Nat Adderley, jazz cornetist
- Kimberlee Borland, Miss Black Universe 2006
- Corrine Brown, U.S. Congresswoman
- Vince Coleman, former MLB player
- Common, rapper and entertainer
- Andre Dawson, former MLB player
- Glen Edwards, former NFL player
- Willie Galimore, former NFL player
- Althea Gibson, tennis player
- Marquis Grissom, MLB player
- Bob Hayes, football player, Olympic gold medalist
- Earl Holmes, former NFL player
- Jerome James, NBA player
- T'Keyah Crystal Keymah, actress
- Kwame Kilpatrick, Mayor of Detroit
- Hal McRae, former MLB player and manager
- Nate Newton, former NFL player
- Ken Riley, former NFL player
- Anika Noni Rose, Tony Award-winning actress
- Sticman and M-1, member of hip-hop group Dead Prez
- John W. Thompson, CEO of Symantec
- Roy Wood, Jr., comedian and disc jockey
- Kendrick Meek, U.S. Congressman
- Carrie P. Meek, former U.S. Congresswoman
- Casey Printers, CFL quarterback
- Alcee L. Hastings, U.S. Congressman
- David Scott, U.S. Congressman
- Keith Clinkscales, businessman and media mogul
- Smitty, rapper and producer
[edit] References
- Rattler Foorball - A. S. "Jake" Gaither - URL retrieved June 25 2006
- Black College National Champions - URL retrieved June 25 2006
- Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference History - URL retrieved June 25 2006
[edit] External links
- Official website
- Official athletics webiste
- Official alumni website
- Marching 100 Video clip. From the State Library & Archives of Florida.
- Leon County listings at National Register of Historic Places
Categories: IUCN Category V | Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference | Educational institutions established in 1887 | Florida A&M University | Florida A&M University alumni | Land-grant universities | Historically black universities and colleges in the United States | Leon County, Florida | Public universities | Registered Historic Places in Florida | Urban 13 universities
