Founded as Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute in 1881, Tuskegee University is a private, historically black college located in Tuskegee, Alabama. Its 5,000-acre campus forms the Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site. As of 2009 the university has an enrollment of 2,510 undergraduates and 890 postgraduates and employs about 900 faculty and support personnel. A total of 49 degrees (39 Bachelor's, 13 Master's, 2 Doctor's of Philosophy) are offered in five schools -- College of Agricultural, Environmental and Natural Sciences; College of Business and Information Services; College of Engineering, Architecture and Physical Sciences; College of Liberal Arts and Education; College of Veterinary Medicine, Nursing and Allied Health. Tuskegee is also home to the National Center for Bioethics in Research and Health Care, the nation's first bioethics center devoted to engaging the sciences, humanities, law and religious faiths in the exploration of the core moral issues which underlie research and medical treatment of African-Americans and other underserved people. It opened two years after President Bill Clinton apologized on behalf of the nation for the federal government's use of 399 poor African-American sharecroppers in a study on the treatment and natural history of syphilis, most of them without their knowledge, from 1932 to 1972.

History

Tuskegee was the brainchild of Lewis Adams, a former slave, and George W. Campbell, a former slave owner. Adams could read, write and speak several languages despite having no formal education, and was an acknowledged leader of the African-American community in Macon County. He was concerned that former slaves would be unable to support themselves if they were not educated; Campbell agreed and contributed what resources he could to make Adams' dream come true.

The dream became reality when W.F. Foster, a white candidate for the Alabama Senate, asked Adams what he would want in return for the black vote in Macon County. Adams said he wanted a normal (teaching) school for free men and freed slaves. After Foster and fellow candidate Arthur L. Brooks were elected they followed through on their promise and got legislation passed authorizing $2,000 to create the school. An organizing committee was formed, which hired Booker T. Washington, a former slave, to be the school's first president; Washington would hold that position until his death in 1915.

Tuskegee Normal and Industrial School opened in space borrowed from a church on July 4, 1881. The following year Washington bought the grounds of a former plantation, and the campus remains on that site to this day. The first buildings were constructed by students, many of whom were paid with a free education. In 1892 the Alabama Legislature passed a law giving the Institute the right to act independent of the State of Alabama.

The famed Tuskegee Airmen were formed here in 1941.

The Tuskegee campus was declared a National Historic Landmark on April 2, 1966, and became a National Historic Site on October 26, 1974.

Tuskegee Institute became fully accredited in 1985 and its name was formally changed to Tuskegee University that same year.

Notable Graduates
name (year of degree) -- achievement

The Commodores -- musical group
Ralph Ellison -- novelist and literary critic
General Daniel "Chappie" James (1942) -- first African-American to reach the rank of Four-Star General, in 1975
Ray Nagin (1978) -- Mayor of New Orleans
Keenan Ivory Wayans -- actor, comedian and television producer

The official website of Tuskegee University is www.tuskegee.edu

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The Commodores

This page was last updated on 12/21/2009.