Winston-Salem State University
Encyclopedia
Winston-Salem State University (WSSU), a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina
, is a historically black
public
research university located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
, United States
. It is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund
.
Winston-Salem State has been ranked #27 by U.S. News & World Report
in the Top Public Comprehensive Baccalaureate Colleges of the South for the last nine years (2001–2009).category. WSSU is a recognized regional institution offering baccalaureate and graduate programs to a diverse student population.
The oldest child of a brick layer and former slaves Allen and Eliza Atkins, Simon Green Atkins was born on June 11, 1863, in the village of Haywood, in Chatham County, North Carolina
, between Sanford and Raleigh. His town flourished during the period just after the Revolutionary War, but by the late 19th century the railroad and the neighboring town of Moncure had overshadowed it. At one time the area was considered as a location for the state capital as well as the state university. As a child, Atkins worked on a farm with his grandparents.
Atkins studied in the town school under pioneer black educators who came from St. Augustine’s Normal and Collegiate Institute (later St. Augustine’s College
in Raleigh). One of these was Anna Julia Cooper
, later prominent for her work as an activist, scholar, feminist, and school administrator in Washington, D.C. This cadre of educators went out into remote communities to teach rural blacks. Atkins also taught at the town school for a while before his college years, and in 1880 he enrolled in St. Augustine’s. He spent summers teaching in the rural schools of Chatham and Moore
counties.
After he graduated with distinction in 1884, renowned educator and orator Joseph Charles Price, president of Livingstone College
, an African Methodist Episcopal Zion church-supported institution in Salisbury, North Carolina
, invited Atkins to join his faculty. Atkins agreed and became grammar school department head. He spent six years at Livingstone (1884–90) and spent the last two years of his tenure there in the dual role as educator and treasurer of the college. During summer months he conducted institutes for black teachers in various counties.
The town educators of Winston (before its merger in 1913 with Salem to become Winston-Salem) lured Atkins to the post as principal of the Depot Street School, where he remained from 1890 to 1895. This was the state’s largest public school for African Americans. His work with the North Carolina Negro Teachers’ Association (NCNTA), which he helped to organize about 1881, had stimulated his interest in teacher-training schools for blacks. He directed this group as it established the foundation for a standard black teachers’ college in the state.
Soon after he began his duties at Depot Street, he intensified his efforts to build such a school for African Americans and sought assistance from the Winston Board of Trade, Chamber of Commerce, and local white residents. By then, the state had begun plans to fund an agricultural college for its African American residents; hearing this, Atkins sought funds to locate the new college in Winston. Local support for this move was good, as the black community donated $2,000, R. J. Reynolds of tobacco fame contributed $500, and Atkins obtained 50 acres (202,343 m²) of land along with the backing of the Chamber of Commerce. Although Atkins lobbied the state legislature in Raleigh on behalf of this plan, Winston and its residents lost out to nearby Greensboro, where citizens offered 14 acres (56,656 m²) of land and $11,000.
The university was established by Dr. Simon Green Atkins in 1892 with funds donated by industrialist John Fox Slater
. Chartered by the state of North Carolina in 1897 as Slater Industrial and State Normal School and renamed Winston-Salem Teachers College in 1925, it was the first African American institution in the United States to grant degrees in elementary teacher education. The name was changed to Winston-Salem State University in 1969, and it merged into the University of North Carolina
system in 1972.
organizations currently have chapters at Winston-Salem State University except Delta Sigma Theta sorority, who were recently suspended for a 10-year period in April 2010. The remaining organizations are:
Other National fraternities and sororities with registered chapters are members of the Council of Independent Greek Organizations. The current members on campus include:
in NCAA Division II. From the 2007-08 season through the 2009-10 season, it competed in the NCAA's Division I Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
(MEAC) .
Its colors are red and white and the university mascot is a ram.
In 1967, Winston-Salem State became the first Historically Black College to win an NCAA Basketball Championship. The Rams won the College Division Championship with a 31-1 record. They were led by high-scoring guard Earl Monroe
, who averaged an amazing 41.5 points per game that season before being selected second overall in the NBA Draft by the Baltimore Bullets.
University of North Carolina
Chartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century...
, is a historically black
Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Historically black colleges and universities are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before 1964 with the intention of serving the black community....
public
Public university
A public university is a university that is predominantly funded by public means through a national or subnational government, as opposed to private universities. A national university may or may not be considered a public university, depending on regions...
research university located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina, with a 2010 population of 229,617. Winston-Salem is the county seat and largest city of Forsyth County and the fourth-largest city in the state. Winston-Salem is the second largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region and is home to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund
Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund
The Thurgood Marshall College Fund , named for the U.S. Supreme Court's first African-American Justice, was established in 1987. TMCF supports and represents nearly 300,000 students attending 47-member schools, which include public Historically Black Colleges & Universities and Predominantly Black...
.
Winston-Salem State has been ranked #27 by U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is an American news magazine published from Washington, D.C. Along with Time and Newsweek it was for many years a leading news weekly, focusing more than its counterparts on political, economic, health and education stories...
in the Top Public Comprehensive Baccalaureate Colleges of the South for the last nine years (2001–2009).category. WSSU is a recognized regional institution offering baccalaureate and graduate programs to a diverse student population.
History
Dr. Simon Green Atkins distinguished himself in his home state of North Carolina as an advocate of teacher-training programs for African Americans. He founded a small school, Winston-Salem Teachers College, that he developed into Winston-Salem State University, a four-year institution, and oversaw its transition from private to state control. His abiding interest in teacher-training also led him to become a founder of the North Carolina Negro Teachers Association.The oldest child of a brick layer and former slaves Allen and Eliza Atkins, Simon Green Atkins was born on June 11, 1863, in the village of Haywood, in Chatham County, North Carolina
Chatham County, North Carolina
Chatham County is a county located in the Piedmont area of the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2000, the population was 49,329. Its county seat is Pittsboro.-History:...
, between Sanford and Raleigh. His town flourished during the period just after the Revolutionary War, but by the late 19th century the railroad and the neighboring town of Moncure had overshadowed it. At one time the area was considered as a location for the state capital as well as the state university. As a child, Atkins worked on a farm with his grandparents.
Atkins studied in the town school under pioneer black educators who came from St. Augustine’s Normal and Collegiate Institute (later St. Augustine’s College
St. Augustine's College (Raleigh)
Saint Augustine's College is a historically black college located in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. The college was founded in 1867 in Raleigh, North Carolina by prominent Episcopal clergy for the education of freed slaves.- History :...
in Raleigh). One of these was Anna Julia Cooper
Anna J. Cooper
Anna Julia Haywood Cooper was an author, educator, speaker and one of the most prominent African American scholars in United States history. Upon receiving her Ph.D in history from the University of Paris-Sorbonne in 1924, Cooper became the fourth African American woman to earn a doctoral degree...
, later prominent for her work as an activist, scholar, feminist, and school administrator in Washington, D.C. This cadre of educators went out into remote communities to teach rural blacks. Atkins also taught at the town school for a while before his college years, and in 1880 he enrolled in St. Augustine’s. He spent summers teaching in the rural schools of Chatham and Moore
Moore County, North Carolina
Moore County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2000, the population was 74,769. Its county seat is Carthage.- History :The county was formed in 1784 from Cumberland County...
counties.
After he graduated with distinction in 1884, renowned educator and orator Joseph Charles Price, president of Livingstone College
Livingstone College
Livingstone College is a private, historically black, four-year college in Salisbury, North Carolina. It is affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church...
, an African Methodist Episcopal Zion church-supported institution in Salisbury, North Carolina
Salisbury, North Carolina
Salisbury is a city in Rowan County in North Carolina, a state of the United States of America. The population was 33,663 in the 2010 Census . It is the county seat of Rowan County...
, invited Atkins to join his faculty. Atkins agreed and became grammar school department head. He spent six years at Livingstone (1884–90) and spent the last two years of his tenure there in the dual role as educator and treasurer of the college. During summer months he conducted institutes for black teachers in various counties.
The town educators of Winston (before its merger in 1913 with Salem to become Winston-Salem) lured Atkins to the post as principal of the Depot Street School, where he remained from 1890 to 1895. This was the state’s largest public school for African Americans. His work with the North Carolina Negro Teachers’ Association (NCNTA), which he helped to organize about 1881, had stimulated his interest in teacher-training schools for blacks. He directed this group as it established the foundation for a standard black teachers’ college in the state.
Soon after he began his duties at Depot Street, he intensified his efforts to build such a school for African Americans and sought assistance from the Winston Board of Trade, Chamber of Commerce, and local white residents. By then, the state had begun plans to fund an agricultural college for its African American residents; hearing this, Atkins sought funds to locate the new college in Winston. Local support for this move was good, as the black community donated $2,000, R. J. Reynolds of tobacco fame contributed $500, and Atkins obtained 50 acres (202,343 m²) of land along with the backing of the Chamber of Commerce. Although Atkins lobbied the state legislature in Raleigh on behalf of this plan, Winston and its residents lost out to nearby Greensboro, where citizens offered 14 acres (56,656 m²) of land and $11,000.
The university was established by Dr. Simon Green Atkins in 1892 with funds donated by industrialist John Fox Slater
John Fox Slater
John Fox Slater , United States philanthropist known for assisting in the education of emancipated African American slaves.-Early life and career:...
. Chartered by the state of North Carolina in 1897 as Slater Industrial and State Normal School and renamed Winston-Salem Teachers College in 1925, it was the first African American institution in the United States to grant degrees in elementary teacher education. The name was changed to Winston-Salem State University in 1969, and it merged into the University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina
Chartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century...
system in 1972.
Academics
Winston-Salem State offers over 40 academic majors and 7 graduate degrees. The school enrolls approximately 6,400 students and employs over 200 staff members.- Average high school GPA: 3.15 (weighted), 2.92 (unweighted)
- Average SAT scores: 950, 25% lower and 25% higher
- 65% of freshman applicants are accepted
National fraternities and sororities
All of the National Pan-Hellenic CouncilNational Pan-Hellenic Council
The National Pan-Hellenic Council is a collaborative organization of nine historically African American, international Greek lettered fraternities and sororities. The nine NPHC organizations are sometimes collectively referred to as the "Divine Nine"...
organizations currently have chapters at Winston-Salem State University except Delta Sigma Theta sorority, who were recently suspended for a 10-year period in April 2010. The remaining organizations are:
| Organization | Symbol | Chapter | Chapter Symbol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpha Kappa Alpha Alpha Kappa Alpha Alpha Kappa Alpha is the first Greek-lettered sorority established and incorporated by African American college women. The sorority was founded on January 15, 1908, at Howard University in Washington, D.C., by a group of nine students, led by Ethel Hedgeman Lyle... sorority |
ΑΚΑ | Gamma Lambda | ΓΛ |
| Alpha Phi Alpha Alpha Phi Alpha Alpha Phi Alpha is the first Inter-Collegiate Black Greek Letter fraternity. It was founded on December 4, 1906 at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Its founders are known as the "Seven Jewels". Alpha Phi Alpha developed a model that was used by the many Black Greek Letter Organizations ... fraternity |
ΑΦΑ | Beta Iota | BI |
| Iota Phi Theta fraternity | ΙΦΘ | Kappa | Κ |
| Kappa Alpha Psi Kappa Alpha Psi Kappa Alpha Psi is a collegiate Greek-letter fraternity with a predominantly African American membership. Since the fraternity's founding on January 5, 1911 at Indiana University Bloomington, the fraternity has never limited membership based on color, creed or national origin... fraternity |
ΚΑΨ | Delta Chi | ΔΧ |
| Omega Psi Phi Omega Psi Phi Omega Psi Phi is a fraternity and is the first African-American national fraternal organization to be founded at a historically black college. Omega Psi Phi was founded on November 17, 1911, at Howard University in Washington, D.C.. The founders were three Howard University juniors, Edgar Amos... fraternity |
ΩΨΦ | Mu Epsilon | ΜΕ |
| Phi Beta Sigma Phi Beta Sigma Phi Beta Sigma is a predominantly African-American fraternity which was founded at Howard University in Washington, D.C. on January 9, 1914, by three young African-American male students. The founders A. Langston Taylor, Leonard F. Morse, and Charles I... fraternity |
ΦΒΣ | Delta Alpha | ΔΑ |
| Sigma Gamma Rho Sigma Gamma Rho Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. was founded on the campus of Butler University on November 12, 1922, by seven school teachers in Indianapolis, Indiana... sorority |
ΣΓΡ | Rho | Ρ |
| Zeta Phi Beta Zeta Phi Beta Zeta Phi Beta is an international, historically black Greek-lettered sorority and a member of the National Pan-Hellenic Council.Zeta Phi Beta is organized into 800+ chapters, in eight intercontinental regions including the USA, Africa, Europe, Asia and the Caribbean... sorority |
ΖΦΒ | Omega | Ω |
Other National fraternities and sororities with registered chapters are members of the Council of Independent Greek Organizations. The current members on campus include:
| Organization | Symbol | Chapter | Chapter Symbol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia is an American collegiate social fraternity for men with a special interest in music... fraternity |
ΦΜΑ | Mu Beta | ΜΒ |
| Tau Beta Sigma Tau Beta Sigma Tau Beta Sigma is a co-educational national honorary band sorority dedicated to serving college and university bands. The Sorority, headquartered at the historic Stillwater Station in Stillwater, Oklahoma, numbers over 3,500 active members in 145 active chapters, and over 40,000 alumni... honorary band sorority |
ΤΒΣ | Theta Upsilon | ΘΥ |
| Kappa Kappa Psi Kappa Kappa Psi Kappa Kappa Psi is a fraternity for college and university band members. It was founded on November 27, 1919 at Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College in Stillwater, Oklahoma. William Scroggs, now regarded as the "Founder," together with "Mr. Kappa Kappa Psi" A... honorary band fraternity |
ΚΚΨ | Kappa Lambda | ΚΛ |
| Pi Sigma Epsilon Pi Sigma Epsilon 'ΠΣΕ ' is the only national, professional fraternal organization in sales, marketing, and management in the United States. The fraternity was developed by four members of the Sales and Marketing Executives association of Atlanta, Georgia... professional sales, marketing, and management fraternity |
ΠΣΕ | Zeta Lambda | ΖΛ |
| Alpha Nu Omega Alpha Nu Omega Alpha Nu Omega is a national Greek letter organization founded in 1988 that comprises both a fraternity and sorority under one Constitution. The Constitution mandates that both branches of ANQ are Christian social Greek letter organizations.-History:... christian sorority |
ΑΝΩ | Pi | Π |
| Kappa Omicron Tau sorority | ΚΟΤ | Beta Lambda | BΛ |
| Chi Eta Phi Chi Eta Phi Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Inc is a professional association for registered professional nurses and student nurses. Both men and women can become members. The Sorority has more than 8000 memembers. There are over 81 graduate chapters and 39 undergraduate chapters located in 26 stats, District of... nursing sorority |
ΧΗΦ | Chi Chi Beta | ΧΧΒ |
| Alpha Phi Omega Alpha Phi Omega Alpha Phi Omega is the largest collegiate fraternity in the United States, with chapters at over 350 campuses, an active membership of approximately 17,000 students, and over 350,000 alumni members... service fraternity |
ΑΦΩ | Tau Chi | ΤΧ |
| Swing Phi Swing social fellowship | SΦS | Groove |
Athletics
Winston-Salem State University is currently a part of the CIAACentral Intercollegiate Athletic Association
The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association is a college athletic conference, mostly consisting of historically black colleges and universities. Recent addition Chowan University is the first non-HBCU to play in the conference. Conference teams participate in the NCAA's Division II...
in NCAA Division II. From the 2007-08 season through the 2009-10 season, it competed in the NCAA's Division I Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference is a collegiate athletic conference of historically black colleges and universities in the Southeastern United States...
(MEAC) .
Its colors are red and white and the university mascot is a ram.
In 1967, Winston-Salem State became the first Historically Black College to win an NCAA Basketball Championship. The Rams won the College Division Championship with a 31-1 record. They were led by high-scoring guard Earl Monroe
Earl Monroe
Vernon Earl Monroe is an American former professional basketball player known for his flamboyant dribbling, passing, and play-making. His nicknames is "Earl the Pearl".-Early years:...
, who averaged an amazing 41.5 points per game that season before being selected second overall in the NBA Draft by the Baltimore Bullets.
Notable alumni
|}Notable faculty and staff
External links
- www.wssu.edu -- Official web site