Grambling State University

A century of educating minority students

February 16, 2001
Web posted at: 8:49 PM EST (0149 GMT)

In this story: Former slaves begin the university A town sprouts up around the university RELATED STORIES, SITES Student Bureau by month Student Bureau by topic

By LaJena Smith
Grambling State University
Grambling, Louisiana

GRAMBLING, La. (CNNSB) - In this small, quiet town of working families and students, a celebration is brewing -- Grambling State University is turning 100 years old.

VIDEO CNN Student Bureau's Marlena Villery reports on Grambling State University's 100 years of service Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)    ALSO Half-time legends: The Grambling Tiger Marching Band marches on

The centennial kickoff on January 26 featured a parade, pep rally and fireworks. The theme for the year-long celebration is "Celebrating a Century of Excellence."

Many people wonder why anyone would come to a school in such an isolated area, nestled in north Louisiana with Interstate 20 as its main thoroughfare between Texas and Mississippi, but students say GSU offers great opportunities.

"I came to this school because people care about what your future holds, and not only do they care, but they want you to get the best so they extend their hand to help at any opportunity," said GSU freshman Shavela Payte, 18.

The motto of college students here is that Grambling is a place "where everybody is somebody," but there was a time when this historically black college had hardly anybody.

GSU students and mascot surround the bust of founding president Charles P. Adams.

Former slaves began forming the privately owned college, then the Colored Industrial and Agricultural School, before the turn of the 20th century to offer a place for the children of black farmers to go to school. At the time, society restricted the best educational facilities to white families, making it hard for black children in north Louisiana to get a formal education. In 1896, 1,500 north Louisiana ex-slaves banned together and formed the North Louisiana Colored Agricultural Relief Association to address educational issues. Two years later, the association purchased 25 acres to build a school.

But that wasn't enough. The farmers wrote a letter to Booker T. Washington, founder of Alabama's Tuskegee Institute, seeking assistance. The association felt it needed someone with formal training to run their school. Washington recommended Charles P. Adams as the school's first president. And on Nov.1, 1901, Adams opened the doors to the university.

When Adams arrived in town, the school site was a dense forest of sweet gum and pine trees. The community was isolated, but it had a small sawmill that was the hub of activity. Eventually, new families moved in and cleared away the forest. "Chief" is what they called Adams.

Charles P. Adams in 1926

Edward Adams was a little boy back then.

"It wasn't a town at the time" said the grandson of Charles Adams. "There were families that lived here that produced their own crops just trying to make a living for their families.

Grambling, the town, and Grambling, the school, are both quite different 100 years later. Current school enrollment is approximately 4,800. And on November 1, 2001, the school will mark its centennial birthday counting more than 40,000 graduates since it opened 100 years ago.

Grambling was the first all-black municipality in Louisiana to be officially incorporated. Still composed mostly of African-Americans, the town is the fastest growing municipality in Lincoln Parish. Though it only has a population of 5,000 people, Grambling is no longer just a farming community. It is now commonly identified with the university.

Where there was once only one building on 25 acres, approximately 90 buildings cover a 383-acre campus today. Another significant change also has occured. In 1901, tuition was just $5. Teachers were paid with commodities, such as flour, peas and potatoes. The cost to attend Grambling now is approximately $2,500 per semester for in-state students and $5,200 for students who have out-of-state residency -- quite a contrast from the prices of yesteryear.

Today, Grambling attracts students with a variety of interests. They have gone on to become doctors, politicians and many other types of professionals.

"If you can survive in Grambling, you can survive anything," said GSU sophomore Travis Massey. "This school teaches survival, which is life, so here you choose how to live your life."

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Centennial monument
The official website of Grambling State University

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