Claflin University facts for kids
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Former names
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Claflin College |
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| Motto | "The World Needs Visionaries" |
| Type | Private, HBCU |
| Established | 1869 |
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Religious affiliation
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United Methodist Church UNCF |
| Endowment | $48.6 million |
| President | Dwaun J. Warmack |
| Students | 1,830 |
| Location |
,
,
United States
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| Campus | Urban, 40 acres (16 ha) |
| Colors | Orange & Maroon |
| Nickname | Panthers and Lady Panthers |
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Sporting affiliations
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NCAA Division II, Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association |
Claflin University is a private university in Orangeburg, South Carolina. It is a Historically Black University (HBCU). It was started in 1869, right after the American Civil War. Northern missionaries created it to educate formerly enslaved people and their children. Today, Claflin offers many different bachelor's and master's degrees.
History
Claflin University was first called Claflin College. It was founded in 1869 by Alonzo Webster, a minister. He was part of the Methodist Episcopal Church, which is now the United Methodist Church. Claflin College opened its doors on October 27, 1869.
Webster came from Vermont to South Carolina to teach. He was a missionary at the Baker Bible Institute in Charleston. This school trained African American ministers. In 1870, the Baker Biblical Institute joined with Claflin University.
Webster received permission from South Carolina to create a college. This college was for formerly enslaved people. It helped them become full American citizens. Claflin University is the oldest historically black college or university in South Carolina. It was also the first college in the state to welcome all students. This included people of any race or gender. It was also the first Black college to offer courses in architectural drawing.
The university was named after two Methodist churchmen. They were Massachusetts Governor William Claflin and his father, Lee Claflin. They gave a lot of money to buy the 43-acre campus. Alonzo Webster was Claflin's first president. He had been on Claflin's board of trustees before. Since Webster, Claflin has had eight more presidents.
In 1872, the South Carolina State Agricultural and Mechanical Institute became part of Claflin University. But in 1896, the state decided to separate them. The State Agricultural and Mechanical Institute became its own school. This school eventually became South Carolina State University.
In 2020, writer and giver MacKenzie Scott donated $20 million to Claflin University. This was the largest single gift in Claflin's history.
Presidents
- Alonzo Webster (1869–1872)
- Edward Cooke (1872–1884)
- Lewis M. Dunton (1884–1922)
- Joseph B. Randolph (1922–1944)
- John J. Seabrook (1945–1955)
- Hubert V. Manning (1956–1984)
- Oscar A. Rogers (1984–1994)
- Henry N. Tisdale (1994–2019)
- Dwaun Warmack (2019–present)
Academics
Claflin University offers degrees through four main schools:
- School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
- School of Humanities and Social Sciences
- School of Business
- School of Education
Student Life
Athletics
Claflin University's sports teams are called the Panthers. The university is part of the Division II level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Since 2018, they have mostly competed in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA). Before that, they were in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) and the Eastern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (EIAC).
Claflin has ten different sports teams. These include men's basketball, baseball, cross country, and track & field. Women's sports include basketball, cheerleading, cross country, softball, track & field, and volleyball.
The university also has an all-girl cheerleading team. They support the sports teams and represent the university. There is also a pep band.
Student Organizations
There are over 50 student groups at Claflin University. These include several honor societies. There are also chapters for eight of the nine National Pan-Hellenic Council organizations. These are often called Greek letter fraternities and sororities.
Notable Alumni
| Name | Class year | Notability | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Charles Bates | did not graduate | Taught at Claflin and designed campus buildings. | |
| Gloria Rackley Blackwell | 1953 | A civil rights activist and professor. | |
| William Wilson Cooke | 1893, 1902 | An architect who designed buildings at Claflin. He was the first Black architect in the U.S. Treasury's office. | |
| Joseph H. Jefferson | 1970 | A member of the South Carolina House of Representatives. | |
| E. Roger Mitchell | 1993 | An actor known for roles in The Walking Dead and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. | |
| Ernest Newman | 1948 | The first African-American bishop of the Tennessee Conference of the United Methodist Church. | |
| Arthur Rose Sr. | 1950 | Chaired the Art Department at Claflin. The Arthur Rose Museum is named for him. | |
| James S. Thomas | 1939 | The first African-American bishop of the Iowa Conference of the United Methodist Church. | |
| Henry N. Tisdale | B.S. 1965 | The eighth president of Claflin University. He was the first African-American to get a PhD in mathematics at Dartmouth College. | |
| Leo Twiggs | 1956 | An artist and educator. He was the first African American to get a doctorate of Arts from the University of Georgia. | |
| Cecil J. Williams | 1960 | A photographer who documented the civil rights movement in South Carolina. | |
| Bryan Andrew Wilson | 2004 | A gospel music artist. |
