Florida A&M University facts for kids

Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University

Former names	Florida Agricultural and Mechanical College for Negroes (1909–1953) State Normal and Industrial College for Colored Students (1891–1909) State Normal College for Colored Students (1887–1891)
Motto	"Head, Heart, Hand, Field" "Excellence With Caring"
Type	Public historically black land-grant university
Established	October 3, 1887; 137 years ago (1887-10-03)
Parent institution	State University System of Florida
Accreditation	SACS
Academic affiliations	ORAU TMCF Space-grant
Endowment	$95.6 million (2020)
Budget	$375 million (2020)
President	Larry Robinson
Academic staff	687 (561 full-time)
Students	10,028 (fall 2023)
Location	Tallahassee , Florida , United States 30°25′04″N 84°17′04″W / 30.4178°N 84.2845°W / 30.4178; -84.2845
Campus	Midsize city, 422 acres (1.7 km2)
Other campuses	Crestview Orlando
Newspaper	The FAMUAN
Colors	Orange and green
Nickname	Rattlers and Lady Rattlers
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division I FCS – SWAC
Mascot	Venom the Rattlesnake

Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU), also known as Florida A&M, is a public university in Tallahassee, Florida. It's a special kind of university called a historically black land-grant university. This means it was founded to provide education for African American students and also received land from the government to help it grow.

FAMU was started in 1887. It is the third largest historically black university in the United States by student numbers. It's also the only public historically black university in Florida. FAMU is part of the State University System of Florida. It offers many different degrees, from bachelor's to doctoral degrees.

FAMU's sports teams are called the Rattlers. They compete in Division I of the NCAA, which is the highest level of college sports. They are part of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).

History of FAMU

How FAMU Started

The idea for FAMU began in 1885 with Jonathan C. Gibbs. He was a black abolitionist and a member of the Florida Legislature. He suggested creating the State Normal College for Colored Students. This was important because, at the time, a new Florida Constitution prevented schools from being racially integrated.

The college was built in Tallahassee. This area had a large African-American population because of its history as a center for the slave trade. The university's land was once a large plantation owned by Florida Governor William Pope Duval.

Early Years and Name Changes

Classes at the State Normal College for Colored Students began on October 3, 1887. Four years later, it became a land-grant college. This meant it received money from the government to teach agriculture and mechanical arts. Its name then changed to State Normal and Industrial College for Colored Students.

In 1905, the Buckman Act made it an official higher education institution. This act also helped create the University of Florida and Florida State University. In 1909, the college's name changed again to Florida Agricultural and Mechanical College for Negroes. Finally, in 1953, it became Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. FAMU is the only publicly funded historically black college or university that is still open in Florida today.

The historic Carnegie Library around 1930.

Student Protests and Growth

In 1923, students at FAMU protested. The governor wanted to change the university into a school that only taught job skills, not liberal arts (like history or literature). Students wanted to keep their liberal arts programs. This led to protests and the program was eventually restored.

In 1951, FAMU started programs for pharmacy and nursing. To help these students get real-world experience, the university built a hospital. For many years, the Florida A&M Hospital was the only hospital in the area that served African Americans. It closed in 1971 when other hospitals began serving all people.

FAMU students also played a role in the Civil Rights Movement. In 1956, two FAMU students were arrested, which helped start the Tallahassee bus boycott. This boycott worked to end racial segregation on city buses. In 1963, FAMU students also protested against segregation in Tallahassee.

Achievements and Challenges

FAMU has achieved many great things. In 1992, 1995, and 1997, FAMU attracted more top students through the National Achievement Scholars program than Harvard University. In 1997, Time magazine and Princeton Review named FAMU "College of the Year." In 1999, it was recognized for giving more bachelor's degrees to African Americans than any other school in the nation.

Like many universities, FAMU has faced challenges. In 2011, a sad incident involving hazing in the marching band led to changes and a period of probation for the university. In 2024, FAMU received a large donation that later faced questions about its value. The university paused its acceptance of the gift and started an investigation to make sure everything was correct.

FAMU Presidents

Academics at FAMU

FAMU offers a wide range of study programs. Students can choose from 54 bachelor's degrees, 29 master's degrees, and 12 doctoral degrees. The university has 14 different schools and colleges. There's also an honors program for students who achieve high grades.

FAMU is part of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund. This fund helps students at historically black colleges and universities.

Medical Scholars Program

In 2012, FAMU started the Medical Scholars Program (MSP). This program helps talented undergraduate students get ready for medical school. Only 10 freshmen are accepted into this special four-year program each year.

Specialized Programs

FAMU has nine fully funded "eminent-scholars chairs." These are special positions for top professors in fields like journalism, business, education, arts and sciences, and pharmacy.

It's also interesting that in FAMU's law school, there are twice as many women as men.

FAMU Colleges and Schools

FAMU offers undergraduate and graduate degrees through these colleges and schools:

Student Demographics

Most students at Florida A&M University are undergraduates. About 83% of the students are African-American. The next largest groups are White (non-Hispanic) students at 7% and Hispanic students at 6%. Other groups like multiracial, Asian, Native American, and international students make up the rest.

University Rankings

U.S. News & World Report is a well-known ranking system for colleges. In 2024, FAMU was ranked 170th among all national universities. It was also ranked 91st among public universities and third among all historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). It was even ranked first among public HBCUs! FAMU was also recognized for helping students move up in society, ranking 21st in "Social Mobility."

FAMU is known for its research. The National Science Foundation ranked FAMU 216th nationally for its research spending in 2017. The university's main research areas are agriculture and health sciences.

FAMU Campus

FAMU's main campus is in Tallahassee, Florida. It's located just south of the State Capitol and near Florida State University. FAMU also has a law school campus in Orlando, Florida. Its College of Pharmacy has other campuses in Miami, Jacksonville, Tampa, and Crestview, Florida.

Student Housing

Most first-year students at FAMU are required to live on campus. This is true if their families live more than 35 miles (56 km) away. Students who are married, have children, or are 21 years old or older by the start of classes are exceptions.

FAMU has eight on-campus residence halls that house over 2,500 students. There are different types of living spaces, including traditional dorms, suite-style halls, and on-campus apartments. In 2020, FAMU opened the FAMU Towers, a new residence hall with co-ed floors and 700 double rooms.

Historic Campus Buildings

FAMU campus, Lee Hall

The Florida A&M Tallahassee Campus has 132 buildings across 420 acres (1.7 km2). A part of the campus is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. This area is called the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical College Historic District. It was added to the list on May 9, 1996. The district includes 14 historic buildings and one object. The old Carnegie Library building on campus is also listed separately as a historic place.

Libraries and Research Centers

The Samuel H. Coleman Memorial Library is FAMU's main library. It's named after Samuel H. Coleman, who was a long-time president of the university's alumni association. After a fire destroyed the original library in 1905, Andrew Carnegie donated money to build a new one. The Coleman Library was built in 1948 and has been updated several times. It's a large facility with study rooms, a student lounge, and modern classrooms. The libraries hold nearly 2 million books and many e-books and e-journals.

The original Carnegie Library at FAMU was built in 1907. It was funded by Andrew Carnegie after the city of Tallahassee turned down his offer for a public library that would serve black patrons. Today, this historic building is home to the Southeastern Regional Black Archives Research Center and Museum.

FAMU also has 17 different research centers and institutes. These centers focus on many areas, including biological control, environmental justice, intelligent systems, international law, and public health.

Athletics at FAMU

FAMU's sports teams are called the Rattlers. They are part of the Southwestern Athletic Conference and compete in NCAA Division I-FCS.

FAMU offers many sports for men, including baseball, basketball, football, golf, and track and field. For women, there are sports like basketball, bowling, softball, tennis, and volleyball.

Football Success

FAMU's football team has a rich history. From 1938 to 1961, they won the Black College National Championship eight times. Six of these wins were under legendary head coach Jake Gaither. When Coach Gaither retired in 1969, his teams had an amazing record of 203 wins, 36 losses, and 4 ties. Many players from his teams went on to play in the National Football League. Gaither was even elected to the College Football Hall of Fame. In 1978, FAMU won the first-ever NCAA Division I-AA National Championship!

Other Sports Achievements

The men's basketball team has played in the opening round of the NCAA men's basketball tournament three times (1999, 2004, and 2007). The FAMU Wrestling Team also placed third in their region in 2008.

Student Life at FAMU

FAMU is one of the largest historically black colleges and universities in the country. It has nearly 10,000 students from all over the United States and other countries. People who are part of the FAMU community often call themselves "FAMUly" or members of "Rattler Nation." There are over 100 student organizations on campus.

Student Government Association

The Student Government Association (SGA) is the official voice for all students. It has three parts: the Executive, Judicial, and Legislative branches.

FAMU Royal Court

The FAMU Royal Court includes Miss FAMU, Mister FAMU, and other students who represent the university. Miss FAMU, Mister FAMU, and female "attendants" are chosen by student votes. Male "escorts" are chosen by Mister FAMU.

The Marching 100

The FAMU Marching 100

FAMU's marching band, known as The Marching 100, is very famous. They performed in the Presidential Inauguration Parades for Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. They have also performed at the Super Bowl and in the Rose Parade in California.

Student Media

FAMU students run several media outlets:

• The FAMUAN is the student newspaper.
• Journey Magazine is the student magazine.
• FAMU 20 TV is the university's TV news network.
• WANM 90.5 FM is the university's own radio station.

Notable Alumni

Many successful people have graduated from FAMU, including:

• Frederick S. Humphries (born 1935), a former president of FAMU who helped the university earn many awards.
• Althea Gibson (born 1927), the first African American to win a Grand Slam tennis title.
• Bob Hayes (born 1942), the only athlete to win both an Olympic gold medal and a Super Bowl ring. He was known as the "world's fastest human."
• Andre Dawson (born 1954), a Baseball Hall of Fame inductee and 8-time All-Star.
• Pam Oliver (born 1960/1961), a well-known sportscaster for NBA and NFL games.
• T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh (born 1962), an actress and singer.
• Kimberly Godwin, the first Black woman to lead a major American network's broadcast news division (ABC News).
• Keisha Lance Bottoms (born 1970), who served as the 60th mayor of Atlanta, Georgia.
• Common (rapper) (born 1972), a famous rapper and actor.
• Anika Noni Rose (born 1972), an actress and singer, best known as the voice of Princess Tiana in Disney's The Princess and the Frog.
• Will Packer (born 1974), a film producer known for many hit comedies.
• Andrew Gillum (born 1979), a former mayor of Tallahassee, Florida.
• Karamo Brown (born 1980), a host on the TV show Queer Eye.
• Ibram X Kendi (born 1982), a well-known author and professor.
• Roy Wood Jr. (born 1978), a comedian and actor, known from Daily Show.

Notable Faculty

• D. Antoinette Handy, a talented flautist and music scholar.

See also

In Spanish: Universidad Agrónoma y Mecánica de Florida para niños

• List of Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University alumni
• Florida Classic

Images for kids

• 

  Lee Hall around 1930.