Hampton University facts for kids
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Former names
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Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute (1868–1930) Hampton Institute (1930–1984) |
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| Motto | "The Standard of Excellence, An Education for Life" |
| Type | Private historically black research university |
| Established | September 17, 1861 |
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Academic affiliations
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Space-grant |
| Endowment | $280.6 million (2020) |
| Chancellor | JoAnn Haysbert |
| President | Darrell K. Williams |
| Provost | JoAnn Haysbert |
| Students | 3,516 (Fall 2021) |
| Undergraduates | 3,063 (Fall 2021) |
| Postgraduates | 453 (Fall 2021) |
| Location |
,
U.S.
37°01′21″N 76°20′05″W / 37.02250°N 76.33472°W |
| Campus | Suburban, 314 acres (127 ha) |
| Newspaper | The Hampton Script |
| Colors | Blue & white |
| Nickname | Pirates |
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Sporting affiliations
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NCAA Division I (FCS) – CAA |
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Hampton University is a private university in Hampton, Virginia. It is known as a historically black university (HBCU). This means it was founded to educate African American students. The university started in 1868. It was first called the Hampton Agricultural and Industrial School.
Leaders from the American Missionary Association created it after the American Civil War. Their goal was to provide education for freedmen, who were formerly enslaved people. The campus has the Hampton University Museum. This museum is the oldest museum in the U.S. that focuses on the African diaspora. It is also the oldest museum in Virginia.
Hampton University's main campus is on 314 acres. It sits right on the banks of the Hampton River. The university offers many different programs. These include bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. Hampton University is also a major research university. It has 16 research centers. One of them is the Hampton University Proton Therapy Institute. This is the biggest facility of its kind in the world.
Contents
History of Hampton University
Hampton University was built on land called "Little Scotland." This used to be a plantation in Elizabeth City County. It was near Fortress Monroe. During the American Civil War, many formerly enslaved people came to this area for safety. They sought refuge with the Union Army.
In 1861, the American Missionary Association helped these people. They hired Mary Smith Peake as the first teacher. She had been secretly teaching enslaved and free Black people. She taught her first class on September 17, 1861. She often gathered her students under a large oak tree.
In 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation was read under this same tree. This was the first place in the Confederate states where it was read. Since then, the big tree has been called the Emancipation Oak. This tree is now a symbol for both the university and the city. It is part of a special National Historic Landmark District at Hampton University.
The Hampton Agricultural and Industrial School officially opened in 1868. It was later called the Hampton Institute. Samuel Chapman Armstrong, a former Union General, was its first leader. One very famous student was Booker T. Washington. He became a well-known educator. He later started the Tuskegee Institute.
After the Civil War: Training Teachers
After the Civil War, a school to train teachers was formally started in 1868. General Samuel C. Armstrong became its first principal. The school was built on the "Little Scotland" plantation. It had a view of Hampton Roads. The first school buildings faced the Hampton River. In 1870, it became a land grant university. It was then known as Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute.
Hampton received a lot of support after the war. This came from the American Missionary Association and other groups. Many former Union Army officers and soldiers also gave money. One important donor was General William Jackson Palmer. He was a Union cavalry commander. He later built railroads and founded Colorado Springs, Colorado. Palmer Hall on campus is named after him.
Armstrong wanted to teach skills for Black people to support themselves. He based his school on his father's work in Hawaii. His father taught reading, writing, and math to Polynesians. Hampton's education became known for combining cultural learning with hands-on training. Armstrong said it taught "the head, the heart, and the hands."
By 1888, many Hampton graduates were teaching. They taught about 15,000 children in community schools. Hampton became the richest school for African Americans by 1900. This was because it was very good at fundraising. Hampton also had the only library school in the U.S. for Black librarians. It trained 183 Black librarians before closing in 1939.
Booker T. Washington's Impact
Booker T. Washington was one of Hampton's first students. He came from West Virginia in 1872. He worked his way through school. After graduating, he became a teacher at Hampton. In 1881, he went to Tuskegee, Alabama. He helped a small school there grow into Tuskegee University.
Washington used many of Armstrong's ideas. He became famous as an educator and speaker. He worked with Julius Rosenwald, a kind person who gave money. They created a plan for rural Black schools. Rosenwald helped build over 5,000 schools for Black children in the South.
In 1888, Washington asked his Hampton classmate Charles W. Greene to join Tuskegee. Greene led the Agriculture Department. They also brought George Washington Carver to teach agriculture in 1896. Carver was a brilliant scientist.
Native American Students
In 1878, Hampton started a program for Native Americans. This was for men who had been prisoners of war. In 1875, the U.S. Army sent 72 warriors to prison in St. Augustine, Florida. Lieutenant Richard Henry Pratt oversaw them. He began to teach them English and American culture.
Pratt convinced 17 of these young men to study at Hampton Institute. He also brought more Native American students. In total, 70 young men and women from different tribes joined. They were mostly from the Plains tribes. Some people hoped these students would help locals accept the Black students. They also thought the Black students would help the Native Americans learn American society.
The Native American program ended in 1923. This was due to growing concerns about different races mixing. Employers sometimes fired Native American men who had been educated with Black students. The program's director resigned because she couldn't stop "amalgamation" between the Native American girls and Black boys.
University Growth and Community
The school's name changed to Hampton Institute in 1930. In 1931, the George P. Phenix School opened there. It served students of all ages. A new nursing school also started at Dixie Hospital. In 1945, Viktor Lowenfeld, a famous art educator, joined Hampton. He became the head of the Art Department.
By 1971, the university offered 42 evening classes. These included subjects like "Educational Psychology" and "Playwriting." Tuition was $30 per semester hour. In 1951, a 20-year-old student named Benjamin Leroy Wigfall made history. His painting "Chimneys" was bought by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. He was the youngest person to have a painting bought by the museum.
In 1984, the school became Hampton University. This was because it added many new departments and graduate programs. The university is located in the City of Hampton. The City of Hampton uses the Emancipation Oak on its official seal.
In 2018, Hampton University students protested. They wanted the school to address concerns about food and living conditions. The university said it was working to fix these issues. In July 2020, MacKenzie Scott donated $30 million to Hampton. This was the largest single gift in the university's history.
In June 2022, Dr. William R. Harvey retired. He was president for 43 years, the longest in Hampton's history. Darrell K. Williams, a Hampton graduate, became the new president.
University Leaders
Here are the presidents who have led Hampton University:
- Samuel Chapman Armstrong (1868 to 1893)
- Hollis B. Frissell (1893 to 1917)
- James Edgar Gregg (1918 to 1929)
- George Perley Phenix (1930)
- Arthur Howe (1930 to 1940)
- Malcolm Shaw MacLean (1940 to 1943)
- Ralph P. Bridgeman (1944 to 1948)
- Alonzo G. Morón (1949 to 1959)
- Jerome H. Holland (1960 to 1970)
- Roy Davage Hudson (1970 to 1976)
- Carl McClellan Hill (1977 to 1978)
- William R. Harvey (1978 to 2022)
- Darrell K. Williams (2022 to present)
Exploring the Campus
The Hampton University campus has many important buildings. Some are part of a National Historic Landmark district. These include:
- Virginia-Cleveland Hall: A dormitory for first-year female students.
- Wigwam building: Holds administrative offices.
- Academy Building: Also has administrative offices.
- Memorial Chapel: Used for religious services.
- President's Mansion House.
The original high school on campus became Phenix Hall. This happened when a new Phenix High School opened in 1962.
The Hampton University Museum started in 1868. It is the oldest African-American museum in the country. It has over 9,000 pieces of art and artifacts.
Hampton University has 16 research centers. The Hampton University Proton Therapy Institute is the largest of its kind in the world.
The campus has four libraries:
- William R. and Norma B. Harvey Library (the main library)
- William H. Moses Jr. Architecture Library
- Music Library
- Nursing Library
The National Geographic Society called the Emancipation Oak one of the 10 great trees in the world. The campus is on the waterfront, near the Chesapeake Bay.
National Historic Landmark District
A 15-acre part of the campus is a U.S. National Historic Landmark District. This area includes many of the older buildings. Some of these buildings are:
- Mansion House: The original home of the Little Scotland plantation.
- Virginia Hall: Built in 1873.
- Academic Hall.
- Wigwam.
- Marquand Memorial Chapel: A red brick chapel with a 150-foot tower.
Cleveland Hall, Ogden, and the Administration building are also in this historic district. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1969. It was named a National Historic Landmark in 1974.
Student Population
In 2023, nearly two-thirds of Hampton students were women. About 97% of students identified as Black. About 20% of students were from Virginia. Many students receive financial help. About 68% of students get need-based financial aid. The average scholarship for new students is over $10,000.
Academics and Learning
Hampton University has 10 accredited schools and colleges.
- School of Engineering and Technology
- School of Pharmacy
- James T. George School of Business
- Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communication
- School of Nursing
- School of Liberal Arts and Education
- School of Science
- University College
- College of Virginia Beach
- Graduate College
As of 2020, Hampton offers many degree programs. These include 50 bachelor's programs, 26 master's programs, and seven doctoral programs.
The Freddye T. Davy Honors College offers special learning for top students. Students can join by invitation or by applying.
Hampton University is often ranked among the top ten HBCUs in the nation. U.S. News & World Report ranks it highly among "National Universities."
Hampton has a great student to faculty ratio of 10 to 1. This means there are 10 students for every teacher. The national average is 18 to 1.
Hampton is the first and only HBCU to fully control a NASA Mission. The Alumni Factor also named Hampton one of the seven best colleges in Virginia.
Student Life and Activities
Athletics and Sports Teams
Hampton's sports teams are called the Pirates. They play in NCAA Division I. Their football team plays in the FCS. They are part of the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA). They joined the CAA in 2022.
In 2016, Hampton became the first and only HBCU to have a Division I men's lacrosse team. Hampton is also the only HBCU with a competitive sailing team.
In 2001, the men's basketball team won its first NCAA tournament game. They beat Iowa State 58–57. This was one of the biggest upsets ever! They were only the fourth 15-seed team to beat a 2-seed. They have returned to the tournament several times since.
The "Lady Pirates" basketball team has also played in the NCAA tournament many times. In 1988, when they were a Division II school, the Lady Pirates won the NCAA Women's Division II Basketball Championship.
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The Pirates football team has won conference titles in 1997, 2004, and 2005. From 2004 to 2006, they won three MEAC Championships. They were also ranked in the top 25 poll each year. Hampton is also strong in tennis.
Hampton's main sports rivals are Norfolk State University and Howard University. In 2019, Hampton restarted its rivalry with Virginia Union University.
Student Organizations
There are over 55 student groups on campus. These groups cover arts, sports, community service, and more.
"The Marching Force" Band
The university's marching band is called "The Marching Force." They have performed at big events. This includes a Barack Obama Presidential Inauguration parade in Washington, DC. The band was chosen to represent Virginia. The band also has the "Ebony Fire" danceline and the "Silky" flag team. Since 2018, they also have "Shimmering Sapphire Elegance," a majorette team.
Greek Life
Hampton University has over 15 Greek letter organizations. These include groups from the National Pan-Hellenic Council.
Famous Alumni
Many successful people have graduated from Hampton University. Here are a few:
Business Leaders
- Robert Sengstacke Abbott: Founder of The Chicago Defender newspaper.
- Rashida Jones: President of MSNBC.
- Charles Phillips: Former President of Oracle Corporation.
- Percy Sutton: Co-founder of Inner City Broadcasting Corporation.
Educators
- St. Clair Drake: Sociologist who created the first African and African American studies program at Stanford University.
- Freeman A. Hrabowski III: President of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
- Robert Russa Moton: President Emeritus of Tuskegee University.
- Booker T. Washington: Famous educator and first president of Tuskegee Institute.
Artists and Entertainers
- Ruth E. Carter: Oscar-winning costume designer for Black Panther.
- Spencer Christian: Former weatherman for Good Morning America.
- DJ Envy: Radio Hall of Fame disc jockey and host of The Breakfast Club.
- Javicia Leslie: Actress, known for playing Batwoman.
- Wanda Sykes: Emmy Award-winning actress, comedian, and writer.
Political and Government Figures
- Allyson Kay Duncan: U.S. Circuit Court Judge.
- Frankie Muse Freeman: Civil rights attorney and first woman on the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.
- Tishaura Jones: First Black female mayor of St. Louis.
- Sylvia Trent-Adams: First African-American nurse to serve as Surgeon General of the United States.
Scientists and Engineers
- Moogega Cooper: Engineer and Lead of Planetary Protection for the Mars 2020 Mission at NASA.
- Christine Darden: NASA mathematician and engineer, featured in Hidden Figures.
- Mary Jackson: NASA's first Black female engineer, also featured in Hidden Figures.
- Susan La Flesche Picotte: First Native American physician.
Sports Stars
- Justin Durant: Former NFL linebacker.
- Rick Mahorn: Former NBA player.
- Francena McCorory: Two-time Olympic gold medalist in track and field.
- Kellie Wells: Olympic bronze medalist in 100m hurdles.
Images for kids
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Students learning bricklaying in 1899
See also
- Civil rights movement (1865–1896)
- Emancipation Oak, historic tree on the campus
- WHOV 88.1 FM
