North Carolina Central University facts for kids

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North Carolina Central University

Former name	National Religious Training School and Chautauqua for the Colored Race (1910–1915) National Training School (1915–1923) Durham State Normal School for Negroes (1923–1925) North Carolina College for Negroes (1925–1947) North Carolina College at Durham (1947–1969)
Motto	"Truth and Service"
Type	Public historically black university
Established	1910; 115 years ago (1910)
Parent institution	University of North Carolina
Accreditation	SACS
Academic affiliation	TMCF
Endowment	$55 million (2021)
Chancellor	Johnson O. Akinleye
Provost	David H. Jackson
Students	7,553 (Fall 2022)
Location	Durham , North Carolina , United States
Campus	Large city, 135 acres (0.55 km2)
Newspaper	The Campus Echo
Colors	Maroon and gray
Nickname	Eagles
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division I FCS - MEAC NEC
Mascot	Eddie the Eagle
North Carolina Central University
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district
North Carolina Central University campus
Location in North Carolina Show map of North Carolina Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Bounded by Lawson St., Alston Ave., Nelson, and Fayetteville Sts., Durham, North Carolina
Built	1928
Architect	Atwood & Nash; Public Works Administration
Architectural style	Colonial Revival, Georgian Revival
MPS	Durham MRA
NRHP reference No.	86000676
Added to NRHP	March 28, 1986

North Carolina Central University (NCCU or NC Central) is a public university in Durham, North Carolina. It is a historically black university, meaning it was first created to educate African American students.

The university was started by James E. Shepard in 1909. At first, it was a private school. In 1923, it became a state-funded school and was renamed the Durham State Normal School. Over the years, it grew and added more programs, including law and library science.

In 1969, the school became North Carolina Central University. Since 1972, it has been part of the larger University of North Carolina system. NCCU offers many different degrees, from bachelor's to doctoral programs. It is also a member of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, which supports public historically black colleges and universities.

History of NCCU

North Carolina Central University was founded by James E. Shepard. It first opened on July 5, 1910, as the National Religious Training School and Chautauqua for the Colored Race. It was a private school.

In 1915, the school was sold and renamed the National Training School. It received support from Margaret Olivia Slocum Sage, a kind person who cared a lot about education. This school helped train Black teachers during the Jim Crow era. This was a time when schools for Black students in the South did not get much money.

Statue of NCCU founder James E. Shepard. He was the first president of NCCU for nearly 40 years.

In 1923, the school became a state-funded institution and was called the Durham State Normal School for Negroes. A "normal school" trains teachers for elementary grades. In 1925, the school became the North Carolina College for Negroes. It was the first state-supported liberal arts college in the nation for Black students. The first students to complete a four-year program graduated in 1929.

The college continued to grow. In 1939, it added graduate courses in arts and sciences. Law programs were added in 1940, and library science programs in 1941.

In 1947, the school's name changed to North Carolina College at Durham. James E. Shepard, the founder, passed away that year. Later, in 1969, the school was renamed North Carolina Central University. Since 1972, NCCU has been a part of the University of North Carolina system, which includes 16 different campuses.

Today, Johnson O. Akinleye is the 12th chancellor of NCCU. He has worked to create new partnerships with other schools and started an online learning program called NCCU Online. He also focuses on making the campus safe for everyone.

Campus Life

The NCCU campus is located in Durham, North Carolina. It is about one mile south of downtown Durham.

Many of the older buildings on campus, built before 1940, are part of a special historic district. These buildings are in the Georgian Revival style, with brick walls. The campus was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986 because of its important history and architecture.

How NCCU is Organized

NCCU is part of the University of North Carolina (UNC) System. A group of thirteen people, called the Board of Trustees, helps lead the campus.

In Fall 2020, NCCU had over 8,000 students. About 6,000 were undergraduate students and over 1,600 were graduate students. Most students are women (nearly 70%). About 71% of students are Black, 9% are white, and 6% are Hispanic.

Schools and Programs

NCCU has several different schools and colleges where students can study:

• School of Business
• School of Education
• School of Law
• School of Library & Information Sciences
• College of Health & Sciences
• College of Arts, Social Sciences & Humanities
• School of Graduate Studies

The university also has special research centers, like the Julius L. Chambers Biomedical Biotechnology Research Institute (BBRI) and the Biomanufacturing Research Institute and Technology Enterprise (BRITE).

For students who want extra challenges, there is a University Honors Program. NCCU also offers online classes and evening and weekend degree programs.

Student Activities

Students at North Carolina Central University can join over 130 different student groups and 12 honor societies.

Students also publish their own newspaper, called the Campus Echo. It comes out every two weeks and has been published since the school started in 1910. The Campus Echo shares news about local events, arts, entertainment, and sports.

Gallery

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  James E. Shepard, c. 1947, founder of the National Religious Training School and Chautauqua for the Colored Race

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  North Carolina Central University entrance seen from S. Alston Avenue

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  View of the NCCU campus seen from the James E. Shepard Administration Building

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  The NCCU Student Center

Athletics

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  NCCU's O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium, home to the MEAC Division I FCS Eagles

• 

  A view of the NCCU track and soccer field

NCCU has 14 different sports teams for men and women. They are called the Eagles. They compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I. NCCU is a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

Sports teams at NCCU include:

• Football
• Softball
• Baseball
• Basketball
• Track and field
• Tennis
• Volleyball
• Bowling
• Golf

Notable Alumni