James E. Shepard | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | November 3, 1875 Raleigh, North Carolina |
| Died | October 6, 1947 (aged 71) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation(s) | pharmacist, school founder and college president |
| Years active | 1910–1947 |
| Known for | North Carolina Central University |
| Spouse | Annie Day Robinson |
James Edward Shepard (November 3, 1875 – October 6, 1947) was an American pharmacist, civil servant and educator, the founder of what became the North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina. He first established it as a private school for religious training in 1910 but adapted it as a school for teachers. He had a network of private supporters, including northern white philanthropists such as Olivia Slocum Sage of New York.
He was the school's first president and remained its leader for nearly 40 years. By 1923, he secured state funding for it as a normal school, to continue the training of black teachers. After programs and classes were added to create a four-year curriculum, in 1925 it was renamed North Carolina College for Negroes, becoming the first liberal arts college in the nation for black students to be state-funded.[1]
- ^ Channing, Steven (2009-04-01). "John Hope Franklin, 1915-2009". Independent Weekly. Note: The state-supported Virginia State College, which had a 4-year curriculum by 1923, was founded as a land-grant school, rather than a liberal arts college.