Shaw University

Shaw University
Former names
Raleigh Theological Institute (1869–1870)
Shaw Collegiate Institute (1870–1875)
MottoPro Christo Et Humanitate
Motto in English
For Christ and Humanity
TypePrivate historically black university
Established1 December 1865; 158 years ago (1865-12-01)
FounderHenry Martin Tupper
Religious affiliation
American Baptist Churches, USA
Academic affiliation
UNCF
Endowment$10.9 million (2019) [1]
ChairmanJoseph N. Bell
PresidentPaulette Dillard
Academic staff
59 full time
Students1,067
Undergraduates924
Postgraduates143
Location, ,
United States
CampusUrban ( 65 Acres)
ColorsGarnet and White
   
NicknameBears
Sporting affiliations
NCAA Division IICIAA
Websiteshawu.edu


Shaw University is a private historically black university in Raleigh, North Carolina. Founded on December 1, 1865, Shaw University is the oldest HBCU to begin offering courses in the Southern United States.[2] The school had its origin in the formation of a theological class of freedmen in the Guion Hotel. The following year it moved to a large wooden building, at the corner of Blount and Cabarrus Streets in Raleigh, where it continued as the Raleigh Institute until 1870.[3] In 1870, the school moved to its current location on the former property of Confederate General Barringer and changed its name to the Shaw Collegiate Institute, in honor of Elijah Shaw.[4] In 1875, the school was officially chartered with the State of North Carolina as Shaw University.[5]

The main campus resides on 24 acres in the East Raleigh-South Park Historic District in downtown Raleigh. Shaw also owns and operates a 35-acre farm located on Rock Quarry Rd.[6] Historical buildings, which either currently (Estey Hall) or previously (Shaw Hall) reside on campus, were designed by the famed Raleigh architect George S. H. Appleget and feature a Second Empire and Italianate architectural styles.[7] Other architectural styles present on campus are Leonard Hall, a twin-turret Romanesque Revival style building, and several buildings featuring Brutalist style architectures.

Along with Howard University, Hampton University, Lincoln University and Virginia Union University, Shaw was a co-founding member of the NCAA Division II's Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Conference, the oldest African American athletic association in the U.S. The university has won CIAA championships in Football, Basketball (women's and men's), Tennis (women's and men's) and volleyball.

  1. ^ "Shaw University". U.S. News Best Colleges. U.S. News. Retrieved 2020-11-18.
  2. ^ Carrillo, Karen-Juanita (2012). African American History Day by Day: A reference guide to events. Greenwood. p. 276. ISBN 978-1598843606.
  3. ^ William Cathcart, ed. (1883). Baptist Encyclopaedia. Philadelphia: L.H. Everts. p. 1049.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Society, American Baptist Home Mission (1873). Annual Report.
  6. ^ "iMAPS". maps.raleighnc.gov. Retrieved 2022-03-01.
  7. ^ "Goodnight Raleigh | a look at the art, architecture, history, and people of the city at night". goodnightraleigh.com. Retrieved 2022-03-01.