August 1 …
Bennett College is a historically Black liberal arts college for women located in Greensboro, NC.
The institution was founded on August 1, 1873, during the Reconstruction era to educate newly freed African Americans following the American Civil War. It began in the basement of Warnersville Methodist Episcopal Church under the sponsorship of the Freedmen’s Aid Society, which worked to establish schools across the South for formerly enslaved people.
One of the early leaders instrumental in its development was Reverend Augustus Shepard, who helped organize the school in its earliest years. The institution was later named for Lyman Bennett, a New York businessman whose financial contribution supported the construction of its first permanent buildings.
In its early years as Bennett Institute, the school focused on basic education and teacher training. The original curriculum included reading, writing, arithmetic, grammar, and religious instruction, reflecting both the immediate needs of newly freed populations and the priorities of its church sponsors.
Industrial education and domestic sciences were later added, preparing students for both professional and practical roles in society. By the late 19th century, the school had expanded its academic offerings and facilities, gradually transitioning from a primary and normal school into a more advanced institution of higher learning.
A significant transformation occurred in 1926, when Bennett became a four-year college for women, one of the few in the United States dedicated specifically to the education of African American women. This shift marked a new phase of growth and institutional identity.
Throughout the 20th century, its students played an active role in social justice movements, including participation in the Greensboro Sit-ins. There, the “Bennett Belles” helped challenge segregation through sustained nonviolent protest.
Bennett has produced thousands of graduates since its founding, with estimates exceeding 7,000 alumnae over its history. Among its notable graduates are:
- Carolyn R. Payton (1945) — the first African American and first woman to head the Peace Corps, and
- Yvonne Johnson (1962) — the first Black mayor of Greensboro.
Today, Bennett College continues to uphold its mission of empowering Black women through education, leadership development, and civic engagement.
Footnotes:
- Bennett College, “History”
- NCpedia, “Bennett College”
- North Carolina Civil War & Reconstruction History Center, “The History of Bennett College”
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, “Bennett College”
- North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, “Bennett College (J-55)”
- Journal of African American History, Bennett College and the Greensboro Sit-ins
