Coppin State University, a public historically Black college in Baltimore, MD, was founded to prepare African American teachers for the city’s segregated public schools.

The university began in 1900 when the Baltimore City School Board initiated a one-year teacher training course at the Colored High and Training School, later renamed Frederick Douglass High School (Baltimore). By 1902, this program grew into a two-year Normal Department, and in 1909, it was separated from the high school and given its own principal.

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In 1926, the institution was renamed Fanny Jackson Coppin Normal School to honor Fanny Jackson Coppin, a leading African American educator of the 19th century. Born into slavery in Washington, DC, she earned her freedom and graduated from Oberlin College in 1865.

Fanny Coppin became a teacher and later the principal of Philadelphia’s Institute for Colored Youth, where she promoted rigorous academic standards, vocational training, and professional growth for African Americans. Though she did not found or teach at the Baltimore school, the administrators chose her name to recognize her trailblazing contributions to Black education.

Over time, the institution evolved from a teacher-training school into a four-year college. In 1938, it extended its curriculum to four years, gained authority to confer the Bachelor of Science degree, and was renamed Coppin Teachers College. In 1952, it relocated to its current campus in West Baltimore and became Coppin State Teachers College.

As its academic offerings broadened beyond education, the college was renamed Coppin State College in 1963. It joined the University of Maryland System in 1988 and, after a reorganization into the University System of Maryland, adopted the name Coppin State University in 2004.

Coppin State has graduated individuals who have made notable contributions in education, government, civil rights, and public service.

Among its most historically significant alumni was Verda Freeman Welcome, who finished the teacher-training program at Coppin Normal School in 1932. She later earned degrees from Morgan State College and New York University, then worked as a Baltimore public-school teacher. In 1958, she became the first African American woman elected to the Maryland House of Delegates, and in 1962, the first Black woman elected to the Maryland Senate.

James “Winky” Camphor, from Coppin’s Class of 1951, was a dedicated Baltimore educator, administrator, and advocate for the university. These graduates illustrate Coppin State’s vital role in preparing African American educators and civic leaders for Baltimore and Maryland.

Coppin State’s academic mission has expanded well beyond its initial focus on teacher training. Today, it provides a diverse range of programs, including nursing and allied health, criminal justice, business, psychology, behavioral sciences, information technology, STEM fields, education, and the liberal and performing arts.

The university’s Science and Technology Center promotes STEM education and research, while health-science courses serve both professional development and community needs in metropolitan Baltimore. It offers over 60 academic options, including bachelor’s and master’s degrees, certificates, and doctoral programs.

Coppin State has recently seen an increase in enrollment. University data shows 2,790 students in fall 2025, with 2,492 undergraduates, 279 master’s students, and 19 doctoral students, up from 2,101 students in fall 2021. In fiscal year 2025, the university awarded 362 degrees.

Originally founded as a one-year teacher-training course for African Americans in 1900, Coppin State University has grown into a comprehensive public university, maintaining its historic focus on educational access, professional training, and serving Baltimore’s communities.

Selected Sources:

• Coppin State University. “CSU History.” Baltimore: Coppin State University.
• Coppin State University. “Fallen Eagle: The Passing of James ‘Winky’ Camphor ’51.” Baltimore: Coppin State University.
• Maryland State Archives. “Coppin State University: Historical Evolution.” Maryland Manual On-Line. Annapolis: Maryland State Archives. Maryland State Archives history of Coppin State.