May 1 …
Founded in 1875 by formerly enslaved, Dr. William Hooper Councill, Alabama A&M University (AAMU) is a public, 1890 Land-grant Institution in Normal, AL, which offers bachelors, master’s, educational specialist and doctoral level degrees in the arts, sciences, business, engineering, education, agriculture and technology.
The school opened as the Huntsville Normal School, on May 1, 1875, at a church on Eustis Street instructing 61 teaching students.
This historically Black institution located a short distance from downtown Huntsville, AL, while founded as a “normal school” began in 1939, with State Board of Education permission, offering coursework at the senior college level. AAMU became fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in 1963. It adopted its present name in 1969.
The 21st century occasioned significant developments for AAMU. In 2002, a new School of Engineering and Technology was established and led by Purdue University faculty member, Edward Barnette, the first president of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). Fully accredited, the engineering school offered programs in civil, electrical, industrial, and mechanical engineering and graduate degrees in electrical and mechanical engineering.
AAMU’s 21st century occasioned extracurricular developments as well. In 2006, the AAMU Marching Maroon & White Band led the iconic Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, CA. The band’s distinguished history extends back to the late 1890s and early 1900s when it was conducted by the famous Alabama composer, musician, and band leader, W.C. Handy. The University Choir made numerous regional and national appearances, and AAMU’s athletic programs gained national notoriety especially in volleyball and men’s soccer.
Distinguished alumni of AAMU include Jesse Mandela Barnes (2008), the lieutenant governor of Wisconsin; Joseph Lowery (attended), Civil Rights Leader and third president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference; and Sun Ra (attended) the prolific, experimental jazz pianist/composer, noted for his early use of electronic keyboards and synthesizers.
