SHAW UNIVERSITY
ARCHIVES
TIMELINE
 | 1865 Founding of
Shaw, December 1. |
| 1866 First class
for women, March 1. |
| 1866 Opening of
night school, closed circa 1872. Re-opened November 3, 1899, closed 1904. |
| 1870 Reception of
first boarding for women. |
| 1870 American
Baptist Home Mission Society started its interest in the work of Shaw. |
| 1871-72 Erection of
Shaw hall dormitory for men; converted to dormitory for women 1944; razed
1967. |
| 1873 Erection of
Estey Hall for women; used for me 1968-70. |
| 1873 First
enrollment of on-campus boarding women (70). |
| 1874 Beginning of
the college Department. |
| 1875 Incorporation
of School under name The Shaw University. |
| 1876 Introduction
of music into program. |
| 1878 Conferring of
first bachelor degrees. |
| 1879 Erection of
Greenleaf Hall. |
| 1880 first
graduates from the theological course. |
| 1881 Erection of
Medical dormitory; later Convention Hall (for theological students); razed
1967. |
| 1882 Establishment
of Industrial department for males and females. |
| 1882 First
contribution of John f. Slater Fund. |
| 1885 Erection of
Leonard Medical Hospital. |
| 1887 Erection of
industrial Building |
| 1889-90 Theological
course extended to four years; reduced to a minister's course for which only
certificates were given 1892-97. Degree (B.TH.) program restored 1897. |
| 1890 Award of the
ll. degree. |
| 1891 Establishment
of school of pharmacy. |
| 1893 Awarding of
first PH.G., degree . |
| 1893 N.F. Roberts
acting president of Shaw (Nov.1893-March 1894).. |
| 1894 Meserve became
second president, March. |
| 1895Graduation of
first Missionary training class. |
| 1896 Erection of
Administration Building, which was named Meserve Hall after the retirement
of the second president. |
| 1896-97
Organization of the industrial department into a four year program |
| 1897-98 Semester
system adopted to replace the three-term system change to three terms
1965-69; return to semester system 1970-71. |
| 1900Awarding of the
first B.TH. degree(4). |
| 1902 First
contribution of General Education Board . |
| 1902.Central
hot-water heating plant given by J.D Rockefeller, furnished heat to all the
buildings expect Tupper Hall. |
| 1902 Requirements
for Bachelor of Science made the same as that for the Bachelor of Arts. |
| Erection of Tupper
Memorial Building , named in honor of the founder .Used first for manual
Arts ;1932 remodeled for use as gymnasium , and finally made a dormitory for
men (1946). |
| 1909 Normal
department changed to the Educational department and become a regular part
of the college program |
| 1910 Preparatory
department became a four years Academy, which was discontinued in 1926. |
| 1910 Erection of
hospital building (Tyler Hall); later housed the library, Home Economics
department and Teacher's Club.in1968was remodeled to house administration
service . |
| 1912 Beginning of
points system for graduation |
| 1912 combining of
Classical and scientific departments into college of arts and sciences . |
| 1914 closing of law
school. |
| 1914 medical School
Program reduced to two-year premedical course. |
| 1915 Organization
of band and orchestra. The band discontinued 1927 and the orchestra,1929.
The band reorganized 1968. |
| 1917 Beginning of
basketball. |
| 1918 Closing of all
professional schools. |
| 1918Establishment
of summer schools by North Carolina State Department of Education for
In-Service-Teachers; was discontinued in1930. |
| 1919Establishment
of Greek fraternity chapter of phi beta sigma. |
| Appointment of
Joseph L. Peacock as president. |
| 1923 Incorporation
of education as full major program of the college. |
| 1923 Shaw was given
an ''A'' rating by North
Carolina Board of Education (first Negro college in the State to receive
such). |
| 1924 Dedication of
Alumni athletic Field -used for athletic contests. |
| 1924 Discontinuance
of the elementary education program, re-established 1932. |
| 1924 Publication of
Shaw journal the student newspaper. |
| 1925 Discontinuance
of the Department of medical arts. |
| 1925 Erection of
Science Building (Roberts Hall) at a cost of $90,000--gift of the general
Education Board. |
| 1925 Presentation
of first play, Twelfth Night ,by Dramatic Society ,directed by Benjamin
Brawley. Organized as the Shaw players. |
| 1926 Shaw became
the first institution South of Washington devoted exclusively to the college
and theological work. |
| 1926 Beginning of
the qualitative requirement of grades and grade points, semester hour, for
graduation. |
| 1926 Home Economics
became part of a regular college program; discontinued 1967. |
| 1927 Establishment
of the Greek fraternity chapter of Omega Psi Phi. |
| 1928 Awarding of
the B.S degree in Home Economics (4) |
| 1931 Election of
First Negro President Dr. Williams S. Nelson, to serve full-time. |
| 1931 Establishment
of the chorale Society. |
| 1931 Establishment
of the Alpha Omicron Honors Society, and the institution of graduation with
Honors. |
| 1932 establishment
of Appointment Bureau for teachers |
| 1932 Establishment
of summer School program by Shaw--primarily for Shaw students. |
| 1933 Enlargement of
the theological department by establishing the school of the Religion to
confer B.D. Degrees. |
| 1933 Shaw given
“B'' rating By Association of Colleges and Secondary schools of Southern
States-hence on the approved list. |
| Establishment of
Alpha Rho Chapter of Greek sorority, Delta sigma theta. |
| 1934 Y.W.C.A
Sponsored First "Miss Shaw " contest. |
| 1935 First annual
high school drama festival sponsored by Shaw university and the organization
of State High School Dramatic Association , . |
| 1936 Inauguration
of Robert P. Daniel as fifth President of Shaw University in November. |
| 1936 Shaw becomes a
member of the Intercollegiate Dramatic Association . |
| 1936 establishment
of the Greek sorority, Zeta Phi Beta and the fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha. |
| 1936 Shaw
University Admitted to approved list of schools under the Board of Education
of Northern Baptist Convention. |
| 1937 Establishment
of Department of religious Promotion. |
| 1937 Discontinuance
of the use of Diplomas written in Latin. |
| 1937-38 Girls won
North Carolina Basketball Championship for the next two years. |
| 1938 Degrees
conferred for the first time at summer school convocation. |
| 1939 Establishment
of Beta Rho Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha. |
| 1940-41 Erection of
home Economics Practice House. |
| 1941 Erection on
South Wilmington Street two residence for administrative officers. |
| 1941 Opening of
Nursery School; closed in 1950. |
| 1941 Rebuilding of
William S. Turner Gates. Originally erection 1930 as a memorial to Dean
turner (dean of college1921 -1930). |
| 1942 Inauguration
of special professional curriculum in Religious and Missionary Education. |
| 1942 Initiation of
Freshman Orientation Program, Inauguration of 3day faculty conference prior
to opening of school. |
| 1942 football
discontinued through 1944; discontinued again for one year 1952. |
| 1943 Shaw given
''A" rating by Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. |
| 1943-44
Establishment of Baptist Headquarters On campus (second floor of Leonard
Building). Moved into own Building on South Wilmington street in 1954. |
| 1945 Established
the Department of Rural Church
in cooperation with the Phelps -Strokes Fund and the Home Missions Council
of North America. |
| 1946 Erection of
vehicle storage and central heating building. |
| 1947 The Women's
Choir, a new organization of the University , under the direction of Miss
Enola Laws, presented its first concert. |
| 1948 Establishment
of a chapter the Greek sorority, Sigma Gamma Rho. |
| 1948 Erection of
the University chapel. |
| 1949 Purchase of
West Campus (old Rex Hospital building); occupied in !951; sold to city
1964. |
| End of Daniel Administration , January
of 1949. |
| 1950 Interim
committee functions as "administrator", February 1,1950 to
November 1950 |
| 1950 Appointments
of W. R. Strassner as acting president. |
| 1951 Inauguration
of W. R. Strassner as sixth presidents of Shaw University, November 15. |
| 1951 establishment
of chapter of Greek fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi, April 28 . |
| 1953 Erection of
campus Inn; later converted to secretarial center 1967. |
| 1953 Establishment
of department of Business. |
| 1953 Initiation of
the Distinguished service awards to the outstanding alumnus of the College
of Arts and Science (awards to
graduate of professional school started in 1949). |
| 1961 Beginning of
the Teachers Insurance and Annuity fringe benefit plan. |
| 1963Appointment of
James E. Cheek as president of Shaw; served December -June 1969 first
alumnus to head the school. |
| 1965 Erection of
the Administration Building. |
| 1965 Initiation of
the Shaw plan of Education. |
| Erection of faculty apartments on person and Lenoir
Streets. |
| 1966 Inauguration
of James Cheek as seventh president of Shaw University in April. |
| 1967 Graduation of
the last class in Home Economics. |
| 1967 Erection of
Students Union and the women's Dormitory. |
| 1968 Purchase of
the University’s 40-acre farm on Rock Quarry Road. |
| 1969 Separation of
the School of Religion into separate entity from Shaw University College of
Arts and Sciences. |
| 1969 Appointment of
King V. Cheek as president; Served June 1969- January 1971. |
| 1969 Establishments
of the School of Urban Sciences. |
| 1970 Erection of
Men's dormitory, the Communication and Urban Science Building |
| 1970 Organization
of Shaw University credit union. |
| 1971-72 Institution of Co-operative plan of education. |
Mission
Copyright
Research Hours Services Policies
Digital Archives
Forms 
Archive Records Records Management Archives Library Fleming Collection Shaw University
Ó
Shaw University Archives & Special Collections 2005