Langston University

Langston University

Former names	Oklahoma Colored Agricultural and Normal University
Motto	Education For Service
Type	Public land-grant historically black university
Established	March 12, 1897 (1897-03-12)
Parent institution	Oklahoma Agricultural & Mechanical Colleges
Academic affiliations	Space-grant
Endowment	$45 million (2015)
President	Kent Smith
Students	1,873
Location	Langston , Oklahoma , United States
Campus	Rural
Colors	Blue and orange
Nickname	Lions
Sporting affiliations	NAIA – RRAC
Website	www.langston.edu

Langston University (LU) is a public land-grant historically black university in Langston, Oklahoma. It is the only historically black college in the state. Though located in a rural setting 10 miles (16 km) east of Guthrie, Langston also serves an urban mission, with University Centers in both Tulsa (at the same campus as the OSU-Tulsa facility) and Oklahoma City, and a nursing program set to open in Ardmore. The university is a member-school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.

History

The school was founded in 1897 and was known as the Oklahoma Colored Agricultural and Normal University. From 1898 to 1916 its president was Inman E. Page. Langston University was created as a result of the second Morrill Act in 1890. The law required states with land-grant colleges (such as Oklahoma State University, then known as Oklahoma A&M) to either admit African Americans, or provide an alternative school for them to attend as a condition of receiving federal funds. The university was renamed as Langston University in 1941 in honor of John Mercer Langston (1829–1897), civil rights pioneer, first African-American member of Congress from Virginia, founder of the Howard University Law School, and American consul-general to Haiti.

Through the years, Langston University has developed slowly but surely. Some of the most serious problems have been political influences, financial stress, and lack of adequate space and equipment. During the 1960s, the campus underwent a complete makeover. New buildings appeared, and additions were made to the library and auditorium.

Poet Melvin B. Tolson taught at Langston from 1947 until 1964. Tolson was portrayed by Denzel Washington in the film The Great Debaters.

In August 2021, university President Kent J. Smith Jr. announced the university would use COVID-19 relief money to forgive the debt of students enrolled between spring 2020 and summer 2021, forgiving $4.65 million in student debt.

Academics

Six schools house the degree programs of Langston University: Agriculture and Applied Sciences; Arts and Sciences; Business; Education and Behavioral Science; Nursing and Health Professions; and Physical Therapy. A total of 29 undergraduate and six graduate degree programs are offered at LU.

The university offers the Edwin P. McCabe Honors Program for highly motivated undergraduate students with exceptional academic records.

The university was accredited with a Doctorate of Physical Therapy program in 2005. It is the university's only doctoral program and one of two in the state.

Langston University is accredited by seven different college accreditation agencies with its regional accreditation coming from the Higher Learning Commission.

Athletics

Langston University teams, bearing the sport name of the Lions, are part of the Sooner Athletic Conference. Men's sports include basketball, football, and track & field; while women's sports include basketball, cheerleading, softball, track & field and volleyball. There is also a co-ed club soccer program. The present athletic director is Donnita Rogers. The Lions won the 1939 and 1941 HBCU National Championships in football. Langston won two HBCU National Championships in basketball in 1944 and 1946.

Marching Pride

Langston University Marching Pride performing during halftime of a Dallas Renegades game

Langston's marching band is known as the "Langston University Marching Pride". It is a major ambassador of the university, a supporter at athletic events, and serves as a training center for students interested in pursuing a career in music and/or developing pertinent life skills. Charlie Wilson, of GAP Band fame, once served as Drum Major. The band currently consists of over 210 members. Langston also has a jazz band, concert band, wind ensemble, Bahamian band, and trombone ensemble.

As of 2017, the band has won three bids to the Honda Battle of the Bands in the Georgia Dome since the inaugural event in 2003.

Notable alumni

Name	Class year	Notability	Reference(s)
Maurice "Mo" Bassett		Former fullback for the Cleveland Browns
Bessie Coleman		The first African American woman pilot and the first American woman to obtain an International Pilot's license. Coleman enrolled in 1910, but could only complete one term due to financial issues.
Brendan Crawford	2013	Football quarterback
The Delta Rhythm Boys		Jazz vocal group inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame
Robert DoQui		Actor
Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher	1945	Civil rights activist; stood at the forefront of the fight to integrate historically white law schools in the South
Nathan Hare		Founding publisher of The Black Scholar (1969-1975) and author of The Black Anglo Saxons. Also wrote the conceptual proposal for the first department of black studies, and was the first person hired to coordinate a black studies program in the United States (1968).
Matthew Hatchette	1997	Wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, Oakland Raiders, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Amsterdam Admirals (1997-2003)
Marques Haynes		Basketball Hall of Fame inductee; basketball and football star before going on to captain the Harlem Globetrotters
Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson	1975	Pro Bowl linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys (1975-1979)
Jennifer Hudson	2003	Professional singer, actress (attended for the 1999 fall semester, but did not graduate)
Dr. Austin Lane		Former president of Texas Southern University
Odell Lawson		Football Running Back New Orleans Saints New England Patriots
Clara Luper	1944	Civil rights leader best known for her leadership role in the 1958 Oklahoma City Sit-in Movement
Helen Neal	1962	First black graduate of West Texas State University
Dr. Henry Ponder		Former president of Fisk University, Talladega College, Benedict College, NAFEO and Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity
Nancy Riley		Former member of the Oklahoma Senate from the 37th district
Colonel Michael C. Thompson		OHP Major in Oklahoma Highway Patrol; member of Oklahoma Army National Guard. Nominated in 2010 to be Oklahoma Secretary of Safety & Security as well as Commissioner of the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety.

See also

• KALU, Langston U. Public Radio Station 89.3 FM

External links

• Official website
• Langston Athletics website