The History
Tougaloo College is a private, coeducational, historically black four-year liberal arts, church-related, but not a church-controlled institution. It sits on 500 acres of land on West County Line Road on the northern edge of Jackson, Mississippi. In Good Biblical Style, the Amistad, the famous court case that freed Africans who were accused of mutiny after they killed a part of the captor crew of the slave ship Amistad and took over the vessel, began the American Missionary Association. The American Missionary Association begat Tougaloo College and her five sister institutions.
In 1869, the American Missionary Association of New York purchased five hundred acres of land from John Boddie, owner of the Boddie Plantation, to establish a school for the training of young people “irrespective of religious tenets and conducted on the most liberal principles for the benefit of our citizens in general.” The Mississippi State Legislature granted the institution a charter under Tougaloo University in 1871. The Normal Department was recognized as a teacher training school until 1892, at which time the College ceased to receive aid from the state. Courses for college credit were first offered in 1897, and in 1901, the first Bachelor of Arts degree was awarded to Traverse S. Crawford. In 1916, Tougaloo University’s name was changed to Tougaloo College.
Six years after Tougaloo College’s founding, the Home Missionary Society of the Disciples of Christ obtained a charter from the Mississippi State Legislature to establish Southern Christian Institute (SCI) in Edwards, Mississippi. Determining later that Tougaloo College and SCI had similar missions and goals, the supporting churches merged the two institutions in 1954 and named the new institution Tougaloo Southern Christian College. Combining the resources of the two supporting bodies, the new institution renewed its commitment to educational advancement and the improvement of race relations in Mississippi. The alumni bodies united to become the National Alumni Association of Tougaloo Southern Christian College. In 1962, by a vote of the Board of Trustees and the supporting bodies’ agreement, the name was changed again to Tougaloo College.
Tougaloo College has gained national respect for its high academic standards and level of social responsibility. The College reached the ultimate demonstration of its social commitment during the turbulent years of the 1960s. During that period, Tougaloo College was at the forefront of the Civil Rights Movement in Mississippi, serving as a safe haven for those who fought for freedom, equality, justice, and the sanctuary within which the strategies were devised and implemented to end segregation and improve race relations. Tougaloo College’s leadership, courage in opening its campus to the Freedom Riders and other Civil Rights workers and leaders, and its bravery in supporting a movement - helped change the state’s economic, political and social fabric of Mississippi and the nation.
Aside from its social commitment, Tougaloo College has continued to strive to create an environment of academic excellence and a campus of engaged learners. The administration and faculty continue to challenge students to be prepared to take advantage of opportunities available in a global economy and to become leaders who will effect change. The faculty has grown in quality and size, diversity has been enhanced, and the physical landscape and campus infrastructure is evolving. New curricula have been added. Partnerships and networking relationships have been established with many institutions such as Brown University, Boston College, Tufts Medical and Dental Schools, the University of Mississippi Medical Center, New York University, and other international programs.
Tougaloo College has moved forward on many different fronts. Its graduates are distinguished and engaged in meaningful work throughout the world. As the College navigates through the twenty-first century, student success remains our highest aim - ensuring that they are prepared to meet the global challenges of a changing world.
The founders continue to light the way as each who has gone before has cut this road to last. In 2019, the College welcomed its fourteenth president and second female to the distinguished list of leaders who have served.
Reverend Ebenezer Tucker (Principal) 1869-1870
Mr. Andrew J. Steele (Principal) 1870-1873
Reverend John K. Nutting (Principal/President) 1873-1875
Reverend Leander A. Darling (Principal/President) 1875-1877
Reverend George S. Pope 1877-1887
Reverend Frank G. Woodworth 1887-1912
Reverend William T. Holmes 1913-1933
Mr. Charles B. Austin (Acting) 1933-1935
Reverend Judson L. Cross 1935-1945
Dean Lionel B. Fraser (Acting) 1945-1947
Dr. Harold C. Warren 1947-1955
Dean Addison A. Branch (Acting) 1955-1956
Dr. Samuel C. Kincheloe 1956-1960
Dr. Adam D. Beittel 1960-1964
Dr. George A. Owens (Acting) 1964-1965
Dr. George A. Owens 1965-1984
Dr. Herman Blake 1984-1987
Dr. Charles A. Baldwin (Acting) 1987-1988
Dr. Adib A. Shakir 1988-1994
Dr. Edgar E. Smith (Acting) 1994-1995
Dr. Joe A. Lee 1995-2001
Dr. James H. Wyche (Acting) 2001-2002
Dr. Beverly W. Hogan 2002-2019
Dr. Carmen J. Walters 2019- 2023
Dr. Donzell Lee 2023- Present
Vision Statement
As a thriving internationally recognized institution, Tougaloo College will prepare its graduates to be productive in their time and lead the change for a better world.
Mission Statement
Tougaloo College prepares its students to be lifelong learners who are committed to leadership and service in a global society through its diverse undergraduate and graduate programs. The College is accessible to all persons while making students aware of its rich legacy as an independent, historically black liberal arts institution, affiliated with the United Church of Christ and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
Purpose Statement
Tougaloo College acknowledges and respects its traditions; remains dedicated to the equality of all people; and continues to be a value-oriented community where students are guided by concerned faculty and staff.
Tougaloo College applies current knowledge to prepare students for lifelong learning and emerging technologies, as well as holistically humane standards in a global society.
Tougaloo College offers undergraduate and graduate programs designed to encourage students to apply critical thought to all areas of life; to acquire a basic knowledge of the humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences; to develop skills required in selected professions; and to provide leadership and service in a changing world.
Tougaloo College prepares its graduates to become self-directed learners and selfreliant persons capable of dealing with people, challenges, and issues.
Tougaloo College contributes to the social, health, and educational needs of the local and state communities through a program of community service.
Expected Student Learning Outcomes
- Tougaloo graduates should be able to communicate verbally and nonverbally in a variety of modes.
- Tougaloo graduates should be able to acquire and process information.
- Tougaloo graduates should be able to organize, comprehend, and make practical use of a wide variety of materials, from the sciences to the arts.
- Tougaloo graduates should be able to apply knowledge in a new context.
- Tougaloo graduates should be aware of scientific principles relating to health and the larger environment.
- Tougaloo graduates should be able to accept and work through ambiguity and diversity while developing strong personal values, social skills, and a sense of ethics.
- Tougaloo graduates should have completed a program of studies in a specific discipline or area (traditionally called a major) which has equipped them with a basic understanding of the concepts and principles of the discipline and provided them with skills germane to it.
Accreditation
Tougaloo College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate, bachelor, and masters. Tougaloo College also may offer credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels. Questions about the accreditation of Tougaloo College may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org).
Memberships
Association of American Colleges; Southern Association of Colleges and Schools; The Council of Higher Education of the United Church of Christ; Board of Higher Education, Disciples of Christ; College Entrance Examination Board; The College Fund/United Negro College Fund, College Scholarship Service; Council for Advancement and Support of Education; Council of Protestant Colleges and Universities; American Association of University Women; American Library Association; National Athletic Intercollegiate Association; National Alumni Council; National Association of Student Personnel Administrators; College Placement Council, Inc.; Southern College Placement Association; Mississippi College Placement Association; Mississippi Cooperative Education Association; Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation; Gerontological Society of America; Mississippi Gerontological Society; American Society on Aging; American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers; Southern Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers; Mississippi Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers; National Academic Advising Association; National Council of Education Opportunity Associations; Association of Fundraising Professionals; Jackson Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals; Council for the Advancement and Support of Education; National Association of Collegiate Deans, Registrars and Admission Officers; the Mississippi Counselors Association; National Council on the Accreditation ofTeacher Education (NCATE); Mississippi Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (MACTE); Private Association of Mississippi Colleges; Mississippi State Department of Education; Kappa Delta Pi; National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM); Leadership Alliance; Faculty Resource Network; and Alpha Kappa Mu Honor Society.
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