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Fort Valley State University history
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November 6, 1895: Eighteen men, at least half of whom were former slaves, petition the Superior Court of Houston County for a charter which would legalize Fort Valley High and Industrial School (FVHIS). The group is led by John Wesley Davison, a former child slave.
The group’s leader, John Wesley Davison, himself a child slave, was hired as its first principal after its incorporation on January 6, 1896.
January 6, 1896: FVHIS is incorporated by the Superior Court of Houston County.
One of the first graduates of the young school was Austin Thomas Walden, who graduated in 1902 and became Georgia’s first black judge since Reconstruction.
1902 – The State Teachers and Agricultural College of Forsyth was founded by
1903 – Davison resigned as principal of the Fort Valley High and Industrial School.
He taught at Biddle University (now Johnson C. Smith University) before coming to Fort Valley High and Industrial School in 1904 to mold it in the model of Hampton Institute and Tuskegee University.
1904 – Henry Alexander Hunt became the school’s second principal.
O’Neal created the Ham and Egg Show, began in 1916 as a way to encourage local farmers to produce more food by showcasing examples of high quality meat.
1916 – Jeanes Hall was remodeled and Royal C. Peabody provided funds for the
1916: Otis O’Neal begins the world-famous Ham and Egg Show.
In 1918, the institution received perhaps life-saving financial support after it agreed to the control of the Episcopal Church, which raised much of the funding for the academic building now known as Founders Hall.
Fort Valley Fort Valley, city, seat (1924) of Peach county, central Georgia, United States, about 30 miles (50 km) southwest of Macon.
1925 – The Carnegie Foundation provided funds for the erection of the Carnegie Library.
Hunt used the growth of the school, which earned junior college status in 1928, to promote social and economic progress for African Americans, and became a nationally-recognized champion of their advancement and progress.
1928: FVHIS achieves junior college status.
1929 – The Academic Building was erected with funds contributed by the General
1930 – Ohio Hall was erected with funds contributed by the Episcopal Church of
1931 – Henry Alexander Hunt was awarded the Springarn Medal.
Fort Valley High and Industrial School changed its name to Fort Valley Normal and Industrial School in 1932.
Fort Valley State College was created in 1939 by the merger of Fort Valley Normal (originally High) and Industrial School and the State Teachers and Agricultural College of Forsyth.
1939 – Negotiations begun by Hunt to transfer the school to state control and operation
1939 – Fort Valley State College’s First College Catalog.
1940 – Doctor W. E. B. DuBois delivered the first Founder’s Day address on October 10; it
In 1941, Harriet Barfield (Black) became the first person to earn a degree from the new college.
The United States Office of Education noted in 1942 that FVSC was one of few black colleges with a “clear statement of purposes.” After leaving FVSC, Bond went on to become the first black president of Lincoln University, the first degree-granting historically black college.
The new College chose Doctor Horace M. Bond as its first President to be succeeded by Doctor Cornelius V. Troup in 1945.
1946: First graduate programs authorized.
In 1947 the state Board of Regents adopted a resolution moving the "land grant" designation from Savannah State College to Fort Valley State College.
In 1949, 10 years after the merger that formed Fort Valley State College, the Georgia legislature designated the college the state’s land-grant institution for blacks.
1952 – The Henry Alexander Hunt Memorial Library was dedicated on April 29.
Student Catherine Hardy won a gold medal as a member of the 400-meter women’s relay team at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, Finland.
1952 – The Leroy Bywaters Building, formerly the H.A. Hunt Library, was dedicated.
1952: Student Catherine Hardy wins a gold medal as a member of the 400-meter women’s relay team at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, Finland.
1954 – The Alva Tabor Agriculture Building opened for occupancy on October 10
1957 – The Graduate Division was begun in the Fall.
1966 – William Madison Boyd Hall opened for occupancy.
1967 – The Lottie M. Lyons Student Union Building opened.
1968 – The Agricultural Mechanics Building opened for occupancy.
1972 – FVSC’s first regionally televised football game appeared on ABC Television
1974 – First acquisition of property on State College Drive.
1975 – The new Florence Hunt Infirmary opened for occupancy.
1976 – The new Henry Alexander Hunt Memorial Library opened for occupancy.
1976 – The Horace Mann Bond classroom building dedicated.
1978 – The Animal Health Technology Building completed and opened for occupancy.
1979 – The Leroy Bywaters Business Building opened for occupancy.
1982 – The C. W. Pettigrew Endowment Fund was initiated.
1983: Luther Burse becomes president 1983: The nationally-renowned Cooperative Developmental Energy Program is launched to increase the number of minorities and women working in the energy sector.
1987 – The C. W. Pettigrew Farm and Community Life Center was dedicated.
1994 – The Centennial Inauguration and Founders’ Day Celebration was held on November 3.
1995 – The Computer Technology Mathematics (CTM) Building was opened for occupancy on August 18.
June 12, 1996: Fort Valley State College achieves university status and becomes Fort Valley State University.
The school became Fort Valley State University, a state and land-grant university, in June 1996, and is the second largest land-grant institution.
The school acquired university status in 1996.
1996 – Opening Convocation for displaying the new university seal and for the new
2002 – The African World Studies Institute was established.
2002 – The first annual African World Film Festival was held.
2002 – The John W. Davison Lecture Series was initiated.
2003: Warner Robins, GA campus is opened.
2004: FVSU wins Trumpet Award for “Higher Education Institution of the Year.”
March 14, 2006: Larry Rivers becomes president.
the Warner Robins Center was held on May 31, 2006.
The $44 million Wildcat Commons student apartments and residential complex opened in 2007, and a new Wildcat Stadium opened soon after.
2008 – Construction began on a new academic building for the sciences
2009 – Ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, May 1 to celebrate the completion and grand
2009 – A new $9 million stadium opened in August to kick off the Wildcat football season.
2009 – FVSU earned the #21 spot among historically black colleges and universities
2009 – Dedication of Henry Alexander Hunt and Florence Johnson Hunt Memorial Statues at Wildcat Commons.
2010 – A Ribbon cutting ceremony held on August 25 signaled the official opening of the
2010 – The College of Agriculture, Home Economics and Allied Programs was renamed
2010 – FVSU had the highest level of spring enrollment ever at 3783.
2010- Fort Valley State University’s enrollment increased to the largest number in the
2010- The U. S. Department of Transportation funded $1.5 million for continuation of the
2011- A second group of FVSU students embarked on a journey to China for an
2011- A donation of $1.5 million was presented on behalf of President Obama, the United States
2011- The Banks-Pierro-Rutland-Bellamy Colloquium celebrated its 31st anniversary.
2011- In five years, Doctor Judy Carter and staff won reactivation of the College of
2011- The first issue of the Fort Valley State University Research Report provided a
2013 – Doctor Ivelaw Lloyd Griffith was appointed the Ninth President and took office on July 22, 2013.
Student enrollment grew to 4,000 students before Rivers stepped down in 2013.
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Fort Valley State University competitors
| Company name | Founded date | Revenue | Employee size | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of South Carolina | 1801 | $1.0B | 5,000 | 640 |
| Alabama State University | 1867 | $25.0M | 1,289 | 14 |
| University of Memphis | 1912 | $31.0M | 2,591 | 72 |
| Norfolk State University | 1935 | $69.7M | 1,518 | - |
| LA State University Continuing | 1860 | $5.5B | 9,000 | 1,509 |
| Florida A&M University | 1887 | $124.5M | 2,429 | 35 |
| Prairie View A&M University | 1876 | $50.0M | 2,357 | 188 |
| University of West Georgia | 1906 | $122.6M | 500 | - |
| Southern University | 1880 | $11.0M | 810 | 25 |
| Western Carolina University | 1933 | $110.0M | 2,940 | 167 |
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