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Langston University

Coordinates: 35°56′41″N 97°15′41″W / 35.94472°N 97.26139°W / 35.94472; -97.26139
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Langston University
Former names
Oklahoma Colored Agricultural and Normal University (1897–1941)
MottoEducation For Service
TypePublic land-grant historically black university
EstablishedMarch 12, 1897 (1897-03-12)
Parent institution
Oklahoma Agricultural & Mechanical Colleges
Academic affiliations
Space-grant
Endowment$45 million (2015)
PresidentRuth Ray Jackson
Students1,873[1]
Location
Langston
,
Oklahoma
,
United States
CampusRural
ColorsBlue & Orange
   
NicknameLions
Sporting affiliations
NAIA – Sooner
Websitelangston.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 and the westernmost four-year public HBCU in the United States. The main campus in Langston is a rural setting 10 miles (16 km) east of Guthrie. The university also serves an urban mission with centers in Tulsa (at the same campus as the OSU-Tulsa facility) and Oklahoma City. The university is a member-school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.

History

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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.[2] 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.

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, former 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.[3]

Langston University commemorated the opening of a new allied health facility on its Tulsa Campus on March 30, 2023. The facility was dedicated as the Jack Henderson Allied Health Facility on August 2, 2024. The 17,000 square-foot building is home of the Langston University School of Nursing and Health Professions.[4]

President Kent J. Smith Jr announced his retirement as the university's 16th president effective at the end of the Spring 2023 semester. The Oklahoma Agricultural & Mechanical Colleges Board of Regents unanimously appointed Ruth Ray Jackson as interim president beginning July 6, 2023. In April 2024, she was appointed the institution's 17th president.[5]

Academics

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Six schools house the degree programs of Langston University: Sherman Lewis School of Agriculture and Applied Sciences; School of Arts and Sciences; School of Business; School of Education and Behavioral Sciences; School of Nursing and Health Professions; and the School of Physical Therapy. A total of 30 undergraduate and six graduate degree programs are offered at LU.[6]

According to US News and World Report, Langston had an 18% graduation rate within the standard four-year period of study in 2025.[7]

The university offers the Edwin P. McCabe Honors Program for highly motivated undergraduate students with exceptional academic records.[8]

The university was accredited with a Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) program in 2005. It is the university's only doctoral program and one of two DPT programs in the state.[9][10]

Langston University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.[11]

Athletics

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A football game between the Langston Lions (left) and North American Stallions in 2023

The Langston athletic teams are called the Lions. The university is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the Sooner Athletic Conference since the 2018–19 academic year. The Lions previously competed as a member of the Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) from 1998–99 to 2017–18. They were also a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) from 1931–32 to 1956–57, which is currently an NCAA Division I FCS athletic conference.[citation needed]

Langston competes in nine intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include basketball, football and track & field; while women's sports include basketball, cheer, softball, track & field and volleyball.

Marching Pride

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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 The Gap Band, once served as Drum Major.[12]

Notable alumni and attendees

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Name Class year Notability Reference(s)
Maurice "Mo" Bassett Former fullback for the Cleveland Browns
Bessie Coleman First American woman to obtain an International Pilot's license. Coleman enrolled 1910, but completed only one term.
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
Nathan Hare 1954 Founding publisher of The Black Scholar (1969-1975) and author
Matthew Hatchette 1997 football player
Marques Haynes basketball player
Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson 1975 football player [13]
Jennifer Hudson 2003 singer, actress (did not graduate)
Dr. Austin Lane former president of Texas Southern University [14]
Odell Lawson football player [15]
Clara Luper 1944 Civil rights leader
Helen Neal 1962 first black graduate of West Texas State University
Dr. Henry Ponder former president of several universities
Nancy Riley former member of the Oklahoma Senate
Colonel Michael C. Thompson member of Oklahoma Army National Guard [16]

See also

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  • KALU, Langston U. Public Radio Station 89.3 FM

References

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  1. ^ "Langston University".
  2. ^ "OHS Publications Division". Archived from the original on 2014-10-07. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
  3. ^ Martinez-Keel, Nuria (7 August 2021). "Langston University erases $4.65 million in student debt". The Oklahoman. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  4. ^ Phillips, Sharon (August 2, 2024). "Langston University dedicates The Jack Henderson Allied Health Facility". KJRH-TV. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
  5. ^ "Ruth Ray Jackson Named the Seventeenth President of Langston University in Oklahoma". The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education. 2024-05-06. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
  6. ^ "Langston University -" (PDF). www.langston.edu.[dead link‍]
  7. ^ "Langston University". US News and World Report. Retrieved September 3, 2024.
  8. ^ "The Edwin P. McCabe Honors Program - Langston University". Retrieved 26 January 2017.[dead link‍]
  9. ^ "Doctor of Physical Therapy Program". Archived from the original on 2006-09-01. Retrieved 2007-02-21.
  10. ^ "Langston University Welcomes Largest Freshman Class". 23 September 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2017.[dead link‍]
  11. ^ "Accreditations - Langston University". Retrieved 26 January 2017.
  12. ^ "Marching Pride - Langston University". Retrieved 26 January 2017.[dead link‍]
  13. ^ "Thomas Henderson". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved 2008-11-06.
  14. ^ "President's Bio". Texas Southern University. 2019. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  15. ^ "Odell Lawson". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  16. ^ "Michael Thompson as DPS commissioner nominee". tulsaworld.com. Retrieved January 24, 2011.
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35°56′41″N 97°15′41″W / 35.94472°N 97.26139°W / 35.94472; -97.26139

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