Delaware State University is marking a historical milestone this week.
2015 is the 125th anniversary of the 1890 Morrill Act. That was the federal legislation, sponsored by Sen. Justin Morrill of Vermont, that led to the creation of Delaware State and over a dozen other Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
A year after the 1890 Morrill Act was signed, the State of Delaware received funding that allowed for the establishment of the state’s only historically black institution of higher education, the State College for Colored Students, which ultimately became Delaware State University.
There were just 12 students in the first class at the State College for Colored Students. Since then, the school has graduated over 19,000 students.
DSU president Harry Williams says it is remarkable legacy.
"There are 18 schools similar to Delaware State that fall into the 1890 category and we are ecstatic in terms of the creation of these institutions," said Williams. "We are proud of the fact we have created so many scholars across this county and that we have been at the forefront of this."
Gov. Jack Markell (D-Delaware) presented a proclamation recognizing this week as “Delaware 1890 Land-Grant University Week” at an event on the DSU campus Tuesday morning.
"None of us could know what was in Senator Morrill’s heart back then or what made up his dreams. But he was dreaming big. And all of us are the beneficiaries of that dream," said Markell.
Markell added the school continues to build on this legacy, pointing to the soon-to-open Optics Research Center being built on campus as an example. He also encouraged current DSU students to imagine how much more the school can be and the legacy they’ll leave for future generations.
DSU will celebrate the 125th anniversary of its founding next year.
Events celebrating Delaware 1890 Land-Grant University Week this week at DSU include:
- Wednesday, April 22, 6 p.m. – DSU will present guest speaker Joe Madison, nationally known satellite radio political and civil rights talk show host, whose presentation will be entitled “1890 Land-Grant Past, Present and Future: A Time to Reflect” in Parlor C of the Martin Luther King Jr. Student Center.
- Thursday, April 23, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. – The University will hold an 1890 Day Wellness Walk and Carnival on the DSU campus. The registration fee of $18.90 will help establish the Justin S. Morrill Memorial Scholarship fund for DSU students.
Last year, Delaware Public Media's "History Matters" feature examined the early history of Delaware State University and some new information found about that era:
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