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This
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Jackson State University (Jackson State, or
JSU) is a historically
black university in Jackson, Mississippi, United States. Founded in 1877 in Natchez, Mississippi by the
American Baptist Home Mission Society of
New York, the Society moved the school to
Jackson in 1882, renaming it Jackson College, and developed
its present campus in 1902. It became a state-supported public
institution in 1940, and it is a member of the Thurgood Marshall College
Fund.
History
Jackson State University started as Natchez Seminary, a private
school, under the auspices of the American Baptist Home Mission Society of New
York, to educate Mississippi's newly freed and underprivileged
blacks.
- 1877: Operated for 63 years as a private church school
beginning with only twenty students. Inman Edward Page was the only
black member of the original faculty.
- 1882:, the decision was made to purchase the fifty-two-acre
J.A.P. Campbell estate in North Jackson, Mississippi. In 1883, the
Society moved the school to Jackson, to the site where Millsaps College now stands. A part of this
transition was the renaming of the school to Jackson College in
recognition of the institution’s new, central location in the
City of Jackson. Natchez Seminary soon relocated from its site in
north Jackson to a tract of land in the southwest section of the
city.
- In 1902, construction on the present campus's site began.
- In 1924, the first bachelor’s degree was awarded. During
this period, the major educational activities were directed toward
teacher education for in-service teachers.
- When the American Baptist Home Mission Society withdrew its
support from the institution in 1934, A new board of trustees was
organized that kept the school open. On May 30, 1938, control of
the Board of Trustees was transferred to Jackson College,
Incorporated.
- In 1940, the school was transferred from the private control of
the church to the state education system and renamed Mississippi
Negro Training School. Initially, the school had been specifically
designated by the state to train rural and elementary teachers. In
1942, the Board of Trustees expanded the curriculum to a full
four-year teacher education program, culminating in the Bachelor of
Science Degree in Education. In May 1944, the first four-year
graduating class under state support received their degrees. In
1944, Mississippi Negro Training School was renamed Jackson College
for Negro Teachers
- In 1953, the Division of Graduate Studies was organized during
the Summer and the program of Liberal Arts started in the fall of
that year. In 1956, Jackson College for Negro Teachers was renamed
Jackson State College.
- During the late 1960s, the entire curriculum was reorganized
and the following schools were established: the Schools of Liberal
Studies, Education, Science and Technology, Business and Economics
and the Graduate School.
- On March 15, 1974, Jackson State College was designated Jackson
State University. Jackson State College gained university status in
accordance with the expanded breadth and quality of its faculty and
academic programs. From 1967-1977, the faculty tripled in size and
the number of faculty members with graduate degrees increased
eightfold. In 1979, the University was officially designated the
state’s Urban University by the Board of Trustees, State
Institutions of Higher Learning.
- In the late 1980s, the University and its surrounding community
was enriched through the expansion of the Universities Center; the
establishment of the West Jackson Community Development Corporation
to improve blighted housing around the campus; the organization of
a Staff Senate; and the creation of a Center for Professional
Development and the Center for Technology Transfer.
- In the 1990s, a Campus Master Plan that projected the growth of
the University into the 21st Century was developed. Fifteen new
graduate and undergraduate programs evolved. These academic
achievements were bolstered by the establishment of the School of
Social Work, the formation of the School of Engineering, and the
fall 1998 opening of the School of Allied Health Sciences, the
School of Business received accreditation of the Association to
Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), a $13.5 million
expansion of the H. T. Sampson Library, which doubled the capacity
of the original structure, was completed, and the $17.2 million
School of Liberal Arts building was occupied in 2001.
- In Fall 2000, the University received doctoral research
intensive status with the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement
of Teaching. This prestigious designation was based on the awarding
of more than 20 doctoral degrees from the Division of Graduate
Studies and the $40 million in federally funded research contracts
secured through the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs.
- In 2002, the University celebrated its 125th anniversary. It
developed and implemented its strategic plan–Beyond Survival:
The Millennium Agenda for Jackson State University. The five-point
strategic plan is moving Jackson State University to a new academic
excellence. Thus, Vision 2020 was created to fulfill the first
strategy–Remodel the Learning System at JSU. In 2002, the
University was reorganized into six colleges: College of Business;
College of Public Service; College of Liberal Arts; College of
Science, Engineering and Technology; College of Lifelong Learning;
and College of Education and Human Development.
- In 2004, a $20 million College of Business building was
completed.
- In 2006, a new 91,000-square-foot (8,500 m2)
student health wellness center opened. For the first time in the
University’s history, private bond financing was secured to
renovate some facilities on campus and to build new facilities,
including a new Campus Union, a new president’s house, new
student apartments, and dormitories which opened in 2006. The
campus transformation and wide array of academic programs enhanced
Jackson State’s presence.[citation
needed]
Campus
Jackson State University is located in Jackson, the capital city
and the cultural, political, geographic and business center of
Mississippi. The campus is a 245-acre (0.99 km2)
campus with 51 academic and administrative buildings. The main
campus is located on JR Lynch St between Prentiss and Dalton
St.
Ayer Hall was constructed in 1903 and is the oldest structure on
campus. It was named in honor of the First President and was named
to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. Green-Gibb
Pedestrian Walkway (Plaza) was named in honor of those who died in
the Jackson State killings. The Walter Payton Health & Wellness Center was
constructed in 2006.
Academics
A historically black Doctoral/Research public university,
Jackson State educates a diverse[clarification
needed] student population in a broad range of
baccalaureate, masters and doctoral programs. The learning process
is enhanced through experiential learning. Jackson State University
is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
(SACS) and is 1 of only 2 Historically Black Colleges and
Universities to be classified as a research intensive university
with high research activity by
[3] The Carnegie Classification
of Institutions of Higher Education, along with Howard
University.
JSU colleges include:
- College of Business
- College of Education and Human Development
- College of Liberal Arts
- College of Public Service
- College of Science, Engineering and Technology
- College of Lifelong Learning
Student
activities
National Pan-Hellenic
Council
Athletics
Athletic teams are a member of the NCAA Division I-FCS (Football
Championship Subdivision) Southwestern Athletic
Conference, commonly known as the SWAC. All SWAC sports are DI
with Football being FCS. Currently, the university fields teams in
men's and women's basketball, baseball, softball, golf, tennis,
soccer, and bowling; women's volleyball; and men's football. The
university's mascot is the Tiger, and the teams are sometimes
referred to as the "Blue Bengals."
The Tiger men's football team has a heralded history, winning
and sharing 16 SWAC titles, including 2007.[4]
Its most famous alumni includes NFL Hall of Famers Lem Barney, Jackie Slater and Walter Payton, and former Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Jimmy
Smith.
The men's golf team has gained notoriety as it has become a SWAC
powerhouse and perennial NCAA tournament participant under head
coach Eddie Payton, older brother of Walter Payton.[citation
needed]
JSU's well-known rivals include Southern, Alcorn State, Mississippi Valley
State, Tennessee State and Texas Southern.
Sonic
Boom of the South
The Jackson State University Marching Band, “The Sonic
Boom of the South” is a musical group.
The band was first organized in the early 1940s. As early as the
mid-1920s, the University had a well-organized orchestra. The group
was given the nickname, “The Sonic Boom
of the South” by band director Harold J. Haughton, Sr. in
1971. In 1971, the majorettes abandoned their batons and became a
dance team known as the Prancing J-Settes, also named by Haughton.
In 1974, “Get Ready,” an old Motown favorite was
selected as the band’s theme song. Also, during the
mid-1970s, the “Tiger Run-On” was perfected. Created by
Haughton, the “Tiger Run-On” is a fast, eye-catching
shuffle step that blends an adagio step with an up-tempo shuffle
(200 steps per minute), then back to adagio—a “Sonic
Boom” trademark that brings fans to their feet during
halftime performances. Oct 1990, Under the direction of Dowell
Taylor and staff, The Sonic Boom of the South performed in Los
Angeles, California for Motown 30-What's Going on. This was the
event that set the wheels in motion for the national attention of
the Sonic Boom.
The
J-Settes
Prancing J-Settes” is the official name of the Jackson
State University dance line, an auxiliary group of the Jackson
State University Marching Band, “The Sonic Boom of the
South.” The Prancing J-Settes are currently supervised by
Dowell Taylor, current Director of Bands. The Jackson State
University Marching Band, “The Sonic Boom of the South”
is an ensemble of the Department of Music, Dr. Jimmie James, Jr.,
Chair.
“The thrill of a thousand eyes,” were the words
spoken by Dr. Jimmie James, Jr. at the onset of the “Prancing
Jaycettes” in 1971.[citation
needed] Shirley Middleton, a former majorette,
initiated the concept of the majorettes abandoning their batons and
dancing to popular musical selections. As the majorette sponsor,
Shirley Middleton and the majorettes met with Dr. John A. Peoples,
the University’s sixth president, and requested that they be
permitted to “put down their batons.”
Dr. Peoples agreed and thus legends were born. In 1970,
Middleton assembled 18 majorettes, and their notoriety immediately
began to soar in rapid proportions. Their beauty, grace, and poise
were astounding and their dance routines to songs such as
“Kool-Aid,” James Brown’s “Make it
Funky,” and “Hot Pants,” were magnificent,
unmatched by any other competing groups.
The group was initially named the “Prancing
Jaycettes.” The group’s name became official in 1971.
However, in 1982, the Prancing Jaycette organization officially
changed its name to Prancing J-Settes, because of a name conflict
with a local organization known as the Jackson
Jaycees/Jaycettes.
As a trained ballet dancer, Shirley Middleton held the J-Settes
to a very high standard of perfection. Also, the late Hollis
Pippins, a JSU twirler and a dancer of high performance in his own
right, took great pride in providing the J-Settes with excellent
choreography. In addition to emphasis on perfecting dance routines,
it was completely unacceptable for any J-Sette to display mannerism
and stature of anything less than a model citizen.
Shirley Middleton served as sponsor of the J-Settes from
1970-1975. In 1975, Narah Oatis was appointed the sponsor of the
J-Settes. Under her leadership, the Prancing J-Settes became
nationally renowned. During her reign, J-Sette marching techniques
such as the “Salt and Pepper,” “J-Sette
Walk,” “Strut,” and “Tip Toe” were
perfected. The J-Settes consisted of lines of 12-16 young ladies
who marched in rows affectionately named “Short and
Sassy,” “Magnificent Middle,” or a “Tall
and Tough.” Mrs. Oatis's tenure is best remembered by many
for the J-Settes’s stellar performance at the 30th
Anniversary of Motown in 1990, the “Coming to America
routine,” “Proud Mary,” and the “Liturgical
dance routine.” (“Coming to America” and the
“Proud Mary” routines were both originally performed in
1995. The “Liturgical dance routine” was first
performed in 1996.) Narah Oatis served as director (sponsor) of the
Prancing J-Settes for 21 years. She resigned as sponsor of the
J-Settes in February 1997.
Student
media
Jackson State is home to radio station WJSU-FM
which plays jazz, gospel, news and public affairs programming. It
also houses a low-powered television station, W23BC.
Jackson State also publishes the independent Blue and White Flash
weekly student newspaper.
Notable
alumni
Education
| Name |
Class year |
Notability |
References |
| Dr. Rod Paige |
|
Secretary of Education during President George W. Bush
administration from 2001-2005, and former head football coach at
Jackson State from 1964-1968 |
|
Arts, TV
and Radio Media, Entertainment and Music
Politics, Law, and
Government
Sports