History of Kentucky State University Skip to main navigation Skip to footer content Skip to main navigation Skip to footer content History of Kentucky State University About KSU About KSU KSU History Academic Affairs Board of Regents Division of Brand Identity and University Relations Facilities and Maintenance Operations Finance and Administration Office of University General Counsel Organizational Charts Past Presidents KSU Strategic Plan Student Management and Enrollment Management University Policies and Procedures Visit KSU Organizational Charts KSU History Academic Affairs Academic Calendar Accreditation: (SACSCOC) Online Learning Dual Credit Honors Collegium Graduate Studies Research and Innovation Institutional Effectiveness Institutional Research Library Office of Military and Veteran Affairs Registrar Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) Student Success Office of Research and Innovation Board of Regents Meet the Regents Meeting Materials and Minutes Resolutions and Orders Schedule FY2024 Budget Allocations The Gold Book Division of Brand Identity and University Relations Alumni Relations Marketing On the Hill Newsletters Forms Institutional Advancement Starting Your Project Request: Quick Guide Thorobred Recognition Program University Communications and News Crisis Communication Briefing Plan Sign up for BRED Alerts Faculty & Staff Giving Staff BRED Fest Vendor Registration Facilities and Maintenance Operations Capital Planning & Construction Facilities Management Keeping KSU Green Our Commitment Staff Directory Contact Finance and Administration Accounting Accounts Payable Auxiliary Services Budget Policy and Planning Bursar Capital Planning Facilities Management Financial Aid HEERF Reports Purchasing Office of University General Counsel Office of General Counsel Home Staff Directory Open Records Requests Policies and Procedures Organizational Charts Past Presidents KSU Strategic Plan Student Management and Enrollment Management University Policies and Procedures Policies & Regulations Home Policies & Regulations by Volume Procedures by Volume Interim Policies & Regulations Forms for Policies & Regulations Text Messaging Privacy Policy and Terms Procedures Search by Volume Interim Policies By Volume Policy and Regulation Search by Volume Visit KSU About Frankfort Campus Map Directions Parking Information Organizational Charts From its modest beginnings as a small normal school for the training of African American teachers, Kentucky State University has grown into a land-grant and liberal arts institution that prepares a student population to compete in a multifaceted, ever-changing global society. Kentucky State University began as an idea on October 15, 1885. The Commonwealth needed more normal schools to train teachers for employment in its elementary schools. On May 18, 1886, legislators authorized the school's creation, and the University was chartered as the State Normal School for Colored Persons, the second state-supported institution of higher learning in Kentucky. During the euphoria of Frankfort’s 1886 centennial celebration, when vivid recollections of the Civil War remained, the city’s 4,000 residents were keenly interested in having the new institution located in Frankfort. Toward that end, the city donated $1,500, a considerable amount in 1886, and a site on a scenic bluff overlooking the town. This united display of community enthusiasm and commitment secured the new college's place in Frankfort despite competition from several other cities. Recitation Hall — now Jackson Hall — the college’s first building, was erected in 1887. The new school opened on October 11, 1887, with three teachers, 55 students, and John Henry Jackson as its first president. Kentucky State became a land-grant college in 1890, and the departments of home economics, agriculture and mechanics were added to the school’s curriculum. The school produced its first graduating class of five students in the spring of that year. As the school began to grow and change, so too did its moniker. In 1902, the name was changed to Kentucky Normal and Industrial Institute for Colored Persons. The name was changed again in 1926 to Kentucky State Industrial College for Colored Persons. By 1929, most students had access to high school, leading then-President Rufus B. Atwood to discontinue the college's high school, which had been in operation since 1893. Even so, Atwood's 33-year tenure was marked by dramatic institutional growth, including the first modern yearbook, the first student newspaper, and most notably, by gaining accreditation for the institution. His administrative acuity and political acumen were necessary to position the university for growth during a period of marked social change, while avoiding fallout in the political town of Frankfort. In 1938, the school was named Kentucky State College for Negroes, and began focusing again on offering a more traditional liberal arts education. The college notably gained full accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools the following year. In 1972, it became Kentucky State University and enrolled its first graduate students in the School of Public Affairs in 1973. Since then, more than 45 new structures or major building expansions have enhanced Kentucky State University’s campus, which includes an agricultural research farm and a environmental education center. Today, Kentucky State University's faculty, staff, and students have made Kentucky State one of the finest public institutions in the Commonwealth, and among the best in the nation. By using this site, you agree to our privacy policy. Read it here.