African American
Latta University
1836-1865
The Rev. Morgan L. Latta was the founder and president of Latta University, located in Oberlin Village, which is now part of Raleigh, North Carolina. Born in 1853, he was enslaved on the Cameron Plantation in Durham County. Fifty years later (in 1903) Latta published his autobiography, which tells, among many things, about how he...
University of Mount Olive
The University of Mount Olive opened its doors in 1952, after the Convention of Original Free Will Baptists approved the founding of a junior college named Allen Junior College.
Carolina University
Carolina University is a non-denominational Christian school in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Founded in 1947 by Dr. Charles H. Stevens, it offers courses from theology to engineering.
Latta University
The Rev. Morgan L. Latta was the founder and president of Latta University, located in Oberlin Village, which is now part of Raleigh, North Carolina. Born in 1853, he was enslaved on the Cameron Plantation in Durham County. Fifty years later (in 1903) Latta published his autobiography, which tells, among many things, about how he...
Melville B. Cox (1799 – 1833)
A minister at Edenton Street Methodist Church in Raleigh, Melville Cox left his post in 1831 to travel to Liberia. There, he served as the first Methodist missionary from the United States to a foreign country.
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical University (NC A&T)
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, more commonly known as NC A&T, is the largest historically black college or university (HBCU) in the country, with 13,885 students in the fall of 2023.
The University of North Carolina’s Origins
Today, the University of North Carolina System consists of 17 separate campuses located throughout the state. It is governed by a Board of Governors elected by the General Assembly. It even includes two special high schools. But the university began with just one campus, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Thales College
Thales College is one of North Carolina’s newest colleges. It opened its doors to undergraduates in Wake Forest, North Carolina, in 2022. Thales was founded in 2019 and started high school dual enrollment classes and a summer institute program in 2021. The continuing education program for a Certificate of Classical Education Philosophy began in 2023....
Albion Tourgée (1838 – 1905)
Reconstruction was a turbulent time, filled with significant political and social change, violence, and controversy. One controversial figure was Albion Tourgee, an Ohioan who moved to North Carolina for economic opportunities.
James Gloster Brehon (1740-1819)
James Gloster Brehon was an influential physician and scientist from Warrenton, North Carolina. Originally born in Ireland, he moved to the United States and participated in the Revolutionary War as a surgeon. One of Brehon’s great legacies was his role in the foundation of the Warrenton Academy in Warrenton, North Carolina.
Mary T. Martin Sloop (1873 – 1962)
Mary T. Martin Sloop was a physician and educator from Davidson, North Carolina. She played an instrumental role in educational efforts and reform in western North Carolina. In particular, she established the Crossnore School for mountain children.
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
Opening its doors to students in 1795, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill upholds the distinction of being one of the oldest public universities in the country and the first public university to award degrees during the eighteenth century. Currently, UNC is ranked among several national publications that list the university as a preeminent leader in academic quality, affordability, and diversity.
Inglis Fletcher (1879 – 1969)
Born in Illinois, Inglish Fletcher first visited North Carolina in 1934 researching her genealogy in the Tyrrell County historical records. She published her most prominent novel, Raleigh’s Eden, in 1941, and it detailed the Albemarle plantation culture in colonial North Carolina. Dedicated to research and historical accuracy, Fletcher published a twelve volume historical fiction set entitled the Carolina Series. The novelist moved to Edenton in 1941 where she became a prominent citizen who helped start the North Carolina Writers Conference and the Elizabethan Gardens on the Roanoke Island.