Florida A&M University opens

Legislative Origins. The foundation for the institution was laid in 1885 when Gibbs introduced legislation to create the State Normal College for Colored Students. This action followed his election to the Florida Legislature. The establishment was also driven by the new Florida Constitution of 1885, which explicitly prohibited racial integration in schools, necessitating separate educational institutions for African-American students.

Site Selection. The college was located in Tallahassee because Leon County and adjacent counties had the highest African-American population in the state, reflecting the city's history as a center of the slave trade. The specific site was the 375-acre plantation of Florida Governor William Pope Duval. The legislature determined Tallahassee was the optimal location for a segregated college serving African-American students.

Early Development. The State Normal College for Colored Students began classes on October 3, 1887. It became a land-grant college four years later upon receiving $7,500 under the Second Morrill Act, changing its name to State Normal and Industrial College for Colored Students. It was not officially an institution of higher learning until the 1905 Buckman Act transferred control to the Board of Control.

Historical Significance. Florida A&M University is the only surviving publicly funded historically black college or university in Florida. It is the third-largest historically black university in the US by enrollment. The institution remains a member of the State University System of Florida and is accredited to award baccalaureate, master's, and doctoral degrees.