North Carolina State University established

Legislative Foundation. The North Carolina General Assembly founded the institution on March 7, 1887, as a land-grant college. It was initially designated as North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, commonly referred to as North Carolina A&M. This legislative act established the college in Raleigh, North Carolina, founding what is today a public land-grant research university.

Land-Grant Mission. As a land-grant college, North Carolina A&M was tasked with providing a liberal and practical education. The curriculum focused on military tactics, agriculture, and the mechanical arts. However, the mandate explicitly included classical studies, ensuring that traditional academic subjects were not excluded from the practical and agricultural focus of the new institution.