Shaw University
Shaw University, is the first historically black university in the Southern United States. Shaw is a private liberal arts institution affiliated with the Baptist Church and among the oldest HBCUs in the nation. Founded in 1865, our university has a rich history steeped in tradition, activism and service. We were the first college in North Carolina to offer a four-year medical school; the first institution of higher learning established for freed men after the Civil War and the first historically Black College in the nation to open its doors to women.
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Shaw University has produced outstanding professionals who have contributed to the advancement of society. Our graduates include college presidents, academic vice presidents, judges, lawyers, recording artists, school principals, pastors, and other notable persons, such as:
- Ella Baker (1927), civil rights activist & co-founder of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)
- Willie E. Gary (1971), multi-millionaire attorney, motivational speaker, businessman
- James “Bonecrusher” Smith (1975), 1st heavyweight boxing champion to earn a college degree
- Shirley Caesar (1984), Grammy Award-Winning Gospel singer
- Shawn “CoCo” McMillan (1995), 2010 Stellar Award Winner
News and Events
Shaw University One of 12 UNCF-member HBCUs Selected to Participate in Walmart Foundation Grant Program
The $500,000 grant from the Walmart Foundation will provide funding and technical assistance to selected UNCF-member institutions. This grant will help these institutions with accreditation efforts and support a summer professional development conference geared toward institutional advancement. >> Read More
Shaw University Staff
