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AU was established in 1856 as the East Alabama
Male College, a liberal arts college. It was maintained by
the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, after 1859. |
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The legislative act giving the institution
a charter was passed on February 1, 1856. The state legislature authorized
charters for both the Southern University at Greensboro and
the East Alabama Male College at Auburn. Governor John A. Winston signed
the charter, saying, "I predict great success for East
Alabama Male College. I am sure it will be a great influence
for good in your section of the state." |
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 The cornerstone of the first building was laid
in May 1857, and the college opened on October 1, 1859 with
a faculty of six, a college enrollment of 80 and a preparatory
enrollment of 100. |
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Reverend William J. Sasnett was the first president
and 5 students graduated the first year. |
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On February 26, 1872, the Toomer Bill was passed
and the college became the Agricultural and Mechanical College
of Alabama. |
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Dr. Issac Taylor Tichenor was the first president
of the newly reorganized college. |
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Dr. William Leroy Broun succeeded Tichenor and
advanced the college by remaking the basic courses of study.
Through his leadership he was also able to acquire land to expand
the college grounds. |
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 Fraternities
were formed in 1878, but were not openly recognized by the school
until 1883. |
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 Auburn
admitted women and the school's first football team was organized
in 1892. |
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 The
Alumni Association was organized in 1893. |
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 Dr.
Broun persuaded the legislature to change Auburn's official
title in 1899 to the Alabama Polytechnic Institute because "the
college has developed as originally designed into an institution
where students are taught not only the branches that relate to agricultural
and mechanical arts but also the sciences and arts in general
that relate to the industrial development of modern civilization." |
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Dr. Charles C. Thach, English professor at Auburn
since 1884, assumed the presidency in 1902. He was the first
alumnus of Auburn to become president. |
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 The
school's first basketball team was formed in 1906. |
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 In
1919, the Reserve Officers Training
corps was established. |
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Alabama Polytechnic Institute became Auburn University
on January 1, 1960. |
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 The
first African-American, Harold Franklin, was admitted and enrolled
in the Graduate School in January 1964. |
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Auburn University at Montgomery was established
as a separately administered branch campus in 1967. The institution
has developed rapidly, especially since moving to a 500-acre
campus east of Montgomery in 1971. |
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 During fall of 2005, the
main campus had an enrollment of 23,333.
Auburn University offers degrees in 13 schools and colleges
at the undergraduate, graduate and professional levels. |
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