Category: History

Auburn University was founded in 1856 in Auburn, Alabama. Did you know that the original name of our school wasn’t actually “Auburn University”? Our school has gone through three different name changes since we opened our doors in the mid-19th century. Auburn University was originally named the East Alabama Male College and held that name until our first name change in 1872. Auburn then became the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Alabama and operated under this namesake for close to 30 years. In 1899, our university was renamed a second time to boast the name of the Alabama Polytechnic Institute. Finally, in the year 1960, Auburn University became the official name of our beloved university, keeping with its location, size, and mission. Let’s take a closer look at each one of these names.

East Alabama Male College (1856 – 1872)

The beginning talks of establishing a college in Auburn took place at the Methodist church annual conference in Autaugaville, Alabama in the year 1853. Local residents called on the Alabama Methodists to support the construction of a college in their hometown of Auburn. Auburn was outbid by Greensboro, Alabama for the location of the newly promised school in December of 1854. The Auburn citizens would not go down without a fight, making sure the Alabama legislature heard their plea. In 1856, the Alabama legislature pulled through for the citizens of Auburn and overturned the governor’s veto in favor of incorporating the East Alabama Male College in Auburn.

The new school in Auburn consisted of a preparatory division that opened in January of 1857 with an enrollment of one hundred students. When the East Alabama Male College officially opened in 1859, the preparatory division now had 113 students, with the entire college supervised under the leadership of our first president Reverend William Jeremiah Sasnett. The East Alabama Male College had to close its doors during the Civil War to operate as a hospital, although the preparatory school remained open. After the college reopened, the East Alabama Male College fell on hard times financially and was unable to recover. This is when the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Alabama was introduced and officially opened in 1872.

Agricultural and Mechanical College of Alabama (1872 – 1899)

In the year 1857, a congressman from Vermont, Justin S. Morrill, introduced a bill that we now know as the Land-Grant Act. This bill was eventually signed into law in 1862, granting each state 30,000 acres of public land for a college to be built. With the Morrill Act and the benefits that came along with its passing, the state of Alabama was awarded 240,000 acres of land to establish a college. Where would this college be located in Alabama? This was a lively discussion had by the citizens of Alabama for a few years, many people proposing different ideas. People wanted this land-grant college to be added to the University of Alabama, B.F. Taylor of Lauderdale County proposed Florence, and Auburn’s very own Sheldon Toomer and J.L. Pennington proposed a bill for their hometown.

The Alabama Legislature formed special committees to choose a location for the land-grant college in December of 1871. Florence, already home to the Florence Wesleyan College, seemed the most viable option for the land-grant school to be established. Auburn, the long-shot in this case, was still hoping for a chance to host the new college. On February 13, 1872, the minority report of the selection committee was read over the majority report and Auburn was announced as the proposed location. Eleven days later on February 24th, this bill was read for the third time and passed. Auburn would be the new home of Alabama’s land-grant college.

Alabama Polytechnic Institute (1899 – 1960)

William Leroy Broun became the president of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Alabama in 1882. He was then unanimously welcomed back as president in 1884, after a one-year stint. One of the recommendations he made as president was to change the name of the college to be called the Alabama Polytechnic Institute, to encompass the “enlarged sphere of educational work”, said Broun. Near the end of his tenure as president, the Alabama legislature successfully renamed the land-grant college, bearing the namesake of Alabama Polytechnic Institute or API as students have come to refer to the old name.

Auburn University (1960 – Present)

No president’s tenure was more foundational to how Auburn University functions today than that of Ralph Brown Draughon’s. Draughon became President of Auburn University in 1948, making him the school’s eleventh president. The GI Bill caused enrollment at API to double from the year 1944 to 1948, putting strain on the structure and mission of the Alabama Polytechnic Institute. This new president oversaw the expansion of API from the land-grant role to providing both undergraduate and graduate coursework for our complex world. To align itself closer to the central mission of the college, the Alabama legislature approved the final name change of the Alabama Polytechnic Institute, officially becoming Auburn University in the year 1960.

Our beloved school has now borne the name Auburn University for over 60 years. Being ranked as a top 50 public university year after year, holding the title of the #1 university in the state of Alabama, and having some of the happiest’s students in the nation, much is owed to the people who have gone before us. I can’t think of a more eloquent phrase than that of Ralph Brown Draughon who states, “Owing much to the past, Auburn’s mission makes its greater debt ever to the future.” Come be a part of fulfilling that mission here at Auburn University.

*A big thanks to The Auburn University Digital Library and the articles provided detailing the History of Auburn University. – http://diglib.auburn.edu/auburnhistory/index.html.*

By: Lenzy Borden

What’s is Toomer’s Corner?

Toomer’s Corner is home to one of Auburn University’s most cherished traditions and one of Southern Living’s Top 100 Things to Do Before You Die. Let’s dive into a little history of this landmark. You will likely hear different forms of the story on campus visits and at Camp War Eagle, but this is how I like to tell it best:

Mr. Sheldon Toomer bought the drug store from his Stepfather after completing Pharmacy School at Auburn University (known then as Alabama Polytechnic Institute) in 1896. This drug store was the only business in town to own a telegraph, and when Auburn’s football team played away-games, they were the only ones around to get the current score.

As Auburn scored and Toomer’s received the updates, the employees would take the ticker tape from the telegraph and tape it to the windows. The more paper, the better Auburn was doing. Fans in the community would stop by, check the score, and go about their day. When they would post the final score that Auburn had won, the fans would rip the paper off of the windows and throw it in the oak trees at the corner of campus. This was the best way to let everyone know that our boys were bringing home another victory.

Eventually, ticker tape got to be expensive, so at some point we switched over to toilet paper, but the tradition is something we do for every victory we see. The picture below is from the 2010 National Championship. We take this pretty seriously, don’t you think?

Did Someone Say Lemonade?

Crossing the street back towards downtown, Toomer’s Drug Store is home to one of Southern Living’s Top 100 Things to Do Before You Die– try the lemonade. Toomer’s lemonade is a favorite of all who try it. You can go classic with the regular lemonade, or try one of their flavors. My favorite is the Strawberry-Lemonade for the real strawberries, and the frozen options are amazing. Ice cream, soda floats, Toomer’s T-shirts, and lemonade by the gallon can all be found at the heart of our downtown here in Auburn, Alabama.

In 1964, Harold A. Franklin became the first African American Student at Auburn University.  Unfortunately, he left the University in 1965 without the opportunity to defend his thesis.  Despite not earning his degree at the time that he had hoped, Dr. Franklin returned to the University on numerous occasions for speaking engagements and notable recognitions.  In 2015, he attended a ceremony for the unveiling of a marker in his honor.  He received an honorary doctorate from Auburn in 2001 and in February of 2020, he successfully defended his thesis and was granted approval for the master’s degree in history that he initially pursued in 1964.

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Since denying Dr. Franklin the opportunity to initially defend his thesis, the University has made great strides to ensure that African Americans are provided with opportunities to succeed, have representation on campus, and are celebrated for their accomplishments. 

During a recent campus visit, you may have noticed the Harold D. Melton Student Center, Bessie Mae Holloway Hall, and Josetta Brittain Matthews Hall.

The Harold D. Melton Student Center was named in 2020 after Chief Justice Harold D. Melton of the Georgia Supreme Court, who became the first African American President of the Student Government Association (SGA).  Chief Justice Melton studied international business and Spanish and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Auburn in 1988.

The naming of the student center was the first time a building on campus was named after an African American, but it was not the last.  Earlier this year, the University named two residence halls after two prominent members of the Auburn family.  The former Tiger Hall was renamed the Bessie Mae Holloway Hall and the former Eagle Hall was renamed the Josetta Brittain Matthews Hall.

Dr. Bessie Mae Holloway, who earned a doctorate degree in education from Auburn, was the university’s first African American Board of Trustees member and she represented the 1st Congressional District from 1985-2000.  She was a lifelong resident of Prichard, Alabama before passing in 2019 and worked as an educator in the Mobile County Public School System for over 25 years. 

Dr. Josetta Brittain Matthews is the University’s first African American graduate.  She earned a master’s degree in education in 1966 and, in 1972, she became Auburn’s first African American faculty member when she joined the College of Liberal Arts as a French and history instructor.  She continued her studies at Auburn and earned a doctorate degree in 1975.

There are countless examples of Black History displayed throughout the fabric of the university and these are just a few examples.  Additional stories about African American graduates of Auburn can be found on the Black Alumni Council webpage.

As you embark upon your Auburn journey, you will notice that Auburn University is a place of inclusion.  You have a voice, and your voice will be heard.  As a student at Auburn, you will be encouraged to be your authentic self and make changes that impact the University and the universe.

“What is your mascot?” “Are you the War Eagles or the Tigers?” As a former Student Recruiter and current Admissions Advisor at Auburn University, I’ve heard almost every Auburn question under the sun. However, arguably the most common question I’ve been asked comes in some form of the questions above.

            First, let’s clear the air on the debate surrounding the mascot at Auburn University. We are the Auburn Tigers, and this is proudly displayed through our mascot, Aubie the Tiger, who’s a nine-time national champion and the first mascot to be inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame.

            So where did the phrase “War Eagle” come from? “War Eagle” is our battle cry at Auburn. Depending on who you talk to, you may hear a variety of tales about how this battle cry originated. However, the most common origin dates back to 1892.

            At Auburn we love our football. Our first ever football game was played back in 1892 against the University of Georgia at Piedmont Park in Atlanta, thus beginning the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry. Among those in attendance that day included a veteran from the Civil War. Towards the end of the Civil War, this veteran came across an injured eagle in a battlefield, and nursed the eagle back to health. He then kept this eagle as a pet for almost 30 years, and brought the eagle with him almost everywhere he went. Sure enough, the eagle was also in attendance at this game back in 1892. The eagle broke free from its perch on the veteran’s shoulder and began majestically circling the field. While the eagle was in flight, Auburn’s football team started and finished a thrilling game winning touchdown drive to win their first ever football game. Auburn students, alumni and fans were thrilled by this outcome, and began to yell “War Eagle” as a way to cheer on their team. Ultimately, this is the first way the legend of “War Eagle” translates to today. Roughly 16 minutes before kickoff of every Auburn home football game, one of our two War Eagles, Nova or Aureau, will circle Jordan-Hare Stadium as 87,451 (or as I like to say, 87,450 of my closest friends) scream “WARRRRRRR EAGLE! HEY!” As Nova or Aureau lands at midfield, thousands in attendance erupt, and it gets the crowd fired up just like it did back in 1892.

            In addition to the Eagle Flight before football games, the battle cry “War Eagle” can be heard all over the world as a way for the Auburn Family to greet and identify with each other. I guarantee you that if you’re ever wearing an Auburn logo, you’re going to hear a “War Eagle” no matter where you are! This is a symbol of the Auburn spirit. It’s been part of our spirit for more than 100 years, and I’m sure it will continue for hundreds more.

WAR EAGLE!