Hampton University

Hampton University is a private historically Black research university located in Hampton, Virginia. Founded in 1868, it was established to provide education to formerly enslaved individuals following the Civil War. The university offers undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs across fields such as engineering, business, nursing, pharmacy, liberal arts, and the sciences. Hampton University is known for its emphasis on leadership, service, and research, as well as its historic campus along the Hampton River. As one of the nation’s historically Black colleges and universities, it attracts students seeking a community rooted in tradition, academic rigor, and cultural heritage.

Hampton University was founded on April 1, 1868, in Hampton, Virginia, as the Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute. Established by Brigadier General Samuel Chapman Armstrong shortly after the Civil War, the school was created to educate formerly enslaved African Americans and to train teachers and skilled workers during Reconstruction. Early instruction emphasized teacher preparation, vocational training, and moral education. In the late nineteenth century, Hampton University also developed programs for Native American students. Over time, the institution expanded its academic offerings beyond industrial education to include liberal arts and professional studies. The school adopted a university structure in 1984 and officially became Hampton University. Today, Hampton University maintains its historic campus near the Emancipation Oak and continues to develop programs in areas such as engineering, science, health professions, and business while preserving its legacy as a historically Black institution.