Samford University: A History Rooted in Faith and Progress
Samford University, located on Lakeshore Drive in Homewood, Alabama, stands as a testament to a rich history interwoven with faith, education, and adaptation. Founded in 1841 as Howard College, it has evolved from a small Baptist institution to a leading Christian university, navigating challenges and embracing opportunities for growth and progress.
The Founding and Early Years in Marion
The story of Samford University begins in Marion, Alabama, a town in the state's black belt region. In November 1841, the Alabama Baptist State Convention, convened in Talladega, approved the establishment of a school for men in Perry County. Chartered by the Alabama Legislature on December 29 of the same year, Howard College opened its doors in January 1842. The institution was named in honor of John Howard, an eighteenth-century English philanthropist renowned for his prison reform work. However, the college was named not because of what he did, but for who he was -- a useful and enlightened Christian citizen who had a passion for serving others and doing what Christ had called him to do.
Several individuals played pivotal roles in the founding of Howard College. The Reverend James H. DeVotie, a trustee and later president, donated land for the college. Julia Tarrant Barron, a prominent member of Siloam Baptist Church and one of the wealthiest women in Marion, provided the first financial gift of $4,000 and also donated land. She is also credited with being at the head of the donors list. The university also recognizes the contributions of the Reverend Milo P. Jewett and Edwin D. King as founders. The college's first nine students pursued a traditional curriculum encompassing language, literature, and sciences. Julia’s son, John Thomas, became one of the original 9 students to attend Howard College and was the first to graduate from the school in 1848. After graduation, he became a physician in Marion and continued to support Howard as a patron and a trustee.
In 1854, a devastating fire destroyed the college building, resulting in the tragic death of one student and Harry, an enslaved man owned by the college's president. Harry worked as a janitor at the college and according to Samford history and folklore insisted on waking all the boys to save them from the fire before he left the building. He died from injuries sustained when he jumped from a top floor window. Despite this setback, the college reopened in 1865 under the leadership of Jabez Lamar Monroe Curry, a former US Congressman and Confederate military officer.
Relocation to East Lake and Expansion
In 1887, Howard College embarked on a new chapter, relocating to the East Lake area of Birmingham. The board of trustees accepted an offer of land from the East Lake Land Company, owned by Robert Jemison, Sr. The new campus, situated between 77th and 78th Streets facing Underwood Avenue (now 2nd Avenue South), welcomed its first class of 157 students on October 1, 1887. Then-president I. T. Murfee decided not to move with the school and instead founded the Marion Military Institute on the former Howard campus. The central part of Howard's campus was dominated by the Old Main building, completed in 1891, which backed up to 4th Avenue South. An elliptical path was inscribed in the main quadrangle with the large Sherman Oak occupying a privileged spot near the center. Berry Field was constructed behind the Old Main for athletic contests.
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The college expanded its offerings in the early 20th century. Women were first admitted on a provisional basis from 1895 to 1897, and the college officially became coeducational in 1913. The School of Music was added in 1914, followed by the School of Education and Journalism in 1915. In 1927, the Department of Pharmacy was established. Anna Judge became Howard's first female graduate.
The post-World War II era brought a surge in enrollment, driven by veterans attending college under the GI Bill. This growth spurred the need for a larger campus.
The Move to Shades Valley and the Birth of Samford University
Under the leadership of President Harwell Goodwin Davis, Howard College sought a new location to accommodate its growing student body. In 1953, ground was broken on a new campus in Shades Valley, just south of Birmingham. The school moved into its new campus in 1957. The consistent style was proposed by then-president Harwell Davis when the campus was moved in the 1950s. The Quad on the central campus is framed by two chapels: A. H.
In 1965, Howard College achieved university status and was renamed Samford University in honor of Frank Park Samford, a longtime trustee and benefactor. Howard College attained university status and renamed itself in honor of insurance executive and longtime trustee Frank Park Samford Sr. There was already a Howard University in Washington, D.C. The Ida V. Moffett School of Nursing, owned by the Baptist Medical Center of Birmingham, was added to the University in 1973. In 2020 it was renamed the Moffett & Sanders School of Nursing. Audrey Gaston became the first full-time African-American student, enrolling in Cumberland School of Law and graduating in 1970. In 1969, Elizabeth Sloan became the first African-American female to live on campus.
Campus Development and Architectural Vision
Samford University's campus is renowned for its Georgian Colonial architecture, inspired by Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia. The consistent architectural style was championed by then-president Harwell Davis during the relocation to Shades Valley.
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The university's initial site plan, developed in 1947 by the Olmsted Brothers landscape architectural firm, envisioned the main quadrangle angled towards Edgewood Lake (now drained) and separate quadrangles for men's and women's dorms. However, this plan was deemed too expensive due to grading challenges. A subsequent plan in 1955 by Van Keuren and Davis, Architects, was more compact and enclosed, reflecting a shift towards the Beaux-Arts tradition. By using a smaller portion of the site, it left more room for later development, including the eventual sale of the eastern end of the campus to Southern Progress. The legacy of the Olmsted Brothers plan survives in few ways. These include the location of the site itself, the siting of the main entrance, and the positioning of the performing arts center near Lakeshore Drive and the west gate.
Over the years, Samford has expanded its campus, acquiring the adjoining corporate campus of Southern Progress in 2015. In December 2023 Samford announced a "Samford Horizons" plan to construct a new first-year residence hall with 513 beds by fall 2025. As part of the same plan, Samoford announced it would build two upper-division residence halls with a total of 140 beds. In September 2024 the university announced that the new first-year building would bear two names. The western section was named Audrey Lattimore Gaston Hall in tribute to Audrey Lattimore Gaston Howard who in 1967 became Samford’s first full-time African-American student when she enrolled in Cumberland School of Law. The eastern section was named for Samford benefactor Marvin L.
Academic Growth and Recognition
Samford University has consistently strived for academic excellence. The university is divided into the School of the Arts, Howard College of Arts and Sciences, Brock School of Business, Beeson Divinity School, Orlean Beeson School of Education, Cumberland School of Law, Moffett & Sanders School of Nursing, McWhorter School of Pharmacy, School of Health Professions, and School of Public Health. In 2025, Samford ranked No.
The McWhorter School of Pharmacy, founded in 1927, has been at the forefront of pharmacy education for 90 years. The stock market crash in 1929 and new accreditation requirements forced Howard College to close the pharmacy school after only two years. McWhorter went to the University of Tennessee for two years before coming to Samford to earn his degree. McWhorter began his health care career as an assistant administrator with the Hospital Corporation of America, working for Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in Albany, Georgia. He also served as administrator of Sumter Regional Hospital in Americus, Georgia, and West Georgia Medical Center in LaGrange, Georgia. He served as chief executive officer at HealthTrust until merging with his former employer, Columbia/HCA, in 1995 to form the largest hospital corporation in the world. From April 1995 to May 1996, McWhorter served as Chairman of the Board for the combined company. He went on to serve as chairman of Clayton Associates, LLC, which he founded in 1996 to provide venture capital to start-up companies. In 1993, Samford University bestowed upon him the honorary degree, Doctor of Commerce.
Athletics and Extracurricular Activities
Samford University's athletic teams, known as the Bulldogs, compete in the NCAA Division I Southern Conference. The school's colors are red and blue, and the mascot is a costumed bulldog named "Spike". Samford fields teams in 17 varsity sports (8 men's and 9 women's). Men's sports include football, basketball, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, cross-country, golf, tennis and baseball. Women's sports include soccer, basketball, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, cross-country, golf, tennis, softball and volleyball. Home basketball games are played in the 5,000 seat Thomas E. and Marla H. The Pete Hanna Center opened in 2007. The 132,000-square foot multipurpose facility was the largest single construction project in Samford history.
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Samford students are encouraged to participate in a wide range of extracurricular activities, including more than 100 honors, religious, professional, educational, service, and social student organizations. As of fall 2007, 32% of the undergraduate student body was affiliated with one of 12 social Greek organizations. Specifically, 23% of men were members of fraternities and 36% of women were members of sororities.
Navigating Challenges and Embracing Diversity
Samford University has faced challenges throughout its history, including navigating issues of segregation and inclusivity. As a private, segregated institution, Samford University was to some degree insulated from the activities of leaders and protesters of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and early 1960s. Segregation by private universities was outlawed by the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Initially, the school's leaders declined to express their commitment to desegregation. For example, the university declined to apply for the NDEA Student Loan Program for 1965-66 because it would have to affirm desegregation. Cumberland School of Law faced the greatest immediate risk of losing accreditation.
The university has taken steps to address these issues and promote a more inclusive environment.
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