This Day In History: February 25th
Cheyney University began as a school to train future teachers from the African American community. It evolved into an academic institution offering majors in business administration, biology, humanities, psychology and more. The university was established on February 25, 1837, and reigns as the nation’s first Historically Black College and University (HBCU).
Over the years, Cheyney University has played a role in the graduation of more than 30,000 students. The university is comprised of two academic schools, the School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Education and Professional Studies. Students can take courses in the Department of Business, Education, and Professional Studies, the Department of Humanities, the Department of Natural and Applied Sciences and the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences.
The funds used to start the university were provided by Richard Humphreys, a Quaker philanthropist. Humphreys left behind $10,000 in his will for the creation of a school that would prepare African-American youth for a career in teaching. Students studied subjects such as reading, writing and math. It was originally located in Philadelphia but in 1902, the school was relocated to a 275-acre farm owned by George Cheyney, who was also a Quaker.
Since its founding in 1837, the university has experienced several name changes. It started as the African Institute and was changed to the Institute for Colored Youth until 1914 when the name became Cheyney Training School for Teachers. It was renamed again in 1951 to Cheyney State Teachers College and Cheyney State College in 1959. However, from 1983 onwards, the institution has been recognized as Cheyney University of Pennsylvania (1983).
During the 20th century, much of the university’s growth was credited to Leslie Pinckney Hill. Hill began his tenure as the head of the Institute for Colored Youth in 1913 and remained with the institution for 38 years. He helped to increase enrollment from a handful of students to more than 500, and he led the school’s accreditation efforts.
In 2017, Aaron A. Walton became the university’s interim president, and after working in the role for only five months, he became the permanent president. Notable alumni include Pedro Rivera, former Pennsylvania Secretary of Education; the late Ed Bradley, a correspondent for “60 Minutes; and Robert Bogle, the publisher of the Philadelphia Tribune.
