The Making of a University: John M. Gandy and Virginia State University, 1914-1943

• In Event: African American Institutions and Institution Builders

Abstract

My paper addresses the administration of Virginia State University's third President, John Manuel Gandy, and his role in making the school the leading land-grant institution for African Americans in Virginia. In the midst of the Jim Crow era, President Gandy was responsible for expanding the school's land holdings, hiring expert faculty to teach students, upgrading campus facilities, and restoring the school's college status after a twenty-one year absence. Attention will be given to his childhood, education, and accomplishments at Virginia State. Lastly, attention will be given to his role in shaping education and leadership for African Americans in pre-civil rights era Virginia.
President Gandy served Virginia State from 1914 to 1943, making a total of twenty-nine years of leadership. He was also instrumental in establishing the Virginia State Teachers Association, the leading organization of African American Teachers in Virginia during the Jim Crow era.

Author

• Oscar Renal Williams, SUNY Albany