Rate this HBCU Day 4: Langston University

[DrBanneker]

The last HBCU rated was Hampton University the shining example by the sea which received an average rating of 8.8 slightly edging out the previous champion North Carolina A&T.

Today we feature the only HBCU in the Sooner State of Oklahoma: Langston University.

Langston University was founded in 1897 in Langston, Oklahoma. Federal law from 1890 (the second Morrill Act) said that states receiving federal money for land grant colleges had to either integrate them or create alternate HBCUs. This lead to many HBCUs in the 1890s such as Langston, North Carolina A&T, Virginia State University, Tennessee State University, and Southern University.

The University is named for John Mercer Langston who was a member of Congress from Virginia in Reconstruction, founded the Howard University Law School and was consul-general to Haiti (like Frederick Douglass).

I know at least @Originalman has family connections here, maybe @QuintessentialBM

Basic data (all data 2021 unless otherwise noted)
Founded: 1897
City, State: Langston, OK
Type: 4-year, Public
Nickname: Lions
Enrollment and percent Black enrollment: 1,960 (1,814 undergraduate), 81% Black
Out of State Ratio: 55%
Part-time student percentage: 6%
First Generation Student Percentage: 36%
Percentage of students from households under $30k/over $100k: 58%/4%
Out of State Percentage: 55%

Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 16:1

Admissions Acceptance Rate: Open Admissions
4-yr/6-yr graduation rates: 11%/29%
Transfer out rate: 14%
Male/Female percentages: 37% / 63% (1.7:1)
Tuition: In-State: $6.5k / Out of State: $13.9k
Median Federal Debt After Graduation: $26,000
Median Parent PLUS Loans After Graduation: $17k
Median Earning 10-Years after 10 years from freshman year: $32,717
Median Earnings for specific majors after 3 years after graduation:
Registered Nursing: $57,835, Business Administration: $46,122, Education: $35,258
Top Majors by Degree
Business Administration, Education, Nursing, Criminal Justice, Liberal Arts
Top Majors by Degrees: Education, Business Administration, Nursing, Psychology, Liberal Arts

Endowment: $110M (includes state support)
Alumni Engagement: N/A
Athletic Conference: Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC) - NAIA

Mascot: Lions

Famous alumni:

The two most famous alumni actually didn't graduate due to financial difficulties.

Bessie Coleman - The first Black female pilot

Jennifer Hudson - Singer

-----
Maxine Horner - Oklahoma state senator

Dr. Henry Ponder - president of several HBCUs as well as president of Alpha Phi Alpha

Nathan Hare - Founder of the journal the Black Scholar and a pioneer in establishing Black Studies departments

Cleo Hearn - Professional Black cowboy and founder of Black rodeo Cowboys of Color Rodeo

Student Center

School of Nursing

NASA Advanced Research in Biology Center

W.E. Anderson Stadium

"Pride" Marching Band

Golden Feline Dancers

Miss Langston 2017 - Maya Jackson

Oh yeah, we can't forget the Coli's favorite Langston University Delta!

@SupaVillain @Tug life @Idaeo @Get These Giants @Smokee Robinson @MostReal @Tee @Bryan Danielson @Rollie Forbes @Willie Lump Lump @staticshock @Charlie Hustle @Karume @BigAggieLean. @Optimus Prime @How Sway? @DropTopDoc @TheKongoEmpire @Son_Of_God @Theolodius_Black @mson @xoxodede @Anerdyblackguy @EndDomination @ab.aspectus @Peachstate @Gloxina @HarlemHottie @Originalman

 

[boskey]

My dad went there in the early 80's when he first got to America

 

[staticshock]

Only HBCU in Oklahoma


Only thing I know about this school is that despite their band being small, they’re pretty good. They’re well respected in the HBCU band culture world.

I’d like to see what states their student body come from.

 

[GoAggieGo.]

Real good write up and read. Seems Langston has some rich history. With them being in Oklahoma, I too, would be interested in where most of the student body comes from; especially with that out of state number being at 55%. Looks like Langston isn’t too far from Oklahoma City. I remember meeting and hanging with some women from Tulsa a few years back, when me and my boy went out to Vegas. First time I ever met anyone from OK.

Again, thanks for doing these @DrBanneker

 

[DropTopDoc]

Kick’ed with a chick from Chicago that went there, she was aight, but that’s no indictment on the school

you don’t hear much pub about it, given its location, I’m sure it doesn’t help, i know they had a season on college hill, i know it’s gotta be different out there

 

[DrBanneker]

I’d like to see what states their student body come from.

I too, would be interested in where most of the student body comes from; especially with that out of state number being at 55%.

Based on the 2019 enrollment stats here outside Oklahoma the largest proportion of out of state students are from:

About 36% come from Texas
13% come from California
8% from Missouri
6% from Kansas
5% from Colorado and Illinois

The rest are from everywhere. I find Cali interesting though remember a lot of the Blacks that went to Cali in the Great Migration and post WWII were from the Texas/Oklahoma area so they may have heard of it from relatives.

 

[staticshock]

Based on the 2019 enrollment stats here outside Oklahoma the largest proportion of out of state students are from:

About 36% come from Texas
13% come from California
8% from Missouri
6% from Kansas
5% from Colorado and Illinois

The rest are from everywhere. I find Cali interesting though remember a lot of the Blacks that went to Cali in the Great Migration and post WWII were from the Texas/Oklahoma area so they may have heard of it from relatives.

Oh wow..13% being from Cali is somewhat shocking. Didn’t think they were hip to HBCUs like that.

We had a few Cali folks at Bama State but they were either all athletes or band folks.

 

[get these nets]

Great series.

 

[Red11]

Only HBCU in Oklahoma


Only thing I know about this school is that despite their band being small, they’re pretty good. They’re well respected in the HBCU band culture world.

I’d like to see what states their student body come from.

Furthest West HBCU...unless you count Charles R Drew.

 

[get these nets]

Furthest West HBCU...unless you count Charles R Drew.

A few in Texas that might be farther West.

 

[LezJepzin]

Oh wow..13% being from Cali is somewhat shocking. Didn’t think they were hip to HBCUs like that.

We had a few Cali folks at Bama State but they were either all athletes or band folks.

I went to high school from a breh that went there. HBCUs were gaining attention in Cali during the late 90s . I wouldn't be surprised if watching College Hill influenced his decision to go to Langston. I didn't know there were HBCUs that north until I saw that show.

 

[DrBanneker]

A few in Texas that might be farther West.

Yeah Huston-Tillotson in Austin may be slightly more west.

 

[Whogivesafuck]

Oh wow..13% being from Cali is somewhat shocking. Didn’t think they were hip to HBCUs like that.

We had a few Cali folks at Bama State but they were either all athletes or band folks.

Black kids tend to go to grambling,Southern,Tsu and Pv. Outside of Texas and Louisiana you won’t find many. We had the black college expo every year in downtown la when I was a kid growing up.

 

[get these nets]

Was somewhat familiar with John Mercer Langston's name, but didn't remember that a University was named for him.
Very impressive biography

Spoiler

John Mercer Langston was the first African American elected to public office. He was born on the plantation of Captain Ralph Quarles in Louisa County, Virginia. Quarles was his father, and his mother, Lucy Langston, was a former slave of African and Native American descent who had been emancipated by Quarles. In 1834 both his parents died of unrelated illnesses, and Langston and his three siblings became orphans. They were rich orphans; however, because Quarles had left his entire estate to them.
A family friend in Ohio (a free state) took Langston and his siblings in and raised them until he moved his family to Missouri, a slave state. Langston remained in Ohio, and at the age of fourteen he enrolled in Oberlin College. At Oberlin he earned a Bachelor’s degree, and then a Master’s degree in theology. During and after his college years, Langston became involved in politics, organizing political groups for African Americans to advance the causes of abolition of slavery and civil rights for black people.
In 1848, Frederick Douglass invited Langston to speak at the first National Black Convention. Langston’s speech exhorted people to assist runaway slaves.

Langston applied to several law schools but was denied entry because of his race

One law school suggested he enroll, but sit at the back of the classroom and keep quiet, and then if after a while none of the other students objected to his presence, he could gradually become an active participant. The president of the law school recommended he pretend to be French or Spanish, anything except African American. Langston, quite insulted, declined, and instead found a position working for a judge, Philemon Bliss, who trained him until he passed the bar exam in 1854. Langston became a successful and prominent attorney. One of his most famous cases was that of Edmonia Lewis, who was accused of poisoning two of her white classmates at Oberlin. Langston’s defense resulted in her acquittal, and she went on to become an acclaimed African American sculptor.
Langston became an opponent of the American Colonization Society, which advocated sending black people back to Africa. As his reputation grew in political circles, he came to be regarded as one of the most influential African American leaders of his time.
Langston married Caroline Wall, another Oberlin alumnus. They moved to Brownhelm, Ohio, where he served on the City Council for about five years starting in 1855. When he was elected to the position of Town Clerk, he became the first African American to be elected to a public office. He was active in the Republic Party and was instrumental in steering the party toward its strong anti-slavery position.
As a respected black leader, Langston was called upon to recruit African American volunteers to fight in the Civil War. He organized the first black regiment in the history of the United States, the Massachusetts 54th, and two other regiments made up of African American soldiers. During and after the war, he fought tirelessly for voting rights for black Americans.
Langston held many offices, including president of the National Equal Rights League and member of the Board of Education in Oberlin. In 1868 and 1869, he was Education Inspector for the Freedmen’s Bureau, working to provide educational opportunities for newly freed slaves. From 1869 until 1876, Langston served as the dean of Howard University’s law school, but the Board of Trustees became uncomfortable with his political views. The Board forced Langston out of the position, and in response, the entire law department at Howard resigned in protest of the Board’s action. After leaving Howard, Langston was appointed to the diplomatic corps and served as U.S. Consul General to Haiti for seven years. Upon his return, he became president of Virginia Normal College Institute.

In 1889, Langston was elected to the United States Congress, representing the State of Virginia.

There was a long legal dispute concerning rigging of the polls on election day, an apparent attempt by Langston’s Democratic opponents to prevent him from taking his seat in Congress. After an eighteen month battle, Langston took his congressional position.
Langston spent the rest of his life in Washington, D.C., as a political leader and activist, although he was not re-elected to Congress. He retired in 1894 and wrote his autobiography, From the Virginia Plantation to the National Capital. The town of Langston, Oklahoma, and Langston University, in that town, were named after him. He is recognized as a successful African American leader and advocate, who fought for abolition of slavery, African American voting rights, and education for black people. In his time, he was second only to Frederick Douglass in influence and achievement in the political arena.

 

[DrBanneker]

@Originalman didn't you have fam that went here?