At Alabama State University, our visionary strength is our story, giving rise not just to boundary-breaking innovation but indisputable room to be who we are.
This is where we’ve come from. Who we are today. And where we’re going.
Our strength drove our founders’ pursuit of equal educational opportunity and planted our roots in the years following the Civil War.
Born from a movement, ASU emerged during a time of significant political and social transformation, when formerly enslaved Southerners refused to accept the limits society placed on them.
This push, with support from Northern white missionaries and Black church leaders, quickly grew into a tradition of excellence, producing Black educators, professionals, scholars and Civil Rights activists who would leave their mark on the 20th century.
A group of nine formerly enslaved men — Ivey Parrish, Thomas Speed, Nicholas Dale, James Childs, Thomas Lee, John Freeman, Nathan Levert, David Harris and Alexander H. Curtis — raised $500 to purchase land in Marion, Ala. Constructed on this location, the Lincoln Normal School opened on Nov. 13, 1867, with 113 students — a distinction that makes us one of the oldest HBCUs and the first in Alabama.
Into the 20th century, the strength of ASU faculty, students and alumni defined critical moments during the Civil Rights Movement. Faculty took the initiative to turn Rosa Parks’ refusal to relinquish her seat into the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Students ventured downtown, where they sat-in to challenge segregation at the Montgomery County Courthouse. ASU alumni invited Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to Selma, Alabama, where they led the Selma to Montgomery March, and prompted the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
A prominent powerhouse in scholarship, literature and the arts, ASU recognized its pivotal role in shaping the future; not just for ourselves; not just for central Alabama; but for everyone.
Finishing the 20th century, the favorable ruling of Knight v. State of Alabama kicked off a period of incredible growth that has yet to slow down. From more than 60 degree programs to the 26,500-seat ASU Stadium to expanding footprints in research and online education, our success empowers our students and our community to not just reach for opportunity but to create their own legacies.
It’s our students — what they dream, who they become and the room they make for themselves — who continue the ASU story. Then and now, they save lives as doctors and researchers. Find victory on the stage, screen or field. And believe in justice and the potential of boundary-pushing ideas.
Today, ASU boundlessly thrives as a proud state-sponsored HBCU on the global stage. Whose discoveries, community support and unstoppable graduates live our founders’ promise. Whose unsurpassed joy and unshakable identity unite generations of Hornets.
From Ole ‘Bama State Spirit to century-standing athletic events, our traditions merge our past and present to honor the space we’ve made for ourselves.
Organized by alumni and friends of the University, Founders’ Day pays tribute to the
Marion Nine’s legacy every February with a convocation and award ceremony that recognizes
graduates whose lives exemplify our institution’s values.
2025 “Spirit of Marion” award winner Oris Jackson explains how our founders’ vision
influenced her to “Conquer everything you can conquer … be great and give back.”
Making history is in our institutional DNA. That’s why, during January and February, we schedule forums where leading speakers, scholars and professionals debate our nation’s past and where we’re headed.
We’ve faced off against the Tuskegee University Golden Tigers for more than 100 years. Tens of thousands of spectators and fans line the streets of Downtown Montgomery to enjoy the festive Parade followed by kickoff back at the ASU Stadium.
The Magic City Classic sets the bar for all college sporting events. Centering on
our 80-plus-year rivalry with Alabama A&M, a weeklong schedule of events, including
entertainment and pep rallies, gears up Hornet Nation for the game in Birmingham.
Preview the excitement, on the field and off, with 2025’s highlights.
We celebrate what’s ours each October. The highlight of football season, we live Ole
‘Bama State Spirit in every shape and form imaginable: creativity, community and athletic
prowess. Woven into this week are multiple longstanding traditions, including the
Miss ASU Coronation, the Fashion Show and the Hornet Walk.
2025’s lineup offers a glimpse of all that awaits.
Since 2017, the Labor Day Classic brings Hornets from near and far to kick off the football season with pride — packing the ASU Stadium and Tailgate Village with alumni and fans.
Throughout the year, we honor our community’s many contributions and the progress we continue to make.
In-person reunions let us connect with familiar faces, share cherished stories and talk about what we’ve gone on to. Hornet Nation holds at least two official class reunions each year — plus many more local and online gatherings.
This combined event celebrates how deep Hornet roots go, recognizing students’ academic and leadership wins and the family members who cheer them on.
A sense of social responsibility, personal honor, morality and good citizenship leads generations of Hornets. While “O’ Mother Dear” unites us, these definitive values guide who we are and everything we do, both as individuals and as a community.
Forward is where we’re headed, not just through our mission but also our program offerings, experiential opportunities, research and campus upgrades. At the start of each academic year, our Fall Convocation, including our president’s “state of the University” address, highlights these developments and their significance for all Hornets.
Greatness starts with a single step. Explore Alabama State University, schedule a visit, apply for admission, support our mission, or find new ways to engage with the Hive.
