Hampden-Sydney, Virginia

— Prince Edward County —

Hampden-Sydney College, in continuous operation since November 10, 1775, was established "to form good men and good citizens." One of the few remaining all-male colleges, it was named for John Hampden (1594-1643) and Algernon Sydney (1622-1683), champions of parliamentary rule in England. Patrick Henry and James Madison were early Trustees, and President William Henry Harrison was a member of the Class of 1791. Student companies were formed in the Revolutionary War and the Civil War.

During the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s, the college did not publicly take sides. Some faculty children attended the all-white private Prince Edward Academy, when all the county's public schools were closed to stave off integration. Several Hampden-Sydney students were active in teaching children in the Prince Edward Free Schools, which were established for black children during this period.

Without fanfare, the college enrolled its first black student in 1968. African-American faculty members soon followed. Through more than 200 years of strong leadership, Hampden-Sydney College continues to have a strong, active student body and has maintained its reputation for excellent education of men of all origins.

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Show me all markers in:  Farmville, VA  |  Prince Edward County  |  23901  |  Virginia  |  United States of America

Hampden-Sydney
About Hampden-Sydney College
Hampden-Sydney College
The Birthplace
Presbyterian Seminary
Kingsville
French's Church
Randolph-Macon Medical School
History of Worsham
Campaign of 1781

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