Langston University A History

Langston University is Oklahoma's only historically Black college and the westernmost four-year public HBCU in the United States. Founded in 1897 as the Colored Agricultural and Normal University (CANU), Langston's origin lies in the bold vision of a small group of Black pioneers determined to provide higher education for their children. That vision, born out of the Second Morrill Act of 1890, took shape on forty acres of prairie purchased through community bake sales, auctions, and donations. In this compelling account, Zella Black Patterson--a Langston alumna, professor, and department chair--recounts the university's early days, its cultural and academic achievements, and the indomitable spirit of the people who built it.