Claflin University: A Legacy of Education and Empowerment
Claflin University, a historically black liberal arts college located in Orangeburg, South Carolina, stands as a beacon of education and empowerment. Founded in 1869, it holds the distinction of being the oldest historically black college or university (HBCU) in South Carolina and the first in the state to open its doors to all students regardless of gender, race, religion, or ethnic origin. This commitment to inclusivity and academic excellence has shaped Claflin's rich history and enduring impact.
Founding and Early Years
Claflin University's origins are rooted in the efforts of Methodist missionaries who sought to provide education for formerly enslaved men and women. The institution was named in honor of Lee Claflin, a prominent Boston philanthropist, and his son William Claflin, then governor of Massachusetts, both of whom provided significant financial support. William Claflin also founded Boston University the same year.
Alonzo Webster served as Claflin's first president. Webster had previously spent time as a member of Claflin's board of trustees. He had received a charter from the state of South Carolina to establish a college for freed slaves to take their rightful places as full American citizens.
In 1870, Claflin University merged with the Baker Theological Institute, further strengthening its commitment to theological education. Two years later, the South Carolina General Assembly established the South Carolina State Agricultural and Mechanical Institute as a part of Claflin University. This partnership, however, was short-lived, and in 1896, Claflin separated from the agricultural and mechanical school, which would eventually become South Carolina State University.
Claflin's early years featured industrial, manual, and agricultural training; primary and secondary education; and college-prep and college courses, including architecture, law, teacher education, and theology.
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A Commitment to Civil Rights
Claflin University has played a significant role in the struggle for civil rights. Claflin University students joined with South Carolina State Agricultural and Mechanical College students in a 1960 lunch counter sit-in. In February 1965, Martin Luther King, Jr. visited the campus. In 1968 six Claflin students were injured when police opened fire on a protest at a segregated bowling alley at South Carolina State University-three SC State University students were killed.
The movement on campus and in South Carolina was documented by student Cecil Williams (graduated 1960), Jet magazine’s youngest-ever photographer. In 2019 Williams founded the Cecil Williams South Carolina Civil Rights Museum in Orangeburg.
Leadership and Transformation
Dr. Henry N. Tisdale, a 1965 graduate of Claflin, served as the university's eighth president from 1994. Under his leadership, Claflin experienced significant growth and transformation. Tisdale pledged that his alma mater “will enter the 21st century with an eye to becoming a premier liberal arts institution,” and that the Christian tradition on which it was founded would remain a part of the University.
Four months after his arrival, Tisdale announced the establishment of the Center for Excellence in Science and Mathematics. With funding from the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy totaling nearly $2 million, Tisdale identified three areas of concentration: strengthening academic programs in science, engineering and mathematics; renovating the James S. Thomas Science Center; and upgrading the Summer Science Camp for middle-school students. Also in 1994, the Alice Carson Tisdale Honors College was established.
Committed to the vision of making Claflin a premier liberal arts college, Dr. Tisdale implemented several programs. Claflin's state-of-the-art television production studio began producing local shows through a collaboration with Time Warner Cable. The award-winning Freshman College was established in 1996 to ease the transition into college life, and the Professional and Continuing Studies Center became a reality in 1997 after years of planning. Also in 1997, the University kicked off its most ambitious Capital Campaign in Claflin’s history at the time - a five-year, $20 million campaign. The Peter and Eleanor A. Kleist Foundation made a $1 million gift to the University in support of the campaign, specifically the Living and Learning Center; a $1 million challenge grant was received from the Bush Foundation; a $1 million challenge grant was awarded from the Lilly Endowment; a $1 million gift was received from an anonymous donor; and gifts of $50,000 and $250,000 were given from Dr. and Mrs. James and Dorothy Z. Elmore.
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One of the crown jewels of the facilities enhancement effort was the completion in 1998 of the three-building Living and Learning Center. Named for Peter and Eleanor Kleist, the complex includes a four-story residence hall configured in suites with computer laboratories and study rooms, a leadership development center and a campus center. To complement the Living and Learning Center, give better access to the campus and create a more appealing appearance, a new entrance was completed and won the statewide Outstanding Downtown Revitalization Award. In 1999, with support provided by a grant from the National Park Service, historic Ministers’ Hall underwent major restoration and now serves as a performing arts facility. In 1999, the interior of the building was named the Ernest A. Finney Jr. Auditorium, in honor of South Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Ernest A. Finney, a Claflin graduate. That same year, the Board of Trustees adopted a resolution to restore the institution to its original historic name, Claflin University. Another event that year was the naming of the Arthur E.
In 2003, the University restored Tingley Memorial Hall and renovated the H.V. Manning Library. In 2004, the University constructed the $15 million Student Residential Center comprised of four residential facilities and the new University Dining Center for students and faculty. The new $2 million Music Center was also constructed to house the nationally accredited music program. In 2005, Claflin broke ground for its new $3 million chapel to replace the T. Willard Lewis Chapel, which had been demolished in 1968 to make room for the W.V. Middleton Fine Arts Center. That same year, the University earned the S.C. In 2006, the University did a complete makeover of the Mary E. Dunton Residential Hall for women. In early 2007, the newly built chapel was consecrated and named the James and Dorothy Z. Elmore Chapel in honor of the husband and wife whose $250,000 challenge grant inspired more than 2,000 supporters to contribute to the $3 million building. By 2008, the student population of 1994 had doubled. Students came from 26 states and 15 countries, and the pool of applicants was more than 3,000. The campus had also doubled in size, undergoing more than $50 million in renovations and improvements. The student/faculty ratio was 12:1, and 80 percent of faculty held terminal degrees in their fields. Many more developments have occurred since 2008. Claflin consistently has been ranked as a “Best Buy” and a national liberal arts institution by U. S. News and World Report. The University’s Molecular Research Center has been designated a core research facility by the South Carolina Research Authority and, the University is in the final phase of a $100 million Capital Campaign. Additionally, the University has launched fully online undergraduate and graduate programs and constructed a $12.5 million residential facility for men and women with amenities for health and wellness and a revised strategic initiative that drives the University’s desired goals during the early part of the 21st Century.
Throughout his career, Dr. Tisdale has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors in recognition of his exceptional and transformative leadership. He is the recipient of the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina’s highest civilian award and the Higher Education Leadership Foundation Award. In September 2008, the town of Kingstree, in recognition of the extraordinary achievements of their native son, erected a lasting tribute, six highway markers proclaiming Kingstree, South Carolina the “Home of Dr. Henry N. Tisdale, The Eighth President of Claflin University.” Dr. Tisdale’s other recent honors include the 2008 CASE (Council for Advancement and Support of Education) District III Chief Executive Leadership Award, the 2007 Milliken Medal of Quality Award, 2007 BellSouth Honoree, the I. DeQuincey Newman Humanitarian Award, the NAFEO (National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education) Distinguished Alumni Award, Who’s Who Among Black Americans and the NAACP Educator of the Year Award. Over the years, Dr. Tisdale also has served on many committees, councils, boards and task forces at both the state and national levels. He is a member of the Board of Directors of UNCF, American Council on Education Commission on Effective Leadership, UNCF Special Programs Board of Directors, the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges Council of Presidents, the HBCU-ETS Steering Committee and a member of Governor Nikki Haley’s Transition Team.
In 2020, American novelist and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott donated US $20 million to Claflin University.
Academics and Programs
Claflin University offers a broad-based education in liberal arts, sciences, and professional education. The School of Education, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, School of Business and School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics comprise the undergraduate programs. The University also provides educational opportunities for non-traditional students through its Center of Professional and Continuing Studies. The University also offers master’s degrees in business administration (MBA) and biotechnology. Claflin Online offers undergraduate degrees in organizational management and criminal justice and master’s degrees in business administration (MBA) and education (MEd).
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The university's core undergraduate curriculum is rooted in the liberal arts with an interdisciplinary project-oriented approach. Claflin offers graduate programs in business, education, criminal justice, and biotechnology.
As part of its Leadership Development Program, the Office offers an 18-credit minor in Leadership Studies.
Campus Life and Activities
Claflin University's historic 50-acre campus is located in Orangeburg. Claflin has several clubs and organizations that range from Greek sororities and fraternities to shared interests, religious and cultural arts. The university offers over 25 different undergraduate programs, 4 graduate programs and 4 professional studies programs in-person. It offers seven programs online.
Claflin University's athletics teams are referred to as the Panthers. The institution is a member of the Division II level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), primarily competing in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) since the 2018-19 academic year. Men’s teams include basketball, track and field and cross country; women’s teams include basketball, softball, volleyball, track and field and cross country.
Notable Alumni
Claflin University boasts a distinguished list of alumni who have made significant contributions in various fields. Among them are:
- Alice Jackson Moorer (1884) and Annie Thortne Holmes (1884), two of the first five black women in the world to receive college degrees.
- Robert Bates (1884), the first African-American certified as an architect.
- Ernest A. Finney Jr. (1952), the first African-American to serve as chief justice of the South Carolina Supreme Court.
- Joseph H. Jefferson, Democratic member of the South Carolina House of Representatives representing the 102nd district
- James Martin and Leo F. Twiggs, who were the first Black Ph.D. graduates from the University of South Carolina and the University of Georgia, respectively.
Economic Impact
According to a UNCF study, Claflin generates $79 million and provides 835 jobs to contribute to the total economic impact of the local and regional economies. This estimate includes direct spending by Claflin from faculty, staff, academic programs and operations, and by students attending the institution.
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