Harris–Stowe State University#Men's basketball

HSSU has roots in more than one institution; one with a White student body, one with a Black student body, one pre-emancipation and the other post-emancipation. Origins of HSSU, pre-emancipation, began 1857 when the St. Louis Public Schools founded St. Louis Normal School, a Whites-only school, and post-emancipation in 1890 as the Sumner Normal School, solely for the preparation of African American women, as elementary school teachers. These institutions had these things in common, they were racially segregated, they were women-only, and all their graduates were school teachers.

Although two separate institutions, prior to 1954, for a period of time, John L. Purdom, was president of both institutions during the 1930s. St. Louis Normal School (Harris Teachers College) and Sumner Normal School (Stowe Teachers College) started to admit men in 1940. They merged into a single institution after 1954.

In 1857, pre-emancipation, St. Louis Public Schools established a normal school. The St. Louis Normal School was established solely for the preparation of White women as elementary school teachers. This campus was Whites-only. The student body was limited to women-only.{{cite web|url=https://go.hssu.edu/rsp_content.html?wid=95&pid=12661|title=COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING: HISTORY OF HARRIS-STOWE STATE UNIVERSITY|author=hssu.edu|access-date=26 May 2024}}

Post-emancipation, it was named Harris Teachers College, after William Torrey Harris. The former St. Louis superintendent of schools, he had also served as the United States Commissioner of Education, during the late 19th to early 20th century, 1889-1906.

Pre-emancipation, 1863, Anna Brackett became principal of the school. It was the first normal school led by a woman in the United States. During her tenure, Brackett worked to ensure female students had access to higher education and liberal studies as preparation for professional teaching. She made two proposals to the Board of Education that were eventually adopted. Her proposal was an age requirement for entrance to the school. Another proposal, there should be an entrance exam for admission. In 1872, Brackett resigned as principal. There were changes in the curriculum that went against her beliefs.Norma Kidd Green, "Brackett, Anna Calender," in Edward T. James et al eds. Notable American Women, 1607–1950: A Biographical Dictionary (Harvard UP, 1971) 1:217-218. [https://books.google.com/books?isbn=0674627342 online]

In 1920, Harris Teachers College became a four-year undergraduate institution authorized to grant a Bachelor of Arts in Education Degree.

In 1890, St. Louis Public Schools established the Sumner Normal School to train Black teachers in St. Louis. In 1924, Sumner Normal School was authorized to issue a four-year Bachelor of Arts in Education degree.

In 1929, its name was changed to Stowe Teachers College, inspired by Harriet Beecher Stowe, whose novel, Uncle Tom's Cabin, had promoted the abolitionist cause in the antebellum United States.[http://www.hssu.edu/sp_content.cfm?wID=50&pID=478 "Campus History".] [http://www.hssu.edu/index.cfm Harris-Stowe State University.] Retrieved 2013-12-23. From 1930 until 1940, Stowe Teachers College was situated in the former Simmons Colored School campus.{{cite web |author= |date= |title=National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Simmons Colored School |url=https://mostateparks.com/sites/mostateparks/files/Simmons%20Colored%20School.pdf |accessdate=October 30, 2023 |publisher=National Park Service}} With {{NRHP url|id=99001163|photos=y|title=accompanying pictures}}

The U.S. Supreme Court's 1954 decision in Brown v. Board of Education mandated integration of public school systems. In response to this, Harris and Stowe Colleges were merged into one institution, which retained the "Harris Teachers College" name. At the behest of Stowe alumni and other St. Louisans, the name "Stowe" was added, and the school became Harris-Stowe College.

In 1979, the college was added to the state system of public higher education, under the name of Harris-Stowe State College. Another four-year education degree was added to offer a Bachelor of Science in Education. By 1981, more programs were added to offer several new degrees in education, including the B.S. in Urban Education, designed to enable non-teaching urban education personnel to address problems specific to urban schools; and a degree in Business Administration.

In 2005, the college attained university status. Renamed Harris–Stowe State University. The school enrolled 1,098 students in 2023.

The Stowe Teachers College building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.{{cite report|type=none|url=https://catalog.archives.gov/id/63818086 |title=National Register of Historic Places Registration }} Resulting from the 1998 study, and its 2010 extension, of historic resources in the Ville neighborhood of St. Louis, Missouri.{{cite report|type=none|url=https://catalog.archives.gov/id/63818090 |publisher=National Park Service |title=National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Documentation: Historic and Architectural Resources of The Ville. St. Louis [Independent City]. Missouri |author=John Saunders |author2=Lynn Josse |author3=Carolyn Toft |author4=Cynthia Longwisch |author5=Steven E. Mitchell |date=November 1998}}{{cite report|type=none|url=https://catalog.archives.gov/id/63818092 |publisher=National Park Service |title=National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Documentation: Historic and Architectural Resources of The Ville, St. Louis (lndependent City), Missouri |author=Betsy Bradley |author2=Jan Cameron |author3=Andrea Gagen |author4=Robert Bettis |author5=Kathleen E. Shea |author6=John Saunders |author7=Lynn Josse |author8=Carolyn Toft |author9=Cynthia Longwisch |author10=Stephen E. Mitchell |date=August 2010}}

The Department of Academic Affairs have three academic units:

• Anheuser-Busch School of Business
• College of Arts & Sciences
• College of Education

Degree programs at Harris-Stowe require general education studies.{{cite web|url=http://www.hssu.edu/sp_content.cfm?wID=50&pID=473|title=Harris-Stowe State University (314) 340-3366|work=hssu.edu|access-date=7 May 2015}}

The William L. Clay, Sr. Early Childhood Development/Parenting Education Center is an early childhood child care center located on campus. Harris-Stowe invested $11 million into the new facility to train early learning professionals, provide parenting education, and offer high quality day care for children. Harris-Stowe was awarded an FY09 Area Resources for Community and Human Services (ARCHS) start-up and expansion grant to assist in the purchase of developmentally appropriate materials for the center's new infant/toddler rooms.{{cite web|title=ARCHS' PRE-K PARTNER SET TO OPEN NEW CENTER|url=http://custapp.marketvolt.com/cv.aspx?cm=93513951&x=41196460&cust=1281064|publisher=ARCHS|access-date=13 September 2011}}

Harris–Stowe State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. The Anheuser-Busch School of Business is also accredited by the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs and the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education. The School of Education is also accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation.{{cite web|url=http://www.hssu.edu/sp_content.cfm?wID=50&pID=645|title=Harris-Stowe State University (314) 340-3366|work=hssu.edu|access-date=7 May 2015}}

Harris-Stowe State University was ranked #55-#70 in Regional Colleges Midwest in 2020 by U S News & World Report.{{cite web |title=Harris-Stowe State University |url=https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/harris-stowe-state-2466 |website=usnews.com |publisher=U.S. News & World Report, L.P. |access-date=21 July 2020}}

The Office of Student Engagement sponsors or hosts more than thirty activities or special interest clubs and approximately a dozen academic clubs and honor societies, several campus affiliate chapters of national organizations, and nearly 12 Greek organizations (mostly in conjunction with other St. Louis area colleges and universities).{{cite web|url=http://www.hssu.edu/sp_content.cfm?wID=30&pID=185|title=Harris-Stowe State University (314) 340-3366|work=hssu.edu|access-date=7 May 2015}}

• Sigma Alpha Pi National Honor Society
• Alpha Chi Honor Society
• Accounting Students Association
• Kappa Delta Pi
• Kappa Mu Epsilon (Math Honor Society)
• Delta Mu Delta

The Harris–Stowe State athletic teams are called the Hornets. The university is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the American Midwest Conference (AMC) since the 1986–87 academic year. Their mascot is the Hornet.{{cite web|url=http://athletics.hssu.edu/|title=Athletics|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060113234936/http://athletics.hssu.edu/|archive-date=2006-01-13}}

Harris–Stowe State competes in 12 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, soccer and track & field (indoor and outdoor); while women's sports include basketball, soccer, softball, track & field (indoor and outdoor) and volleyball; and co-ed sports include cheerleading.

The Harris–Stowe State men's basketball team won the American Midwest Conference tournament championship in 2017 and 2018.

• Arlene Ackerman, former superintendent of public schools in District of Columbia, San Francisco and Philadelphia
• John Burton (1910–1992), first African-American mayor in Michigan{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= The Mayors of Ypsilanti (1858-1981) |website=Ann Arbor District Library|date= |url= https://aadl.org/sites/default/files/docfiles/1982-Oct.pdf |accessdate=}}{{Cite web|first=William |last= Clay|authorlink=Bill Clay |title= A Tribute to John Burton - p. 29306 |website=Congressional Record|date=November 15, 1989 |url=https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-CRECB-1989-pt20/pdf/GPO-CRECB-1989-pt20-5-3.pdf |accessdate=}}
• Cori Bush, Representative for Missouri's 1st congressional district
• David S. Cunningham, Jr., Los Angeles, California, City Council member, 1973–87
• Kimberly Gardner, politician and former circuit attorney for St. Louis, Missouri
• Julius Hunter, retired television anchorman, former St. Louis University vice-president, author
• Bobby Wilks, U.S. Coast Guard aviator, first African-American promoted to Captain in the Coast Guard
• DJ Tab, hip hop DJ, record producer, and entrepreneur{{Cite web |title=DJ Tab – Passion is Pursuit Conference |url=https://passionispursuit.com/speaker/dj-tab/ |access-date=2020-11-06 |language=en-US}}
• J. B. "Jet" Banks (1924–2003) American Democratic politician who served in the Missouri Senate{{Cite web |title=Member Biography: Senator J.B. "Jet" Banks, District 5 |url=https://www.senate.mo.gov/99info/members/bios/bio05.htm |access-date=2024-12-29 |website=Missouri Senate}}{{Cite web |last=Lavery |first=Kevin |date=2003-10-14 |title='Jet' Banks Remembered |url=https://www.stlpr.org/other/2003-10-14/jet-banks-remembered |access-date=2024-12-29 |website=STLPR NPR |language=en}}

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• {{Official website|http://www.hssu.edu/}}
• [http://hornetsathletics.com Official athletics website]

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Category:University and college buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Missouri

Category:Tudor Revival architecture in Missouri

Category:Public universities and colleges in Missouri

Category:Historically black universities and colleges in the United States

Category:Universities and colleges in St. Louis

Category:Universities and colleges established in 1857

Category:1857 establishments in Missouri

Category:National Register of Historic Places in St. Louis

Category:African-American history of Missouri