Meet the Founders of Spelman, the First College Created Just For Black Women

Posted By: S. Moore on July 12, 2023

Now known as a liberal arts college in Atlanta, Georgia, Spelman is a college that has been around since 1881, at least one hundred years after the founding of Ivy League schools such as Yale and Harvard. What makes this schools stand out, however, is its target alumni. Spelman College was the first all-female school in America for Black students.
A surprising fact regarding the origins of this school lies in its founders. Their names were Sophia B. Packard and Harriet E. Giles, two white women from Salem, Massachusetts. According to Harry G.

Lefever, although the school was founded by these women for Black females, it took over a century before a Black woman was named the college president.

Of course, today Spelman carries the high regard of many as a highly prestigious institution. Its alumnae include a roster of women like actress Esther Rolle, singer Cassi Davis, and writer Alice Davis. Every year, on the anniversary of its founding, Spelman celebrates a day for its founders in commemoration of their commitment to empowering future leaders.

SOURCE BlackWomen.com
If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email!

Share

S. Moore
N/A, Customer Success Engineer
Spelman College class of 2017
Member Since November 2022

Comments

Please Login To Post Comments...
Email:	Password:

More From This Author

Owner of Slutty Vegan to speak at Savannah State commencement

Walgreens - Celebrates Black Excellence in Pharmacy!

CF Industries Partners with HBCU CONNECT on Successful Diversity Recruitment Event Focused on Diverse Engineers!

Join Our Growing Team & Build a Brighter Future At Wells Fargo! - APPLY TODAY

Make a Difference in Healthcare! Explore Careers at GSK

Explore Exciting Careers at Pharmavite! We're Hiring in Production, Manufacturing, and Supply Chain. APPLY NOW!

Latest News

Graves Selected as University Registrar at N.C. A&T

North Carolina A&T names Marquita J. Graves as university registrar, bringing over 20 years of higher education administration experience to strengthen academic records and student services. ...more
Will Moss • 59 Views • March 24th, 2026

N.C. A&T Student Earns 2026 Gracie Award for Radio Excellence

N.C. A&T junior Chyna Black wins prestigious 2026 Gracie Award for her powerful radio segment highlighting the legacy of the A&T Four and their continuing impact on today's students. ...more
Will Moss • 55 Views • March 24th, 2026

Delaware State University Announces Prominent Business Leaders as 2026 Commencement Speakers

Delaware State University has announced that two legendary businesswomen will serve as keynote speakers for its 2026 commencement ceremonies, bringing decades of corporate leadership experience to ins ...more
Will Moss • 51 Views • March 24th, 2026

Delaware State University Achieves Record Growth While Higher Ed Contracts

Delaware State University achieves record enrollment growth of 31.7% since 2020 and launches first online HBCU consortium while higher education nationwide faces declining enrollment. ...more
Will Moss • 98 Views • March 23rd, 2026

Spring 2026 Chancellor's Speaker Series Welcomes Actor Michael Ealy to N.C. A&T

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (March 23, 2026) - One of Hollywood's leading men in film and television will take center stage for North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University's Spring 2026 editi ...more
Will Moss • 95 Views • March 23rd, 2026

Popular News

Louisiana Upholds Life Sentence to Black Man For Stealing Hedge Trimmers in 1997

While this may not be HBCU related news, as an AFrican American male, I had to share this appalling decision by the Louisiana court system to keep a man in jail with a life sentence for such a petty c ...more
Will Moss • 402,590 Views • August 6th, 2020

Blonde Instagram Model Goes Viral for Graduating from HBCU and Pledging Delta Sigma Theta!

A blonde woman is going viral this morning, for graduating from A Historically Black College while pledging a Black sorority, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated. @Blonde_HBCU The woman, an IG ...more
Will Moss • 186,667 Views • November 30th, 2020

Apple to Invest over $40 Million Dollars into HBCUs - Time to major in Computer Science!!!

On Tuesday Johnny C. Taylor, President and CEO of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund stopped by �NewsOne Now� to make a major announcement that could literally change the lives of thousands of HBCU st ...more
Will Moss • 128,514 Views • March 11th, 2015

North Carolina HBCU Unity Day

Shaw University - Elizabeth City State University - Johnson C. Smith University - Fayetteville State University - Livingstone College - North Carolina A&T State University - North Carolina Central Uni ...more
Reginald Culpepper • 105,948 Views • August 8th, 2016

Black Billionaire Robert F. Smith to Donate $50 Million to Support STEM Students at HBCUs

The Student Freedom Initiative announced today a $50 million personal gift from Robert F. Smith, philanthropist and Founder, Chairman and CEO of Vista Equity Partners. This gift matches the initial fu ...more
Will Moss • 83,839 Views • October 22nd, 2020

	Will Moss Hampton University class of 1995
	Jordan Davis University of the District of Columbia class of 2025
	Shykeria Lifleur Other College... class of
	Randi Payton University of the District of Columbia class of 1982
	HBCU CONNECT Central State University class of 1995
	LaMarr Blackmon Cal St Univ, Long Beach class of 1992
	How May I Help You NC Bellarmine University class of 2021
	P C class of
	Reginald Culpepper Clark Atlanta University class of 1998

News Menu

Browse Content

Active Bloggers

CFP Board Opens Doors for HBCU Students in Financial Planning Careers

Final Call: HBCU Connect Spring Career Fair - March 25th | Excellent Opportunities Await!

lululemon is Hiring: 6 Hot Career Opportunities You Need to Know About

Black Women Are Rebuilding Their Careers After Federal Cuts - HBCU Connect Is Here to Help