Auburn University: the story on HearLore

War Era Transformations

On the 1st of October 1918, nearly all able-bodied male students aged eighteen or older voluntarily joined the United States Army. These eight hundred seventy-eight student soldiers formed the academic section of the Student Army Training Corps. They received honorable discharges two months later following the Armistice that ended World War I. During World War II between 1941 and 1945, thirty-two thousand troops attended the university in some manner. API became an early participant in Engineering, Science, and Management War Training programs fully funded by the government. Enrollment at the school more than doubled after the war due to returning military personnel using the GI Bill. Faculty salaries were cut drastically during the Great Depression while enrollment decreased alongside state appropriations.

Integration And Social Change

Auburn University remained racially segregated prior to 1963 with only white students admitted to the institution. Integration began in 1964 when Harold A. Franklin became the first African-American student to attend graduate school there. Franklin had to sue the university to gain admission and was denied his degree after completing his master thesis. He eventually received his master's in history in 2020. The first degree granted to an African-American occurred in 1967. According to Auburn University Office of Institutional Research and Assessment data from Fall 2023, African-Americans comprised seven point three five percent of undergraduates. The university increased its Black faculty percentage from four point three percent in 2003 to four point seven percent in 2025 following legal challenges regarding underrepresentation. In 2024, Auburn eliminated its Office of Inclusion and Diversity to comply with SB 129 signed by Governor Kay Ivey.

When was Auburn University chartered by the Alabama Legislature?

The Alabama Legislature chartered the institution as East Alabama Male College on the 1st of February 1856. This private liberal arts college operated under the guidance of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South starting in 1859.

Who was the first African-American student to attend graduate school at Auburn University?

Harold A. Franklin became the first African-American student to attend graduate school there in 1964 after suing the university for admission. He eventually received his master's degree in history from Auburn University in 2020.

Which engineering program did Auburn University launch with Samuel L. Ginn's donation?

Auburn University launched the first Bachelor of Wireless Engineering degree program in the United States following a twenty-five million dollar gift from alumnus Samuel L. Ginn in 2001. The Samuel Ginn College of Engineering maintains this tradition and consistently ranks among the nation's largest twenty engineering programs annually.

What is the oldest continuous agricultural experiment located on the Auburn University campus?

The Old Rotation represents the oldest continuous agricultural experiment in the Southeast dating back to 1896. David Bransby used switchgrass as biofuel in work that earned mention in the 2006 State of the Union Address.

When did Auburn University eliminate its Office of Inclusion and Diversity?

In 2024, Auburn eliminated its Office of Inclusion and Diversity to comply with SB 129 signed by Governor Kay Ivey. This decision followed legal challenges regarding underrepresentation and occurred while African-Americans comprised seven point three five percent of undergraduates according to Fall 2023 data.

Auburn University.

War Era Transformations

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Common questions

When was Auburn University chartered by the Alabama Legislature?

Who was the first African-American student to attend graduate school at Auburn University?

Which engineering program did Auburn University launch with Samuel L. Ginn's donation?

What is the oldest continuous agricultural experiment located on the Auburn University campus?

When did Auburn University eliminate its Office of Inclusion and Diversity?

Academic Expansion And Research

Campus Architecture And Infrastructure

Athletic Dominance And Traditions