Columbia University

On the 31st of October 1754, King George II of Great Britain signed a royal charter establishing King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhattan, creating the fifth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and the oldest in New York. The college's first president, Samuel Johnson, an Anglican priest, presided over classes that began in July 1754, but the institution's early years were defined by political volatility rather than academic expansion. When the American Revolutionary War broke out in 1776, instruction was suspended for eight years as the college building was requisitioned first by American forces and then by British troops to serve as a military hospital. The college's library was looted, and its sole building was occupied by the Continental Army, leaving the institution in a state of suspended animation until the British departure in 1783. The legislature passed an act on the 1st of May 1784 to resuscitate the college, renaming it Columbia College to honor Christopher Columbus and demonstrate support for the new Republic. A board of regents was created to oversee the transition, and in 1787, former students Alexander Hamilton and John Jay headed a revision committee that adopted a new charter, granting power to a separate board of 24 trustees. This political upheaval transformed the institution from a royal college into a symbol of American independence, setting the stage for its future evolution into a modern research university.

The Manhattanville Expansion And Campus Evolution

In 1896, university president Seth Low moved the campus from 49th Street to its current location in Morningside Heights, a decision that would define the university's physical and intellectual identity for the next century. The new campus, designed by the architects McKim, Mead & White, was conceived as a unified Beaux-Arts plan where all disciplines could be taught under one roof, replacing the decentralized faculties of the 19th century. The campus occupies more than six city blocks and includes Butler Library, completed in 1934, which is now the largest in the Columbia University Libraries system and one of the largest buildings on campus. The university owns over 7,800 apartments in Morningside Heights, housing faculty, graduate students, and staff, and maintains an extensive tunnel system over a century old, some of which remain accessible to the public. In April 2007, the university purchased more than two-thirds of a site for a new campus in Manhattanville, an industrial neighborhood to the north, which included the demolition of existing light industry and storage warehouses. The $7 billion expansion plan, approved by the State of New York's Empire State Development Corporation in 2009, created 1.5 million square feet of space for the Business School, School of International and Public Affairs, and the Jerome L. Greene Center for Mind, Brain, and Behavior. This expansion faced significant opposition from community activist groups in West Harlem, who fought the plan over property protection and residents' rights, but the university proceeded with the development, using eminent domain to declare the area blighted. The new campus, which opened major facilities between 2014 and 2021, includes the ZMBBI, Lenfest Center, and The Forum, marking a significant shift in the university's physical footprint and academic focus.

Common questions

When was Columbia University founded and by whom?

King George II of Great Britain signed a royal charter establishing King's College on the 31st of October 1754. This event created the fifth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and the oldest in New York. Samuel Johnson served as the college's first president and presided over classes that began in July 1754.

Where is the main campus of Columbia University located and when did it move there?

University president Seth Low moved the campus from 49th Street to its current location in Morningside Heights in 1896. The new campus occupies more than six city blocks and includes Butler Library, which was completed in 1934. The university also owns over 7,800 apartments in Morningside Heights to house faculty, graduate students, and staff.

What scientific discoveries were made at Columbia University during World War II?

Columbia University was the first North American site where the uranium atom was split in Pupin Hall during World War II. Faculty members including John R. Dunning, Isidor Isaac Rabi, Enrico Fermi, and Polykarp Kusch created the first nuclear fission reactor in the Americas. The university played a pivotal role in the Manhattan Project and continues to drive innovation in fields ranging from telecommunications to space science.

What happened during the 1968 student protests at Columbia University?

In the spring of 1968, hundreds of students occupied buildings on campus, forcing the resignation of Columbia's president, Grayson Kirk. The protests were part of a broader movement against the Vietnam War and the university's involvement in military research. The incident led to the creation of the Columbia University Senate, which includes faculty and student representatives from Teachers College and Barnard College.

What occurred during the 2024 student protests at Columbia University?

In 2024, students occupied the campus in response to the Gaza war, resulting in police action, student disciplinary measures, and the resignation of two university presidents, Minouche Shafik and Katrina Armstrong. The federal government launched an investigation into antisemitism and withdrew funding, prompting the university to adopt stricter campus policies. In July 2025, Columbia finalized a $220 million settlement to resume federal funding.