University Success: School History

Founding

• 1877, as Natchez Seminary, in Natchez, MS

• Under auspices of American Baptist Home Mission Society of New York

• 20 Newly Freed Slaves enroll to become ministers and teachers

Relocation

• to Jackson, MS, in 1882 on what is now the campus of Millsaps College

• Renamed Jackson College

• Construction on the site of the main campus began in 1885

  • they moved us there because they wouldn’t put anything else there

First Degree Awarded

1924

JSU Research Status

R2; in the process of being R1

Mississippi East Center

Where the College of Journalism lies

John R. Lynch St.

Named for the congressman/senator

President #1

Charles Ayer (1877-1894)

President #2

Luther G. Barette (1894-1911)

President #3

Zachary T. Hubert (1911-1927)

President #4

Buddy Baldwin Dansby (1927-1940)

President #5

Jacob L. Reddix (1940-1967)

President #6

John A. Peoples, Jr. (1967-1984)* First Alumni to be President. 100 years old August 26

President #7

James A. Hefner (1984-1991)

President #8

James E. Lyons Sr. (1992-1999)

President #9

Ronald Mason, Jr. (2000-2010)

Interim President #1

Leslie Burl McLamore (2010)

President #10

Carolyn Meyers (2011-2016)* First woman president of JSU

Interim President #2

Ron Paige(2016-2017)* alumni, football player and coach

President #11

William B. Bynum (2017-2020)

President #12

Thomas Hudson (2020-2023)*Second alumnus full president of JSU

President #13

Marcus L. Thompson (2023-2025)

Acting President #1

Elaine Haynes-Anthony (2023-2025)

Interim President #3/President #14

Dr. Denise Jones Gregory (Interim: 2025-2026; President: 2026-Present)

Colleges Offered at JSU

• Business

• Education and Human Development

• Liberal Arts

• Health Sciences

  • Public Health (first unveristy in Mississippi to be approved by legistalure to establish this school, now housed under health sciences)

• Science Engineering and Technology

Academic Center

Margaret Walker Alexander Center: African-American History, COFO Building