HISTORY

History

A brief timeline of UA’s history

1820

The Alabama General Assembly officially established the first public university and named it The University of the State of Alabama. (By the 1860s it was called The University of Alabama.)


1831

Harvard graduate and Vermont native Alva Woods became the first president of The University of Alabama. 

First day of classes was held on April 18 with four professors and 52 students. By the end of the term there were nearly 100 students.


1841

The President’s Mansion was built.


1860

The Round House was built for the use of the student sentinels.


1865

All but a few buildings — the President’s Mansion, the observatory, the Round House, The Gorgas House and a few faculty residences — were burned by Union troops.


1892

Student William G. Little introduced fellow students to football.


1893

Anna B. Adams and Bessie Parker became the first women to enroll at the University.


1914

The first Tutwiler Hall was built on the site of today’s Rose Administration Building. It was the first building exclusively for women.  


1915

The University of Alabama Student Government Association was founded.


1926

The Alabama Crimson Tide football team won the Rose Bowl, becoming national champions for the first time.


1929

Denny Chimes, funded in part by student donations, was dedicated in honor of beloved UA President George H. Denny.


1939

Construction on the Gorgas Library was completed.


1956

The first Black student enrolled. Autherine Lucy attended classes for three days before being removed from campus and then expelled.


1963

The University was officially desegregated when Vivian Malone and James Hood enrolled. Gov. George Wallace made good on a threat to “stand in the schoolhouse door” to stop them, but his actions were symbolic and did not stop their enrollment.  


2011

On April 27, 2011, a tornado destroyed much of Tuscaloosa, and six students lost their lives.


2013

Judy Bonner became the University’s first female president.


2016

The University’s strategic plan, Advancing the Flagship, was unveiled.


2019

The University achieved R1: Very High Research Activity status, according to the Carnegie Classification.


2020

The COVID-19 pandemic caused spring classes to be moved online. In-person classes resumed by the fall semester.