EST.

1879
Ministers from the A.M.E. Zion Church, who desired to foster self-reliance among newly-freed
slaves, established Livingstone College in 1879 in Concord, N.C. Originally founded as Zion
Wesley Institute, it became the first institution of its kind, founded and operated by
African-Americans for the purpose of educating descendants of freed slaves.
After three brief sessions, directed by principals Bishop C.R. Harris and Professor A.S.
Richardson, the Institute ultimately closed in Concord.
In 1881, Dr. Joseph Charles Price and Bishop J.W. Hood changed roles as delegates to the
Ecumenical Conference and became fundraisers with the mission to re-establish Zion Wesley
Institute. Price raised $10,000 in England to re-establish and secure the Institute.
The Rowan County town of Salisbury, just 20 miles northeast of Concord, gave the trustees a
generous donation of $1,000 and an invitation to relocate the school to Salisbury. The trustees
accepted both offers and the College reopened in the Delta Grove area of Salisbury in 1882 with
Dr. Price as president. It was the first college established in Salisbury. The new site consisted of
one building and 40 acres.
The name was changed in 1887 to Livingstone College in honor of David Livingstone, a popular
Christian missionary, philanthropist and explorer of Africa.
Since its establishment, Livingstone College has celebrated a rich history. In fact, one of the
nation’s great educators, W.E.B. Dubois, once referred to Livingstone as the “Harvard of The
South.”
For nearly 140 years, the doors of Livingstone College have been open to men and women
regardless of race, national or ethnic origin. However, the mission of Livingstone College has
remained consistent – providing educational opportunity for young men and women regardless
of their socio-economic status.
The College is committed to the philosophical principle that one’s beginnings need not dictate
one’s future. Therefore, we provide an environment for students to see challenges as
opportunities rather than obstacles and barriers. Additionally, we seek to combine our legacy and
strengths with value-centered initiatives.
Our educational experience is aimed at preparing and producing students who will have a
positive impact on their communities and command their rightful place in a global society. As a
result, students who have chosen Livingstone are prepared to offer new hope to a changing
world.
Our 272-acre campus is located in historic Salisbury, Rowan County, North Carolina, a town of
approximately 30,000 within an hour's drive of two major metropolitan areas: Charlotte and the
Piedmont Triad of Greensboro, Winston-Salem and High Point.
The college has an enrollment of approximately 1,200. It offers Associate in Science degree in
Culinary Arts, the Bachelor of Social Work degree, and 21 Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of
Science degrees in diverse areas of Business Administration, Education and Psychology, and
Liberal Arts and Humanities.
Largely supported by the A.M.E. Zion Church, its programs are entirely nonsectarian. However,
throughout the College’s history, the A.M.E Zion Church has been committed to the further
advancement of Livingstone College.
Livingstone College has been successful throughout the years and boasts many firsts among its
alumni. Livingstone College produced the first African-American neurosurgeon in the United
States (Carter Fuller); the first African-American President of the National Education
Association (Elizabeth Duncan Koontz); the first African-American mayor of the City of
Salisbury, N.C. (Wiley L. Nash); and the first African-American mayor of Spartanburg, S.C.
(James Talley).
The College has also produced six presidents of Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Athletically, Ben Coates, former professional football player for the New England Patriots and
the Baltimore Ravens; and Quanera Hayes, USA track and field 400-meter winner and IAAF
World Championship 4x400 meter sprint team gold medalist, are both Livingstone alumni.
Since its inception, the College has had two principals and 18 presidents, six of whom were
interim/acting. The current president is Dr. Jimmy R. Jenkins, Sr. The current physical plant
consists of 23 buildings, seven of which are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Today, Livingstone College is a living symbol of the educational and social progress of
African-American people. The institution reflects the ideals of self-help, self-development, and
self-determination, which are essential expressions of a Livingstone College education.