Langston University: A History

Langston University is Oklahoma’s only historically Black college and the westernmost four-year public HBCU in the United States. Founded in 1897 as the Colored Agricultural and Normal University (CANU), Langston’s origin lies in the bold vision of a small group of Black pioneers determined to provide higher education for their children. That vision, born out of the Second Morrill Act of 1890, took shape on forty acres of prairie purchased through community bake sales, auctions, and donations.

In this compelling account, Zella Black Patterson--a Langston alumna, professor, and department chair--recounts the university’s early days, its cultural and academic achievements, and the indomitable spirit of the people who built it. From the first classes held in a church and local schoolhouse to national honors in athletics, the rise of a strong arts program under poet Melvin Tolson, and the training of World War II aviators, Langston’s history is one of resilience, pride, and progress.

Now a member of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund with urban campuses in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, and newly named a Carnegie Research College and University in 2025, Langston continues to fulfill the dreams of its founders.

Zella Black Patterson (1909-1986) was raised in Logan County and attended Langston University. A longtime professor and chair of its Home Economics Department, she was also a prolific writer and author of three books.