Welcome to the Encyclopedia of UNCG History, a project of the Martha Blakeney Hodges Special Collections and University Archives. You can search the Encyclopedia using the search box. You may view an alphabetical listing of all entries using the “A-Z Listing” tab at the top of the page.
John H. Cook began his work at the State Normal and Industrial College (later Woman’s College, now UNCG) when he was hired as head of the department of education in 1918. After a campus-wide reorganization in 1922, his title was changed from “head” to “dean.” In 1921, he worked to … Continued
Mary Channing Coleman was born on July 11, 1883 in the small community of Ware Neck, Virginia. She was from a prominent Virginia family, and was reportedly a decendent of Pocahontas as well as two signers of the Declaration of Independence. Coleman was educated by private tutors until she went … Continued
As an undergraduate student at UNCG, Dr. Cheek actively served as the vice-president of the Alpha Xi chapter of Mu Phi Epsilon in addition to being the music editor for the Carolinian. She was also a member of the Outing Club and a university marshal. Dr. Cheek was also the first … Continued
Yoko Ishikawa was born in 1930 in Yokohama, Japan. In September of 1952, through the support of a Fulbright Scholarship, the Service League of Women’s College in Greensboro, and the U.S. Department of State, Ishikawa was able to attend Woman’s College as an exchange student for a year. She enrolled in … Continued
On October 5, 1892, when the doors of the State Normal and Industrial School officially opened for instruction, the women enrolled were called to classes by the chiming of the University Bell. Originally, the bell stood near the location of the current Alumni House. It was used wake students in … Continued
Ralph Wilkerson was the first African American (male or female) elected as Student Government Association president (1978-1979). Entry by Lucy Mason, summer 2015 intern
Odessa Patrick received her B.S. in Biology from North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University in 1956. In 1969, she received her M.A. in Biology from UNCG. In 1958, she was hired as a lab technician at Woman’s College. In her position as lab technician, Patrick was the first African American … Continued
Larry McAdoo was one of the first African Americans male students to attend and the first to graduate from UNCG. An honor student, he was also a legislature representative for the town student association while at UNCG. Upon receiving his B.A. in Economics and Business Administration, McAdoo went on to attend … Continued
On September 1, 1970, Eva Doris McKinney was hired by the School of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, as a professor in the Physical Education Department. While at UNCG, she taught numerous courses including Psychology and the Athlete and Learning and Performance of Physical Skills. McKinney published a textbook titled … Continued