Virginia State University (VSU), also known as Virginia State, is a historically black public land-grant university located north of the Appomattox River in Petersburg. Founded on March 6, 1882, Virginia State developed as the United Statess first fully state-supported four-year institution of higher learning for black Americans. The university is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. Following the American Civil War, William Mahone (1826–1895) of Petersburg, Virginia was the driving force in 1870 to combine the Norfolk and Petersburg, South Side and the Virginia & Tennessee railroads to form the Atlantic, Mississippi & Ohio Railroad (AM&O). The new line extended from Norfolk to Bristol. After the AM&O struggled to operate for several years under receiverships, the railroad was sold at auction in 1881 and became part of the Norfolk and Western Railway. The university has a 236-acre (0.96 km2) main campus and a 416-acre (1.68 km2) agricultural research facility. The main campus includes more than 50 buildings, including 16 dormitories and 16 classroom buildings. The main campus is located close to the Appomattox River in Ettrick, Virginia.
Last Updated on: Nov 27, 2024