NC A&T is one of the nation's leading producer of African American engineers with both B.S. M.S. and PhD degrees.citation needed NASA is one of the major partners of the School of Engineering. It is also the nation's top producer of minorities with degrees (as a whole) in science, mathematics, engineering and technology.citation needed NC A&T is also a leading producer of minority certified public accountants, landscape architects, and veterinarians.citation needed NC A&T offers 99 undergraduate degrees, 50 master degrees, and PH.D degrees in mechanical, electrical, industrial engineering, energy and environmental studies, and leadership studies. The bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral level programs in engineering are all fully accredited by ABET, the nation’s foremost engineering accrediting body. More than 90% of the full time faculty have PhD's. New interdisciplinary programs are global studies, entrepreneurship, and motorsports. A&T's motorsports program races internationally. The School of Business and Economics is also fully accredited in all undergraduate accounting and business programs by AACSB International. NC A&T is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund.
The school colors are blue and gold. The school athletic teams are called the "Aggies". The School's Marching Band is known as The Blue & Gold Marching Machine. On the A&T seal are the words "mens et manus" (minds and hands), reflecting on A&T's early focus on agriculture and technical skills.
The North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (A&T) was established as a “mechanical college” for the “Colored Race” by an act of the General Assembly of North Carolina, ratified March 9, 1891.citation needed The act read in part: "That the leading objective of the college shall be to teach practical agriculture and the mechanic arts and such learning as related thereto, not excluding academic and classical instruction." This college was established along with North Carolina Agricultural and Mechanical College, now known as North Carolina State University, but due to segregation laws, whites and blacks could not attend college together.
Due to the separation, the College operated in Raleigh (at the private Shaw University)until 1893 when it moved to the city of Greensboro where the citizens within the community united and donated $11,000 in cash and 14 acres (57,000 m²) of land for its campus. Such contributors were Dr Dewitt, C. Benbow, and Charles H Moore. The original course of study of A&T included languages and literature, mathematics, business, agriculture and military science. Female students were a part of the college from 1893 until 1901, but were not enrolled again until 1928. In 1915, the name of the College became The Agricultural and Technical College of North Carolina by act of the NC General Assembly. In 1967, the college gained university status and was changed to North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.
On February 1, 1960 four distinguished freshmen sparked the civil rights movement of the south. Ezell Blair (Jibreel Khazan), Joseph McNeil, Franklin McCain, and David Richmond "sat-in" at an all white eating establishment (Woolworth's)and demanded equal service at the lunch counter. Because of their great desire for change and equality they inspired many other students of the university to join them in their non-violent protest to desegragate Woolworth's lunch counter. By the end of July 1960, their mission was accomplished and they became the A&T Four. Greensboro sit-ins.
Because of North Carolina A&T's rich history and extensive academic program growth, it has become the largest HBCU in North Carolina. Students chant "Aggie Pride" because of the great impact and foundation that the institution provides and more importantly in honor and spirit of the sacrifice of its fellow alumni.
A.^ Dr. Lewis Dowdy was inaugurated on April 10, 1964 as the university's 6th president and reappointed chancellor in July 1972, thus making him the first Chancellor of the university. Additionally, in 1972 Dr. Dowdy became the first African-American to be elected President of the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges.
