Branch Normal College: The Beginning of UAPB

It was 1873, and newly freed slaves in Arkansas were eager to learn to read. Joseph Carter Corbin, a black man from the North through a series of ironic and prophetic twists and turns involving several white men with ties to the Confederacy, received approval from the Legislature to establish Branch Normal College at Second and Oak Streets in Pine Bluff.

“When we look at his credentials, Corbin could have easily walked away from all the madness,” Pine Bluff historian, Lori Walker explained during a ceremony celebrating Branch Normal College, the forerunner of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. Walker expressed wonder at Corbin’s commitment, marveling that a man who “spoke nine languages could have the patience and wherewithal to teach those who could barely speak.”

With seven students on the roster, Joseph Corbin opened the school in a military barracks leased for a few hundred dollars. In the 145 years since Corbin enrolled the first students at Branch Normal, the school has evolved into one of the nation’s enduring Historically Black Colleges and Universities. And, UAPB is the second oldest university in Arkansas.

“It is with utmost respect that we show respect and gratitude to those who laid the foundation,” Chancellor Laurence B. Alexander said. “We’ve come a mighty long way.”

Walker pointed to the mutually beneficial relationship the University and city of Pine Bluff have shared over the years. Pine Bluff Mayor Shirley Washington http://www.cityofpinebluff.com/pbar/tag/mayor-shirley-washington/  declared April 23rd as Branch Normal Day, describing the original site as a “beacon of persistence.”

The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff will celebrate its 145 years with a week of festivities. For more information, visit www.uapb.edu.