III 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 24 

Recognizing the 150th anniversary of Bowie State University. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JANUARY 8, 2015 

Mr. CARDIN (for himself and Ms. MIKULSKI) submitted the following 

resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the 150th anniversary of Bowie State University. 

Whereas on January 9, 2015, Bowie State University, located 

in Bowie, Maryland, will celebrate the founding of the 

university on January 9, 1865; 

Whereas Bowie State University is the oldest historically 

black institution of higher education in the State of 

Maryland, and 1 of the 10 oldest in the United States; 

Whereas in 1864 the Baltimore Association began fundraising to open and support schools for African-Americans, and established 7 schools, the second of which, 

known as the ‘‘Normal School’’ (referred to in this preamble as the ‘‘School’’), was the forerunner of Bowie 

State University; 

Whereas the School began by educating approximately 370 

students in the African Baptist Church in the Crane’s 


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Building on the northeast corner of Calvert and Saratoga 

Streets in Baltimore, Maryland; 

Whereas in 1867 the School purchased the Friends’ Meeting 

House at the corner of Courtland and Saratoga Streets 

in Baltimore, Maryland, to use for the School; 

Whereas during the earliest years of the School, the school 

received financial support from the City Council of Baltimore, the Freedmen’s Bureau, several northern relief societies, and the estate of Nelson Wells; 

Whereas in 1893 the name of the School was changed to the 

‘‘Baltimore Colored Normal School’’; 

Whereas in 1908 the General Assembly of Maryland approved legislation that allowed the trustees of the School 

to donate assets of the trustees to the State of Maryland 

in return for a $5,000 annual appropriation to maintain 

a permanent normal school for the training of black 

teachers; 

Whereas in 1908 the General Assembly of Maryland changed 

the name of the School to ‘‘Baltimore Normal School No. 

3’’; 

Whereas in 1910 the State of Maryland purchased 187 acres 

of land formerly known as ‘‘Jericho Farms’’ to relocate 

the School; 

Whereas in September 1911 the new location of the School 

opened with 50 students enrolled; 

Whereas in 1935 the School began operating as a 4-year program for training elementary school teachers and was renamed the ‘‘Maryland Teachers College at Bowie’’; 

Whereas in 1954, when the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education was formed, the education 


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program of the School was among the first to receive national accreditation and that distinction has been continuously reaffirmed; 

Whereas in 1963 the School began a liberal arts and teacher 

training program for secondary education and the institution was renamed ‘‘Bowie State College’’; 

Whereas in 1988 the School, which offered several master’s 

degree programs, joined the University System of Maryland and was finally renamed ‘‘Bowie State University’’; 

Whereas in 1995 Bowie State University became 1 of only 6 

Model Institutions for Excellence in science, engineering, 

and mathematics in the United States with support from 

the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; 

Whereas as of January 2015, Bowie State University serves 

approximately 5,600 students annually with challenging 

and rewarding academic programs and individual support 

to prepare attendees with the skills needed to compete 

and succeed in a changing world; 

Whereas Bowie State University was listed as 1 of ‘‘America’s Top Colleges’’ by Forbes magazine from 2011 to 

2013, and ranked among the top 25 historically black 

colleges and universities by U.S. News & World Report; 

Whereas Bowie State University has been recognized as a 

leader in training African-American professionals in the 

science, technology, engineering, and mathematics 

(‘‘STEM’’) fields; 

Whereas Bowie State University was named a National Center for Academic Excellence in Information Assurance 

Education by the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security; and 


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Whereas Bowie State University continues to be committed 

to enhancing academic opportunities for students at the 

university, many of whom may be the first in their families attending college, and producing graduates who better strengthen the entire State of Maryland and the modern technology-driven economy of the United States: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) congratulates Bowie State University on the 

3 150th anniversary of the founding of the university; 

4 (2) recognizes the achievements of all the ad5 ministrators, professors, students, and various staff 

6 who have contributed to the success of Bowie State 

7 University; and 

8 (3) respectfully requests that the Secretary of 

9 the Senate transmit an enrolled copy of this resolu10 tion to— 

11 (A) the president of Bowie State Univer12 sity; and 

13 (B) the provost and vice president for aca14 demic affairs. 

Æ 


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