•HRES 1361 EH 
Assembly, a generous gift from B.N. Duke, and contribu-
tions from the citizens of Durham; 
Whereas the college was accredited by the Southern Associa-
tion of Colleges and Secondary schools as a class ‘‘A’’ in-
stitution in 1937, and gained membership in that asso-
ciation in 1957; 
Whereas the college was authorized to offer graduate studies 
in 1939, which led to the establishment of the School of 
Law in 1940 and the School of Library Science in 1941; 
Whereas the General Assembly changed the name of the in-
stitution to North Carolina College at Durham in 1947 
and, finally, to North Carolina Central University in 
1969; 
Whereas NCCU became part of the consolidated University 
of North Carolina system, which includes all 16 of North 
Carolina’s public institutions that grant baccalaureate de-
grees, in 1972; 
Whereas the university was led by Dr. Shepard from its in-
ception until his death on October 6, 1947, and was led 
subsequently by Dr. Alfonso Elder, Dr. Samuel P. 
Massie, Dr. Albert N. Whiting, Dr. LeRoy T. Walker, 
Dr. Tyronza R. Richmond, Julius L. Chambers, Dr. 
James H. Ammons, and Dr. Charlie Nelms; 
Whereas NCCU currently offers bachelors degrees in more 
than 100 fields of study and awards graduate degrees in 
about 40 disciplines; 
Whereas the U.S. News and World Report recently ranked 
NCCU the number-one Public Historically Black College 
and University (HBCU) in the country, the number-one 
HBCU in North Carolina, and one of the top ten 
HBCUs in the country overall;
•HRES 1361 EH 
Whereas the NCCU School of Law has been named the ‘‘Best 
Value Law School’’ in the Nation by National Jurist 
magazine for two consecutive years; 
Whereas NCCU has a state-of-the-art biotechnology research 
institute that collaborates with pharmacy and bio-
technology companies in the Research Triangle area of 
North Carolina and trains students to meet the State’s 
biotechnology workforce needs; 
Whereas the university is home to the ‘‘Marching Sound Ma-
chine,’’ an award-winning marching band that will be 
performing on New Year’s Day 2011 in the Rose Parade, 
and the NCCU Jazz Ensemble, which recently performed 
in the Newport Jazz Festival; 
Whereas NCCU sports teams have won 41 conference cham-
pionships, three NCAA regional titles, and two national 
championships (1989 NCAA Division II men’s basketball 
and 1972 NAIA men’s outdoor track and field); 
Whereas more than 50 student-athletes from NCCU have 
won individual NCAA and NAIA national championships; 
Whereas student-athletes representing NCCU competed in 
every Olympic Games from 1956 to 1976 in track and 
field, capturing eight Olympic medals during that time 
period, including five gold medals; 
Whereas NCCU was the first State university in North Caro-
lina to establish community service as a requirement for 
graduation and has been recognized by the Carnegie 
Foundation as a ‘‘community-engaged university’’; 
Whereas NCCU has graduated approximately 40,000 stu-
dents in the century since its founding and now has the 
largest freshman class in its history, with an overall 
record enrollment of more than 8,500 students; and
•HRES 1361 EH 
Whereas NCCU and its home city of Durham, North Caro-
lina, have long enjoyed a close and mutually beneficial re-
lationship, with the University’s total economic impact on 
Durham and the surrounding region estimated at more 
than $300,000,000 per year, and thousands of NCCU 
graduates have served Durham and its citizens as lead-
ers, educators, professionals, entrepreneurs, and volun-
teers: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, that the House of Representatives— 
(1) honors the memory of Dr. James E. Shepard 
for his role in founding North Carolina Central Univer-
sity; 
(2) celebrates the 100th anniversary of North Caro-
lina Central University, recognizes the University’s ac-
complishments over the past century, and encourages 
North Carolina’s citizens to participate in activities 
marking this historic occasion; and 
(3) directs the Clerk of the House of Representa-
tives to make available five enrolled copies of this resolu-
tion to Dr. Charlie Nelms, the current Chancellor of 
North Carolina Central University. 
Attest: 
Clerk.