Archives ( Special Collections)
Virginia State University was established in 1882 as "The Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute" and for over one-hundred thirty years has produced and acquired thousands of documents, photographs, and other material documenting the African-American experience in Virginia. It was not until 1976 however that the University created the Department of Special Collection/University Archives.
Although the department was not formally established until 1976, there had existed in the library since the 1930s what was called the "Negro Room." This served as the foundation for what became Special Collections in the 1960's.
The Special Collections/University Archives now consists of three components: rare books, manuscripts, and University Archives. The rare-book area which originally sought to house books written by African American authors has now been expanded to include other titles and local histories of the Southside area of Virginia. Several manuscript groups document the history of African Americans in Virginia since 1772. Included in this group are the Luther Porter Jackson Family Papers, the Colson-Hill Family Papers, the Virginia Teachers Association Records, and the Prince Edward County (Va.) Free School Records. The University Archives consist of school records dating from February 1883.