James E. Shepard
Founder

James E. Shepard was born November 3, 1875,  in Raleigh, the son of the late Reverend Augustus and Mrs. Harriet Whitted Shepard.

He received undergraduate and professional training at Shaw University, from which he graduated in 1894.  The following year he married Mrs. Annie Day Robinson.

Two daughters were born to this union, the late Miss Marjorie A. Shepard of Durham  and  the late Mrs. Annie  Day  Shepard  Smith of  New  Bern, North  Carolina.  The  family  legacy continues through the two daughters of Mrs. Annie Day Shepard  Smith:  the late Mrs.  Annie  Day Smith Donaldson and Mrs. Carolyn  Marie Smith Green, their children, and Mrs. Green’s grandchildren.

In 1910, Dr. Shepard founded the National Religious Training School and Chautauqua on this site.  Originally, this institution was conceived as a center for religious training. Later it was named the National Training School and was supported by the philanthropy of Dr. Shepard’s numerous black and white friends in both the North and the South. When the General Assembly of North Carolina gave its support in 1923, the name changed to Durham State Normal School.

In 1925, the institution became North Carolina College for Negroes, the first state-supported liberal arts college for black people in the United States.  Its first four-year college class was graduated in 1929. In 1947, the name became North Carolina College at Durham.  The 1969 General Assembly established the institution as one of the State’s regional universities, and  the name was changed to North Carolina Central University.  Since 1972, NCCU has been a constituent institution of The University of North Carolina.