For Florida A&M University Rattlers near and far, Oct. 3 marks a day of celebration as they honor the institution’s 138th anniversary.
To commemorate the special occasion, FAMU officials and members of the university’s Student Government Association hosted the annual Founders Day Wreath-Laying Ceremony at the Eternal Flame Oct. 1 ahead of the university’s birthday on Oct. 3. Former FAMU President Larry Robinson and former interim President Timothy Beard joined President Marva Johnson during the ceremony.
“What was created 138 years ago planted a seed of hope that has blossomed into a legacy of opportunity,” Johnson said in a university release. “It started humbly, with just 15 students and two professors. Yet even with this modest beginning, there was a bold vision – to cultivate knowledge, dignity and purpose.”
“From those first steps, FAMU has grown into a powerhouse of education, research, culture and service,” she added. “That same vision that carried us forward then must continue to propel us today.”
While the annual ceremony usually takes place on Oct. 3, it was held in advance this year because the Georgia Football Classic was originally scheduled for this weekend, and majority of the university’s leadership team would not be on campus during the founders day, according to a FAMU spokesperson. The football game between FAMU and Mississippi Valley State has been rescheduled to Nov. 29 and will be played at the Rice-Totten Stadium in Itta Bena instead of the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta due to logistical and contractual breakdowns.
Founded on Oct. 3, 1887, FAMU − an HBCU (historically Black college or university) − was known as The State Normal College for Colored Students. But since then, the Florida legislature elevated the college to university status, and it is currently the No. 1 public HBCU in the nation for the seventh year in a row and No. 92 in the ranking of the nation’s top public universities, according to the U.S. News & World Report’s “2025-2026 Best Colleges” rankings.
“It’s surreal,” Miles Howard, a mathematics education major and the 26th Mister FAMU, said in a university release. “Glory to God. I’m thankful just to be able to be part of this legacy here at FAMU.”
In an Oct. 3 letter to the FAMU alumni community, FAMU’s National Alumni Association President Artisha Polk commemorated the university’s “dynamic” history and “rich” legacy while encouraging graduates to continue efforts of supporting their alma mater.
“As we celebrate our shared history,” Polk wrote, “let us also reaffirm our commitment to strengthening the #1 public HBCU for all generations of Rattlers past, present and those yet to come!”
