FAMU paid homage to its past and celebrated its future
during this year’s Founders’ Day celebration.
More than 700 members of the FAMU community, including
students, faculty, staff, administrators and alumni, gathered in Lee Hall
Auditorium to commemorate the university’s 126th anniversary.
FAMU was founded as the State Normal College for Colored Students,
and on Oct. 3, 1887, it began classes with 15 students and two instructors.
Today, FAMU, as it has become affectionately known, is the premier school among
historically black colleges and universities.
“I stand before you today to pay homage to our ancestors
past, the founders of this great institution who braved the odds and became
oddly brave,” said FAMU Student Government Association President Anthony
Siders. “I say oddly brave because they challenged their naysayers.”
“FAMU is so much and it has so much strength that you can’t
even imagine,” said Smith, who is the founder of the Walter L. Smith Library in
Tampa, Fla. “When you begin to look at all these great people, you say, ‘Wow,
that’s FAMU history that grew from what these founders fought for.’ I can’t
tell you how proud I am to be a part of the history of this institution.”
He also encouraged all the audience members to “take what
you find and make it better.”
“We stood on the shoulders of giants,” said Smith, who was
presented with the President’s Award by FAMU Interim President Larry Robinson.
“People have open ladders and we have gone step by step by step. People have
built bridges. It didn’t just happen — it was made to happen.”