State University is a public historically black university (HBCU) in Bluefield, West Virginia. The university is a member-school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund but is now a predominantly white institution.
== History ==
The Bluefield Colored Institute was founded in 1895 as a "high-graded school" for African Americans. At that time, the West Virginia Constitution prohibited racially integrated public education. Bluefield was within 100 miles of 70% of the state's African American residents. The school was located on a steep four-acre (0.016 km2) site to the north side of the Norfolk & Western railroad tracks.
Principal Hamilton Hatter supervised the first class of 40 pupils. Nathan Cook Brackett, an abolitionist and first president of Storer College, served as president of the board of regents. Hatter oversaw the construction of Mahood Hall, the administrative building, as well as dormitories Lewis Hall and West Hall. Mahood Hall was named for State Senator William Mahood (R-Mercer County), who wrote …
