Swayne Hall, Talladega College

Swayne Hall is the oldest building on the campus of Talladega College in Talladega, Talladega County, Alabama, United States. It was built in 1857 by slaves for use by a Baptist men's college. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1974 for Talladega College's role as one of the few historically black colleges and universities to maintain a liberal arts focus.[2][3] It was the only liberal arts college open to black Americans in Alabama for many years.

Swayne Hall, Talladega College
LocationTalladega College campus, Talladega, Alabama
Coordinates33°26′02″N 86°06′48″W
Arealess than one acre
Built1857 (1857)
Architectural styleGreek Revival
NRHP reference No.74002223
Significant dates
Added to NRHPDecember 2, 1974[1]
Designated NHLDecember 2, 1974[2]

Description and history

Swayne Hall occupies a central position on the campus of Talladega College, set north of West Brattle Street and east of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. It is a three-story masonry structure, built out of brick and covered by a gabled roof. Its main facade is dominated by a full-height projecting portico, with four fluted Doric columns supporting an entablature and pedimented gable. There are cast-iron balconies on the second and third floors.[3]

The building was constructed in 1857 for a Baptist men's college, in part by the use of slave labor provided by the subscribers who underwrote its construction. It was acquired by the American Missionary Association in 1867 when it founded Talladega College.[3] The building is named for General Wager Swayne, a Union Army general during the American Civil War who also served as the appointed military Governor of Alabama during the early days of Reconstruction, serving from 1867 to 1868.

Talladega College is one of a small number of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) that resisted trends of the late 19th and early 20th century to focus the education of African Americans on vocations, and maintained a focus on the liberal arts. For many years it was the only school in Alabama at which African Americans could get an undergraduate education, and was one of the most successful HBCUs at sending its students on to graduate-level programs.[3]

See also

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
  2. "Swayne Hall, Talladega College". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Archived from the original on 2008-02-10. Retrieved 2007-10-25.
  3. James Sheire (August 1974). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Talladega College—Swayne Hall" (pdf). National Park Service. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

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