North Carolina Central University - Eagle Yearbook (Durham, NC)

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THE 1976 EAGLE STAFF Presents THE ESSENCE of YOU TH 50 ANNIVERSARY FIRST STATE-SUPPORTED LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGE for BLACK PEOPLE North Carolina Central University Durham, North Carolina 27707

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JAMES E. SHEPARD FOUNDER OF NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY An Educator Is Born The history of North Carolina Central Uni- versity is intimately linked with the life of James E. Shepard. When he was 35 years of age, he founded the institution; for the remaining 37 years of his life he carried its responsibility, directed its course, secured the funds for its operation and extension, and molded its course. Dr. James E. Shepard was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, November 3, 1875 to Rever- end Augustus Shepard and the former Hattie Whitted. His father, a Baptist minister served as pastor of the White Rock Baptist Church of Durham. Being of a religious family background, James Shepard was raised to love Jesus. He was baptized at an early age. He was educated at Shaw University, one of the oldest Black Institutions in the country, which had been founded in the early wave of interest in Black education by Major Tupper. James E. Shepard was trained as a pharma- cist and opened the first Black drug store in Durham. Later, he became a licensed preach- er, in order to present the needs of his school from the pulpits of his brethren. In his druggist days, he became interested in politics and was appointed deputy collector of internal revenue, with offices in Raleigh. He was considering the campaign of Congress as successor to Representative Cheatham, last black to represent North Carolina in the na- tional legislature (at that time), when he accepted appointment to a post in the office of the Register of Deeds of Washington, D. C.