The Landscape Architecture Program

History of the Program

In 1891 North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NCA&TSU) was established as the A. and M. College for the "Colored Race" by an act of General Assembly of North Carolina. The College began operation during the school year 1890-91, before the passage of the state law created it. The name of the institution was changed to The Agricultural and Technical College of North Carolina in 1915.

Horticulture courses were offered through the Department of Plant Science and Technology and taught by Mr. J. W. R. Grandy. The NCA&TSU School of Agriculture submitted a proposal for a landscape architecture program to the General Administration of the University of North Carolina.

In 1977, the landscape architecture program was approved and officially began in the fall semester under the direction of Dr. Charles A. Fountain. Together, Dr. Fountain and Mr. Grandy taught landscape architecture design courses as well as horticulture courses. The first graduating class from NCA&TSU's landscape architecture program numbered 8 students in 1981. Mr. Grandy retired in 1984 and Dr. Fountain continued teaching courses. His visionary thinking saw the need for minority landscape architecture professionals in design, planning and management of the environment and to facilitate a program in Landscape Architecture at an Historically Black College or University (HBCU).

In 1986 and 1987, John Robinson and Dr. Marihelen Glass respectively, joined Dr. Fountain as faculty. Mr. Robinson's strength is in the design and technical construction aspects of the profession. Dr. Glass, a professor of horticulture, teaches courses in plant materials and how to use them in landscape designs.

In 1989, Dr. Fountain retired and Perry Howard was hired as the new director of the program. Mr. Howard brought strong professional practice experience to the program. The newest and youngest edition to the landscape architecture faculty was Ms. Sue Anne Ware. Ms. Ware began her teaching adventure in the Fall semester of 1993. Creative, and sometimes controversial, design solutions was Ms. Ware's hallmark.

The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) supports the landscape architecture program at NCA&TSU. In February of 1992, the landscape architecture program was granted initial accreditation. This was a mile-stone for the program. It is the only accredited landscape architecture undergraduate program in North Carolina. The program is also the first and only fully accredited undergraduate program of its type at any historically black university in the United States.