For more than 130 years, Florida A&M University has served the citizens of the State of Florida and the nation by providing preeminent educational programs...programs that were the building blocks of a legacy of academic excellence with caring. FAMU, “Florida’s Opportunity University,” is committed to meeting the challenges and needs of future generations.

In 1884, Thomas Van Renssaler Gibbs, a Duval County educator, was elected to the Florida legislature. Although his political career ended abruptly because of the resurgence of segregation, Representative Gibbs successfully orchestrated the passage of House Bill 133 in 1884. This bill established a white normal school in Gainesville and a school for African Americans in Jacksonville. The bill passed, creating both institutions; however, the state decided to relocate the school for African Americans to Tallahassee.

After the bill’s passage, FAMU was founded on October 3, 1887. It began classes with 15 students and two (2) instructors. Thomas DeSaille Tucker (1887-1901), an attorney from Pensacola, was chosen as the first president. Former State Representative Gibbs joined Mr. Tucker as the second faculty member.

In 1891, the College received $7,500 under the Second Morrill Act for agricultural and mechanical arts education. The State Normal College for Colored Students became Florida’s land grant institution for African Americans, and its name was changed to the State Normal and Industrial College for Colored Students.

In 1905, the management of the College was transferred from the Board of Education to the Board of Control. This significant event officially designated the College as an institution of higher education.
In 1909 the name was changed from The State Normal College for Colored Students to Florida Agricultural and Mechanical College for Negroes (FAMC). The following year, with an enrollment of 317 students, the college awarded its first degrees.

President Nathan B. Young (1901-1923) directed the growth of the College to a four-year degree-granting institution, despite limited resources, offering the Bachelor of Science degree in education, science, home economics, agriculture, and mechanical arts.

Under the administration of John Robert Edward Lee Sr. (1924-1944), the College acquired much of the physical and academic image it has today. More faculty were hired, courses were upgraded, and accreditation was received from several state agencies. By the end of Lee’s term, FAMC had 812 students and 122 staff members.

In 1949, under William H. Gray Jr. (1944-1949), expansion and reorganization continued. The College obtained an Army ROTC unit, and student enrollment grew to more than 2,000.

Box 1 contains yearbooks published by Florida Agricultural and Mechanical College (FAMC) and Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) documenting student life, academic programs, campus activities, athletics, organizations, faculty, and significant events. Included are The FAMCEAN (1929), The Flamingo (1946), and The Rattler yearbooks (1950–1952). These volumes provide a visual and historical record of the institution's development, student achievements, campus culture, and traditions during the mid-twentieth century. Materials are arranged chronologically by publication year. Dates range from 1929–1952.

Box 1 contains issues of The Rattler, the official Florida A&M University yearbook, documenting student life, academic programs, athletics, campus organizations, faculty, and significant university events. Included are the 1954, 1955, 1956, and 1957 editions of The Rattler. These volumes provide a visual and historical record of the university during the mid-1950s, highlighting student achievements, campus traditions, and institutional growth. Materials are arranged chronologically by publication year. Dates range from 1954–1957.

The Florida A&M University (FAMU) Yearbook Collection documents the history, traditions, achievements, and student experiences of one of the nation's premier Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The earliest known yearbook represented in this collection is The FAMCEAN, published in 1929 by the Senior Class of the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical College in Tallahassee, Florida. The publication served as a record of student life, academic accomplishments, campus organizations, athletics, and graduating classes during a period of significant growth in Black higher education.

In 1946, the yearbook was published under the title The Flamingo before transitioning to The Rattler in 1950, a name that reflected the university's mascot and institutional identity. Over the following decades, The Rattler became one of FAMU's most enduring student publications, preserving photographs, senior portraits, fraternity and sorority activities, athletic programs, musical organizations, academic achievements, campus events, and significant moments in university history. The yearbooks provide a unique visual and documentary record of changing student experiences, cultural trends, and institutional development throughout the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries.

The yearbooks were produced through a collaborative effort involving student editors, yearbook staff members, journalism students, graphic artists, photographers, and faculty advisors. Because yearbook production was primarily student-led, editorial teams changed annually, resulting in each volume reflecting the perspectives, priorities, and experiences of a different generation of FAMU students. Faculty members within the School of Journalism and Graphic Communication provided guidance and oversight, while commercial publishing companies, including Taylor Publishing Company, assisted with printing and production. Today, the yearbooks serve as valuable primary sources for research on African American higher education, student life, campus culture, and the history of Florida A&M University.

Box 4 contains issues of The Rattler, the official Florida A&M University yearbook, documenting student life, academic programs, athletics, student organizations, faculty, and significant campus events. Included are the 1962, 1963, 1964, and 1965 editions of The Rattler. These yearbooks provide a visual and historical record of Florida A&M University during the early years of the Civil Rights Movement, highlighting student achievements, campus traditions, academic life, and the evolving social and cultural climate of the university. Materials are arranged chronologically by publication year. Dates range from 1962–1965.

Box 8 contains issues of The Rattler, the official Florida A&M University yearbook, documenting student life, academic programs, athletics, student organizations, faculty, and significant campus events. Included are the 1985, 1986, 1987, and 1992 editions of The Rattler, including the centennial-themed volume A Legacy to Preserve, A Future to Design: Centennial Celebration (1987), which commemorates the 100th anniversary of Florida A&M University, and Like You've Never Seen Before (1992). These yearbooks provide a visual and historical record of the university's academic, social, and cultural life, highlighting student achievements, campus traditions, and institutional milestones. Materials are arranged chronologically by publication year. Dates range from 1985–1992.

Box 3 contains issues of The Rattler, the official Florida A&M University yearbook, documenting student life, academic programs, athletics, student organizations, faculty, and major campus events. Included are the 1958, 1959, 1960, and 1961 editions of The Rattler. These yearbooks provide insight into the university's growth, traditions, and student experiences during a period of social change and institutional development. Materials are arranged chronologically by publication year. Dates range from 1958–1961.

Box 5 contains issues of The Rattler, the official Florida A&M University yearbook, documenting student life, academic programs, athletics, student organizations, faculty, and major campus events. Included are the 1966, 1967, 1968, and 1969 editions of The Rattler. These yearbooks provide a visual and historical record of the university during the late 1960s, capturing student achievements, campus traditions, and the impact of social and cultural changes occurring during this pivotal period. Materials are arranged chronologically by publication year. Dates range from 1966–1969.