Alabama State University (ASU) is a public historically Black university (HBCU) in Montgomery, Alabama, with roots tracing back to its founding in 1867 as the Lincoln Normal School of Marion. It made history in 1874 by becoming America's first state-supported educational institution for African Americans, and was later relocated to Montgomery in 1887 under its second president, William Burns Paterson. Over the decades, it evolved from a teachers' college into a comprehensive university, officially adopting its current name in 1969, and now offers programs across eight degree-granting colleges. Athletically, the Hornets compete in NCAA Division I as members of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), while the campus also operates the powerful 80,000-watt radio station, WVAS-FM. In recent years, ASU has received landmark financial support, including a $24.7 million federal grant in 2021 and a record-breaking $38 million donation from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott in 2025—the largest single gift in the institution's history.