The History of the School on "Seminary's Sacred Hill"

In 1886 the Virginia Baptist State Convention founded the Lynchburg Baptist Seminary as an institution of "self-reliance," "racial pride," and "faith." It first offered classes in 1890 as the renamed Virginia Seminary. Under the direction of the second President, Mr. Gregory Willis Hayes, from 1891 – 1906, the school became a pioneer in the fields of African-American education. In 1900, the school was reincorporated as the Virginia Theological Seminary and College and in 1962 became Virginia Seminary and College. The college was renamed and incorporated as Virginia University of Lynchburg in 1996.

Historically, Virginia University of Lynchburg has held the position that, in order to have academic freedom, the concept of financial independence must be incarnated into the hearts and minds of the African Americans and others in our global community who support her. While we are moving to a posture of interdependence, we must continue to foster the spirit of freedom from political and governmental restrictions. Even though the university was founded as an African American institution we open our doors to all.