History of the Student Government Association: An Exhibit

1960 SGA Election Ballot

The Martha Blakeney Hodges Special Collections and University Archives invites students, faculty, and researchers to learn more about the history of the Student Government Association (SGA) at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) by viewing the recently installed exhibit titled “A Government of the Students, by the Students, for the Students: a history of the Student Government Association at UNCG.”

The first instances of student government at the State Normal and Industrial School (now UNCG) began in the 1890s when individual students, called marshals, were selected from the two literary societies along with one chief marshal. In 1910, a student council was created to act as an advisory group for student issues and was comprised of three elected officials from each class. Finally in 1914, school President Julius Foust agreed to the students proposal and officially allowed for the creation of the self-government association. This new organization consisted of four elected officers (president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer) and the elected dormitory presidents.  It was renamed the Student Government Association in 1921.

Using documents and images, the exhibit explores the evolution of the SGA and highlights  several key events. This includes the 1954 censure of the Coraddi by Chancellor Edward Kidder Graham for its publication of a drawing of a nude male and the 1973 Neo-Black Society controversy in which funding was suspended to the organization.

This exhibit will be on display in the three exhibit cases next to the Reference Desk in the main lobby of Jackson Library from December 19, 2014 – February 16, 2015.  

The Martha Blakeney Hodges Special Collections and University Archives is open Monday through Friday, 9am until 5pm.  For questions or comments, please contact the exhibit curator, Sean Mulligan at 336-334-5763 or at Sean_Mulligan@uncg.edu.