Key Historical Figures
One phrase that comes up again and again when talking to anyone related to the University is “the Clemson Family.” When you come to Clemson, you are immediately welcomed home as part of the family. It might not be your traditional nuclear family (that would be too difficult considering our family is made up of 119,000 plus alumni and friends!), but it is a family all the same — offering a sense of place and lifelong connections.
The family’s first 446 sons came to Clemson in 1893 looking for knowledge of both books and military procedures. More than a century later, the faces of Clemson’s children and the education that is shared have evolved. Each fall sees a new group of more than 2,800 sons and daughters, ready to make their mark on the University.
Benjamin R. Tillman — Tillman was a strong supporter of farming in South Carolina. He represented the state as governor and U.S. senator and is credited with an instrumental role in the establishment of Clemson College, serving as one of its original trustees.
J.C. Littlejohn — An electrical engineering major in the Class of 1908, Littlejohn went on to serve as campus electrician, an instructor in woodworking, assistant to President Walter Merritt Riggs and business manager under President Enoch W. Sikes. He had a hand in the building of Long Hall, the Fraternity Quad area and Memorial Stadium.
Enoch W. Sikes — In 1925, Sikes took over leadership of the college, serving until 1940. Under his tenure, Clemson College plowed forward through the Great Depression, meaning salary cuts for staff and reductions in state funding. On a different note, Sikes’ leadership led to the acquisition of federal funds for what would become the Clemson Experimental Forest in 1935, which today covers more than 17,000 acres.
Mark B. Hardin — Hardin was Clemson’s first chemistry professor, for which the chemistry building, built in 1890, was named. It is the oldest academic structure on campus, overcoming almost total destruction by a fire in 1946.
Frank Howard — Howard began his 30-year stint as head football coach in 1940. He guided Clemson to six top-20 seasons, eight conference championships, 100 conference victories, 165 overall wins and eight bowl games.
Henry A. Strode — Strode served as the college’s first president, from 1890 to 1893. It was under his leadership that construction of the campus began. The academic building for English, communications and languages is named after him.
“Judge” Keller — When Clemson was a military school, Keller’s downtown shop was the only place cadets could have their uniforms altered. He was nicknamed “judge” because he could determine a hem just by looking at it. Today, the third generation of his family runs the store in its original location on College Avenue.
Walter T. Cox — Cox first came to Clemson in 1935 as a freshman and — except for a year of military service — never left. He served Clemson in a number of capacities. As vice president of student affairs, he saw enrollment grow from 2,700 to more than 12,500. In 1985, he became Clemson’s 10th president at the request of the Board of Trustees.
John Heisman — In his first year as head coach, he led Clemson’s football team to its first undefeated season.
Harvey B. Gantt — Clemson achieved “integration with dignity” when its first black student, Gantt, enrolled in 1963. He earned his degree with honors in 1965 in architecture and went on to serve two terms as mayor of Charlotte, N.C. The Gantt Intercultural Center is named in his honor.
Margaret Marie Snider — The military system of discipline was dropped in 1955, giving way to a new generation of coeducation at Clemson. The first full-time, degree-seeking women enrolled, with Snider being the first woman to earn a degree in 1957.
Robert H. Brooks — Brooks graduated from Clemson in 1960 and went on to have a successful career in the food and restaurant business. He returned his gratitude to Clemson with a $2.5 million donation for the creation of an arts and entertainment venue. The Brooks Center for the Performing Arts is named in his honor.
Strom Thurmond — Thurmond graduated from Clemson in 1923 and went on to become the longest serving U.S. senator in history. The Strom Thurmond Institute was built in his honor in 1989.