Discover the Top 8 Amazing Fun Facts About Tennessee State University You Didn't Know!

1. Hot Chicken Grease Degrees

Where degrees pour like hot chicken grease on Music City's streets: Tennessee State University serves a whopping 50 undergraduate and graduate programs since 1912! Ranking high in the charts like good ol' country music, TSU proudly garnered titles like The Best HBCU School in Tennessee and The Best HBCU Medical School in the State of Tennessee.
Source => hbcu-colleges.com

2. Marching Band Presidential Strut

What happens when you have a marching band that's as skilled at parading as Forrest Gump is at running, with a touch of presidential flair? Well, you get Tennessee State University's Aristocrat of Bands: This all-star group has showcased their talents at three US presidential inauguration parades, taken center stage in televised pro-football halftime shows, and battled it out at the Honda Battle of the Bands, earning their spot as one of the finest university bands in the nation.
Source => tnstate.edu

Discover Tennessee's real-life heroes who battled for the Mississippi territory, paving the way for Andrew Jackson's victorious presidential run in 1828. Unleash the power of Tennessee grit!

=> Fun Facts about Tennessee

3. Richard Dent's Sack Attack

Before Richard Dent traded his cap and gown for shoulder pads and a helmet, he spent his days leaving quarterbacks in the dust at his alma mater: Dent holds the Tennessee State University record for career sacks with 39.5, set a single-game record with 4.5 sacks in 1982, received All-American honors twice, and eventually joined the ranks of the Pro Football Hall of Fame after being drafted by the Chicago Bears in 1983.
Source => tshf.net

4. Roots Grown at TSU

At Tennessee State University, they're not only planting academic seeds but also growing Roots: in fact, Emmy-nominated actor Moses Gunn, who portrayed the powerful tribal chieftain Kintango in the iconic miniseries Roots, is a proud alumnus of this esteemed institution.
Source => tnstate.edu

5. Floats & Sobriety Parade

Gather 'round, float fanatics and parade proponents, for a school-spirited spectacular that couldn't be tamer if it were swathed in bubble wrap: Tennessee State University's annual Homecoming Parade showcases themed floats designed by organizations, with strict guidelines demanding sobriety and adherence to TSU Spirit. This colorful cavalcade takes place on Saturday, October 8, 2022, from 14th and Jefferson Street to 33rd and John Merritt Blvd, where one lucky float will be crowned "Best of Show" for its festive and rule-abiding feats.
Source => tnstate.edu

6. The Legendary "Hole"

Before "The Hole" became just a quirky nickname for your messy roommate's living space, it referred to a stadium with a much nobler history: Hale Stadium at Tennessee State University was named after its first president, William J. Hale, and was the home field for the TSU Tigers football team from 1953 until 1999, even hosting a spirited NCAA Division I-AA playoff game in 1982. Though no longer used for regular games, it remains the site of the annual Blue-White game and Homecoming festivities, having been renovated and reopened for limited use in 2012.
Source => tnstate.edu

7. Agri-Science Group Chat

If agricultural science had a group chat, Tennessee State University would be the admin: Their diverse and accomplished faculty in Agricultural and Environmental Science boasts of experts in crop production, animal science, and biotechnology.
Source => tnstate.edu

8. Gospel Star Graduate

Roll out the heavenly red carpet because we've got a gospel superstar in our midst: Bobby Jones, Tennessee State University alumnus, graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education at just nineteen years old, and later became the dynamic force behind the longest continuously running original series on cable television, "Bobby Jones Gospel."
Source => thehistorymakers.org