Grambling State University (GSU, Grambling, or Grambling State) is a public historically black university in Grambling, Louisiana. Grambling State is home of the Eddie G. Robinson Museum and is listed on the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail. Grambling State is a member-school of the University of Louisiana System and Thurgood Marshall College Fund.

Grambling State's athletic teams compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and are known as the Grambling State Tigers. Grambling State is a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

Grambling State University developed from the desire of African-American farmers in rural north Louisiana who wanted to educate other African Americans. In 1896, the North Louisiana Colored Agriculture Relief Association led by Lafayette Richmond was formed to organize and operate a school. After opening a small school west of what is now the town of Grambling, the Association requested assistance from Booker T. Washington of Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. Charles P. Adams, sent to aid the group in organizing an industrial school, became its founder and first president.^{[citation needed]}

Under Adams' leadership, the Colored Industrial and Agricultural School opened on November 1, 1901. Four years later, the school moved to its present location and was renamed as the North Louisiana Agricultural and Industrial School. By 1928, the school was able to offer two-year professional certificates and diplomas after becoming a state junior college. The school was renamed Louisiana Negro Normal and Industrial Institute.^{[citation needed]}

In 1936, the program was reorganized to emphasize rural education. It became known as "The Louisiana Plan" or "A Venture in Rural Teacher Education." Professional teaching certificates were awarded when a third year was added in 1936, and the first baccalaureate degree was awarded in 1944 in elementary education. The institution's name was changed to Grambling College in 1946 in honor of a white sawmill owner, P. G. Grambling, who donated a parcel of land for the school. Thereafter, the college prepared secondary teachers and added curricula in sciences, liberal arts and business. With these programs in effect, the school was transformed from a single purpose institution of teacher education into a multi-purpose college.^{[citation needed]}

In 1949, the college was accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). The Grambling science building is one of twenty-six public structures in Louisiana constructed by the prominent contractor George A. Caldwell.^[5] In 1974, the addition of graduate programs in education allowed the college to be granted university status under its present name, Grambling State University.

From 1977 to 2000, the university grew and prospered. Several new academic programs were incorporated. New facilities were added to the 384-acre (1.55 km²) campus, including a business and computer science building, school of nursing, student services building, stadium, stadium support facility, and an intramural sports center.

In May 1999, President Clinton served as the commencement keynote speaker.^[6]

State Representative George B. Holstead of Ruston worked to increase state appropriations for Grambling State University during his legislative tenure from 1964 to 1980.^[7]

On December 7, 2010, the Grambling State University Historic District, an area comprising 16 buildings dating from 1939 to 1960, was added to the National Register of Historic Places.^[8]

In 2019, Grambling broke ground for building of the first digital library on a HBCU campus. The $16.6 million project was completed in 2023.^{[9][10][11][12]}

Grambling State University offers undergraduate and graduate degrees through the following four colleges:^[18]

• College of Art & Sciences
• College of Business
• College of Educational and Graduate Studies
• College of Professional Studies

Grambling State offers its only doctoral degree in Developmental Education through the College of Educational and Graduate Studies.^[19] In 2020, Grambling became the first collegiate institution in Louisiana to offer bachelor's degrees in cybersecurity and cloud computing.^[20]

• The President's Home at Grambling State is particularly elegant and stately.
• Favrot Student Building at Grambling State
• The Eddie G. Robinson Museum at Grambling State
• Eddie G. Robinson Stadium at Grambling State
• Frederick C. Hobdy Assembly Center at Grambling State

Alumni of Grambling State include numerous MLB, NBA and NFL players, public officials, lawyers, doctors, scholars, journalists, business professionals, and artists.

• Notable GSU alumni
• Erykah Badu
  Grammy-Award winning singer and actress
• Ronnie Coleman
  Eight-time Mr. Olympia winner
• Charles Blow
  New York Times columnist and bestselling author
• E-40
  Rapper

• Rick Gallot - appointed president of the University of Louisiana System and 10th president of Grambling State University
• Erykah Badu, grammy award winner (attended, but did not graduate)
• Charles M. Blow, New York Times columnist
• Buck Buchanan, former Kansas City Chiefs football player and NFL Hall of Famer
• N. Burl Cain, commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Corrections and former warden of Louisiana State Penitentiary
• Ronnie Coleman, retired professional bodybuilder and eight-time Mr. Olympia winner
• Alma Dawson, scholar of librarianship
• Natalie Desselle-Reid, actress
• E-40, American rapper (attended, but did not graduate)
• Stephanie A. Finley, United States Attorney and former nominee for United States District Judge
• Bob French, jazz drummer and radio show host
• Cedric Glover, state representative, first African-American former mayor of Shreveport, Louisiana
• Ernie Ladd, former professional football player and a WWE Hall of Famer.
• Lenton Malry, retired New Mexico state legislator
• Judi Ann Mason television writer, producer and playwright
• Ivory V. Nelson, American chemist, educator, and academic administrator. Fulbright Scholar in 1966^[28]
• Willis Reed, former professional basketball player, NBA Hall of Famer, member of the "50 Greatest Players in NBA History" and NBA 75th Anniversary Team
• Doug Williams, Super Bowl XXII MVP quarterback
• Paul "Tank" Younger, former professional football player