UVA
Bicentennial
One University. Two hundred years. Endless stories. Since three U.S. presidents – Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and James Monroe – witnessed the laying of UVA’s cornerstone on Oct. 6, 1817, millions have etched their own stories onto this place: stories of breathtaking achievement, breakthrough research and beautiful art; stories of compassion, of progress, of fighting for justice and righting wrongs.
These stories are the University’s most treasured legacy 200 years on, and we will be sharing some of them here as we celebrate this special bicentennial moment.
Already, UVA has welcomed its 200th anniversary in style with a Oct. 6 Bicentennial Launch Celebration on the Lawn. Two historic events followed: the “Universities, Slavery, Public Memory and the Built Landscape” symposium in October and the Women’s Global Leadership Forum in November. Read about these events below and check out this video, shown at the launch celebration to capture the excitement surrounding the dawn of UVA’s third century.
You might want to bookmark this page, as we will be adding stories from UVA’s past and present and highlights from ongoing bicentennial celebrations. For details and updates on those celebrations, visit bicentennial.virginia.edu.
Most of all, look for the stories yet to come in the next 200 years. Thousands are already hard at work writing them.
Stories
The Central College Board of Visitors has Gathered Again in the Rotunda
As part of its bicentennial celebration, the University of Virginia has hung portraits of its first Board of Visitors, which included three former U.S. presidents, in its iconic Rotunda. More
November 16, 2017
Six Memorable Milestones for Women at UVA
Women first gained an academic toehold on the University in the 19th century, and gradually expanded their presence until full coeducation blossomed in 1972. More
Novemeber 15, 2017
A Forceful Hillary Clinton Closes Out UVA's Women's Global Leadership Forum
The nation’s first major-party female presidential nominee was the headline speaker at the Women’s Global Leadership Forum, a two-day conference that was part of UVA’s bicentennial celebration. More
November 14, 2017
The Frightfully Delightful History of Trick-or-Treating on the Lawn
Go back in time with UVA Today to learn how members of the University community launched what has become one of UVA’s most anticipated annual events. More
October 27, 2017
Bicentennial Commemoration Continues with Symposium on History with Slavery
UVA has been fully coeducational for only 47 of its nearly 200 years. This is the story of how a determined 18-year-old woman joined forces with a tenacious UVA law grad to take on the University in federal court, scoring a victory for women around the world. More
October 19, 2017
Research: 240 Blacks from Albemarle County Fought with the Union in the Civil War
The John L. Nau III Center for Civil War History has uncovered recruitment and pension records revealing details of black soldiers from Albemarle County who fought in the Union Army during the Civil War. More
October 16, 2017
UVA's Slavery History, No Longer Hidden in Plain Sight
One goal of the President’s Commission on Slavery and the University has been “to re-inscribe the history and the lives of the enslaved back onto the landscape in as many ways as possible,” commission co-chair Kirt von Daacke said. More
October 18, 2017
What Does the History of Slavery Mean for Today's Colleges and Universities?
A symposium, held Oct. 18-21, highlighted the recent work of universities and other institutions that have begun to grapple with their own histories of slavery, and will consider appropriate preservation and memorialization. More
October 10, 2017
200 Years On, Architectural Experiments Continue at Jefferson’s University
In honor of the approaching bicentennial, architecture students created their own interpretation of Thomas Jefferson’s famed pavilions, using cutting-edge technology that UVA’s founder would have found fascinating. More
October 3, 2017
The Case for Full Coeducation at UVA Turned On a Late-Night Phone Call
UVA has been fully coeducational for only 47 of its nearly 200 years. This is the story of how a determined 18-year-old woman joined forces with a tenacious UVA law grad to take on the University in federal court, scoring a victory for women around the world. More
September 28, 2017
The Quotable University
Quotes delivered at the University, and those about the place, can serve as signposts along the University’s historic journey, marking its evolution and its ongoing mission. Take a look at just a few. More
September 20, 2017
New $30 Million Clark Scholars Program Supports Underrepresented Engineering Students
UVA announced $30 million A. James Clark Scholars Program, established by a $15 million gift from the Clark Foundation and matching funds from the University, at Thursday’s Board of Visitors meeting. More
September 14, 2017
These 10 Objects – and a New Exhibition – Tell Powerful Story About UVA
Take a look at 10 fascinating objects from a new exhibition in UVA's Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library: "The University of Virginia in 100 Objects." More
August 25, 2017
Controversial Old Brooks Hall Still Has Surprises for Modern Renovators
University work crews found evidence of a mysterious fire, from more than 100 years ago, while repairing the grand staircase at the University of Virginia’s Brooks Hall. More
August 2, 2017
Workers Unearth Forgotten Layers of University’s Historic ‘Long Walk’
Sections of the University of Virginia’s Long Walk – a historic pathway stretching from the Rotunda to the far reaches of the Corner – are being examined by archaeologists as they are uncovered and repaved. More
July 21, 2017
Design of UVA Memorial to Enslaved Laborers Wins Approval
A memorial will occupy an open green area near Brooks Hall and offer an opportunity for quiet reflection in a design featuring names of enslaved laborers on polished stone. More
June 9, 2017
UVA Building Named for Former Slave and Stonemason Peyton Skipwith
Born into slavery, Skipwith labored for the University before he and his family were shipped to Liberia – a condition of his emancipation. More
April 13, 2017
The UVA Grounds that Could Have Been
A host of architects have contributed to the University's growth over the centuries. See some of the plans that didn't come to fruition, from the chapel on the Lawn to a 12-story dorm. More
March 22, 2017
UVA President Provides First Gift to Bicentennial Scholars Fund
UVA’s endowment for student scholarships could reach $300 million with matching support from the Strategic Investment Fund, which provides transformational investments in the quality of a UVA education without relying on tuition or tax dollars. More
December 19, 2016
Economic Impact Study: UVA Generates $5.9 Billion for Virginia Economy
UVA directly provides or indirectly supports one in every 76 jobs in Virginia, according to an independent study. More
December 16, 2016
9 Iconic UVA Images, Past and Present
For as long as there have been cameras, there have been pictures of UVA. University photographers recently recreated some of the most iconic images of our students and community. More
November 18, 2016
Looking Back
Images from the Past 200 Years
1849
1950
1964
1870s
1990
1856
1930
1888
1974
1908
1897
1993
1895
1905
1967
1895
1912
1940
1988
2006
1827
1957
1976
1907
2001
1916
Challenge
How well do you know UVA? You might know Grounds from any other campus or the “Good Old Song” from “Aud Lang Syne,” but do you know how many UVA alumni have traveled in space or which New York Times bestselling authors have worn the honors of honor?
Test your knowledge and learn plenty of UVA lore in our trivia quizzes below.
12 Questions to Test Your Knowledge of UVA Trivia
Take the first today and find out just how well you know the University. More
UVA Trivia, Part 2: Can You Name These Famous Wahoos?
Take the second quiz and see how well you know some of the University’s most famous alumni. More
#UVA200
Celebration
The Bicentennial Launch Celebration featured performances by more than 800 UVA students and faculty alongside special guest stars like Leslie Odom Jr., the Tony Award-winning actor and singer who played Aaron Burr in the Broadway megahit “Hamilton,” Grammy Award-nominated R&B singer Andra Day and rock band the Goo Goo Dolls.
Impressive projection mapping showed the University's history for all to see, and famous alumni including Katie Couric and Jason George took the stage as well, while far-flung Hoos such as Tina Fey and Malcolm Brogdon delivered special video messages.
UVA Ushers in Its Third Century With Historic Event
The UVA community gathered for a celebration like no other, as a spectacular projection mapping show, celebrity special guests and thousands of ‘Hoos heralded the arrival of UVA’s third century. More
October 6, 2017
University Commemorates Cornerstone Ceremony That Started It All
The University of Virginia opened its two-year bicentennial celebration by commemorating the original laying of the cornerstone on Oct. 6, 1817. More
October 6, 2017
What Happens When You Interview Two of UVA’s Most Famous Journalists?
Only at UVA’s bicentennial celebration would you find two of America’s best-known journalists – alumni Katie Couric and “Face the Nation” host John Dickerson – debating which character from UVA’s past they would most like to interview. More
October 7, 2017
Go Behind the Scenes on the Lawn Before the Bicentennial Launch Celebration
Production crews and UVA staff are busy preparing for Friday night’s big event, perhaps the most complex production ever to grace this historic stage. More
October 4, 2017
Q&A: Leslie Odom Jr. on ‘Hamilton,’ History and the Power of Loving Your Job
The Tony Award-winning actor spoke with UVA Today before flying to Charlottesville for Friday’s Bicentennial Launch Celebration, where he will join UVA students and faculty members as a special guest. More
October 4, 2017
Exhibit of Memorial to Enslaved Laborers On Display Friday
Bicentennial guests waiting to get into the Lawn on Friday can meander over to the location of the Memorial to Enslaved Laborers, east of Brooks Hall and across from the Corner, to view displays of the design and talk with those working on it, from 4 to 6 p.m. More
October 5, 2017
A Peek at the Spectacular Technology Behind the Bicentennial Launch Celebration
Learn more about the projection mapping technology that will recreate some of the most notable moments in UVA’s 200-year history. More
September 8, 2017
Photos from the Event
A Celebration Like No Other
Watch the University's Bicentennial Launch Celebration as it streamed live. Please note that some portions are excluded due to broadcast rights limitations.
Media Contact
Director of Marketing and Communications School of Continuing and Professional Studies
rseal@virginia.edu 434-982-5315
Article Information
August 21, 2017
https://news.virginia.edu/content/uva-bicentennial
