University Towns: Communities Built by Enslaved People
The impact of slavery extended beyond campus gates and into the surrounding communities. Many college towns across the South and even in the North were physically built and economically sustained by enslaved labor.
Enslaved people constructed homes, businesses, roads, and public spaces that served both the university and local residents. These towns grew intertwined with campus life, their histories inseparable from the institutions they supported. Explore more with the National Park Service.
