Who are we

SSU National Alumni History

In 1947, the members of the Alumni Clubs and State Clubs began to investigate the possibility of becoming an organized national body. By 1949, the Alumni Association of Savannah State became nationally chartered.

The purpose of the Alumni Association is to promote the welfare of the school and to assist in advancing the mission and the goals of the college administration. Branches of the Association are widely scattered over sections of the country. Among the most were Chicago, New York, Washington D.C. and Savannah. Scholarships and other awards were made annually by the Association to the college.

Today the Alumni Association has been organized as the Savannah State University National Alumni Association, representing more than 22,000 alumni worldwide. The following distinguished individuals have served as the president of the National Alumni Association:

Dr. Frankie Golden Ellis 1945 – 1949
Mr. Albert S. Bacon 1949 – 1951
Mr. L.D. “Duke” Kennedy 1951 – 1952
Mr. John McGlockton 1952 – 1956
Mr. Leonard Law 1956 – 1960
Mr. Willie H. McBride 1960 – 1964
Mrs. Josie B. Sessoms 1964 – 1968
Dr. Daniel Washington 1968 – 1971
Mr. James O. Thomas 1971 – 1977
Mr. Earl F. Brown Jr. 1977 – 1979
Mr. William Weston 1979 – 1983
Mr. Roy L. Jackson 1983 – 1985
Dr. Jimmie C. Jackson 1985 – 1989
Mr. Charles Young 1989 – 1991
Atty. John M. Clark 1991 – 1995
Dr. Jimmie C. Jackson 1995 – 1997
Mr. John M. Brown 1997 – 1999
Dr. Percy A. Mack Jr. 2000 – 2005
Dr. Shirley McDuffie 2005 – 2009
Mr. Roy L. Jackson 2009 – Present

Savannah State University is one of the three members of the Georgia Association of Black State Universities and the over 120 member Council of National Alumni Associations representing the nation’s HBCUs. In 1998, SSUNAA kicked off its first million dollar scholarship endowment program (Committee of 1000 for the Millennium) to serve as a feeder program to the Wall of Scholars Endowment campaign created in 1996 by Dr. Margret C. Robinson, professor emerita and chair of the National Life Membership.
There is evidence that the organization of alumni clubs started as early as 1923 when a group organized in what was then known as high school alumni clubs. The records indicate that in 1923, the officers were listed as:

Edward Earl Parrish Cedar Keys, FL
Anna Aliza Platts Savannah, GA
Jesse Wade Pollins Pineland, SC
Aubert Evans Reddick Savannah, GA
David Isaac Riley Shellman, GA
Rosa Lee Samuel Midville, GA
Henry William Tarver Waycross, GA
Robert Louis Williamson Eastman, GA
Jewel Whitney Young Swainsboro, GA

After careful consideration, the Georgia State clubs increased and thus became the Georgia State Association. The officers were:

L.L. Ison President
Iona Frazier Vice President
J.C. Fisher Secretary

Understanding the need to develop these clubs into a more organized representative group, which would serve the college and the administration, the Alumni Association was organized. The membership of the Association was composed of graduates from the High School, Normal and College Departments. Our records indicate that during the 1931-32 school year, Georgia State Industrial College had the following officers listed according to the local branch.

J.L. Delaware President
Mattie Victory Vice President
E.S Warrick Secretary
Bessie Flipper Asst. Secretary
R.P. Pickney Treasurer
O.H. McIver Reporter

Finally in 1934, the Alumni Association elected officers:

H.M. Collier 1908 President
C.C. Strickland 1903 1st Vice President
H.L. Lawrence 1921 3rd Vice President
Carrie Lou Lavender 1916 Secretary
Amanda Curley 1920 Corresponding Secretary
Ethel Warrick 1917 Treasurer

Georgia State College Clubs were organized in Savannah, Valdosta, Waycross, Philadelphia and New York.