# Selma University

> private historically black Baptist Bible college

**Wikidata**: [Q7448737](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7448737)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selma_University)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/selma-university

## Summary
Selma University is a private, historically black Baptist Bible college located in Selma, Alabama. Founded in 1878, it operates as a special focus four-year faith-related institution affiliated with the Baptists. The university includes the Selma University Historic District and offers higher education programs on a semester-based calendar.

## Key Facts
- **Founded:** 1878
- **Location:** 1501 Lapsley St, Dinkins Hall, Selma, Alabama, 36701, United States
- **Coordinates:** 32.42° N, 87.0321° W
- **Institution Type:** Private not-for-profit educational institution; Historically Black College or University (HBCU)
- **Religious Affiliation:** Baptists
- **Carnegie Classification:** Special focus four-year: faith-related institutions
- **Academic Calendar:** Semester system
- **Campus Features:** Includes the Selma University Historic District and the Stone-Robinson Library
- **Website:** http://selmauniversity.edu
- **Identifiers:** IPEDS ID: 102058; ROR ID: 04wm83d45; GRID ID: grid.263337.0

## FAQs
### Q: What type of institution is Selma University?
A: Selma University is a private, not-for-profit educational institution classified as a historically black college or university (HBCU). It is a Baptist Bible college focused on faith-related higher education.

### Q: Where is Selma University located?
A: The university is located at 1501 Lapsley St, Dinkins Hall, in Selma, Alabama, zip code 36701.

### Q: When was Selma University founded?
A: Selma University was established in 1878.

### Q: What academic structure does the university follow?
A: The institution operates on a semester-based academic calendar and is classified as a special focus four-year institution with very high undergraduate enrollment.

## Why It Matters
Selma University holds significance as a historically black college or university (HBCU) with deep roots in the American South. Established in 1878, it represents one of the early efforts to provide higher education to African Americans in the post-Civil War era. As a faith-based institution affiliated with the Baptists, it plays a specific role in integrating religious worldview with academic instruction, serving the community through its mission as a "Bible college." Its designation includes the "Selma University Historic District," marking its physical and cultural legacy within Selma, Alabama. The institution addresses niche educational needs through its Carnegie classification as a "special focus four-year: faith-related institution," offering an alternative to secular liberal arts colleges. It remains an educational anchor in Dallas County, maintaining a library (Stone-Robinson) and participating in the broader landscape of African American higher education.

## Notable For
- **Historic Status:** Contains the designated **Selma University Historic District**.
- **Religious Focus:** Identified explicitly as a **Baptist Bible college** with a "special focus" Carnegie classification for faith-related institutions.
- **HBCU Heritage:** Recognized as a **historically black college or university**, founded in 1878 to serve the African American community.
- **Specific Carnegie Profile:** Noted for having a "very high undergraduate" enrollment profile and a "very small, primarily nonresidential" campus setting.
- **Alumni Network:** Maintains a dedicated categorization for its alumni (Category:Selma University alumni), indicating a distinct social legacy.

## Body
### Overview and Classification
Selma University is a higher education institution situated in Selma, Alabama. It is categorized as a university, a school, and a private not-for-profit educational institution. The college holds specific designation as a **historically black college or university (HBCU)**. Its primary religious worldview affiliation is with the **Baptists**. The institution's industry is listed as higher education.

### Location and Campus
The university is geographically located in Alabama, United States, with coordinates 32.42 latitude and -87.0321 longitude. Its physical mailing address is **1501 Lapsley St, Dinkins Hall, Selma, AL, 36701**. The campus encompasses the **Selma University Historic District**. A key subsidiary facility on campus is the **Stone-Robinson Library**.

### Academic Profile
According to the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, Selma University is defined as a **"special focus four-year: faith-related institutions."** Additional classifications include:
-   **Undergraduate profile:** Very high undergraduate
-   **Size/Setting:** Four-year, very small, primarily nonresidential
-   **Graduate instruction:** Postbaccalaureate: single program - other
-   **Undergraduate instruction:** Arts & sciences plus professions, some graduate coexistence
-   **Enrollment profile:** Four-year, medium full-time, inclusive, higher transfer-in

The academic calendar operates on a **semester** system.

### Identifiers and Data
The institution is tracked under several academic and government identifiers:
-   **IPEDS ID:** 102058
-   **ISNI:** 000000040630972X
-   **ROR ID:** 04wm83d45
-   **GRID ID:** grid.263337.0
-   **Ringgold ID:** 70789
-   **GeoNames ID:** 4089132

## References

1. Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System
2. [Source](https://iiif.lib.harvard.edu/manifests/view/drs:494687868$1i)
3. GRID Release 2017-01-10
4. [Source](http://hbculibraries.org/libraries-year.html)
5. Google Knowledge Graph
6. GeoNames
7. Freebase Data Dumps
8. [Source](https://figshare.com/articles/GRID_release_2015_12_14/2010108)
9. GRID Release 2016-12-06
10. Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education
11. Aligned ISNI and Ringgold identifiers for institutions
12. Microsoft Academic Knowledge Graph
13. [OpenAlex](https://docs.openalex.org/download-snapshot/snapshot-data-format)
14. National Center for Education Statistics