Johns Hopkins UniversityEst. 1876
America’s First Research University
From its earliest moments in February 1876, Johns Hopkins stood as a model for a new kind of university. Ours would be an institution that would conduct path-breaking research and share that knowledge and insight with the world. Over the ensuing 150 years, Johns Hopkins has done just that, igniting a cascade of groundbreaking discoveries and milestones that have rippled across its communities, the nation, and the world.
From Kelly Miller, the first Black student at the university in 1887, to Lisa Cooper, renowned physician, researcher, and professor, Black individuals at Johns Hopkins have helped to shape the institution in important ways. This exhibit, co-sponsored by university President Ronald J. Daniels, Johns Hopkins External Affairs and Development, and the Johns Hopkins University Black Faculty and Staff Association, features photographs and stories of people whose lives and experiences demonstrate the indelible mark Black folks have left on Johns Hopkins. In addition to physical displays on multiple Hopkins campuses, this website includes narratives of all those highlighted in the exhibit.
Want to dig deeper to research various aspects of Johns Hopkins history? This guide, created by the University Archives, can get you started on the right path. Browse it to learn about what resources are available in the library and online to aid in your research.
The Ferdinand Hamburger University Archives is the official archival repository for the Homewood Campus divisions of the Johns Hopkins University: Central University Administration, Zanvyl Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Carey Business School, G.W.C. Whiting School of Engineering, and the School of Education, as well as the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, D.C. The archives documents the administrative, scholarly, and cultural life of the university. It is open to the public for research and is actively seeking to acquire records that support its collecting mission.
The Alan Mason Chesney Medical Archives is the official archival repository for Johns Hopkins Medicine, Nursing and Public Health. Its primary objectives are to collect and preserve records and cultural materials critical to the legacy and ongoing operations of the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, and to promote access to collections for use as primary resources in research and education.
The institutional records of the Peabody Institute, maintained by the Peabody Archives, chronicle Peabody’s history and the cultural development of Baltimore and Maryland from the mid-19th century to the present. The records include an extensive archive of recorded Peabody performances—including visiting artists, faculty and student recitals—and a large photographic collection. The archives also maintains the records of performing arts institutions in the Baltimore area, such as the Baltimore Civic Opera, the Harford Opera Company, and the Lyric Theater. Special collections include the personal papers of the Institute’s trustees, faculty, and noted musicians and artists.
As teaching museums of a world-renowned university, the Johns Hopkins University Museums contribute to the advancement of scholarship and museum practice by helping to train future art historians, historic preservationists, and museum professionals. They provide curricular support to faculty through their collections, exhibitions, and programs; and offer credit-bearing courses and internships to help meet the university’s academic mission. The museums welcome members of the public to experience their collections and special exhibitions, as well as to enjoy their tours, lectures, and other programs.
Museums and Society is an exciting interdisciplinary program that introduces Johns Hopkins undergraduates to the institutions that preserve, interpret, and present our material heritage. Students work with a diverse array of faculty, curators, and other specialists; take museum-based courses focused on both collections and outreach; participate in local and regional fieldtrips; and explore career opportunities in culture and the arts.
Founded on March 10, 1942—just three months after the United States entered World War II—APL was created as part of a federal government effort to mobilize academic resources to address wartime challenges. From its original headquarters in a converted auto dealership to today’s expansive Howard County campus, the Applied Physics Laboratory has remained dedicated to keeping our nation safe and doing it in remarkable ways. This Hub article explores the many innovations the APL has contributed to our national defense and how it continues today to serve as a national resource for technical and scientific knowledge and innovation.
Since its founding as the first independent, degree-granting institution for research and training in public health, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health has advanced research, education, and practice to create population-level solutions to public health problems around the world. Explore the school’s centennial website to learn more about its trailblazing history.
It began with a generous gift, a magnificent building, and a leader with an innovative mission. The building of the Phipps Clinic in 1913 represented a shift in American psychiatry from isolated asylums to providing humane care in a medical clinic attached to a teaching hospital. The beautiful building’s presence next to The Johns Hopkins Hospital made psychiatry visible and a full partner in the medical discovery of the era. A Hub article on the clinic’s anniversary covered how the clinic celebrated its centennial. Learn more about its celebrated past, continued cutting edge scientific investigations into the causes of psychiatric illnesses, and the search for better treatments.
Looking for an overview of Johns Hopkins history, or want to know more about the present-day institution? This page is a good place to start and connects you to key facts and figures about the university.