History, Spirit and Traditions
UNC Charlotte History
To serve returning World War II veterans, North Carolina opened 14 evening college centers in communities across the state. The Charlotte Center opened on Sept. 23, 1946, offering evening classes to 278 freshmen and sophomore students in the facilities of Charlotte’s Central High School. After three years, the state closed the centers, declaring that on-campus facilities were sufficient to meet the needs of returning veterans and recent high school graduates.
Charlotte’s education and business leaders — who were long aware of the area’s unmet needs for higher education — moved to have the Charlotte Center taken over by the city school district and operated as Charlotte College, offering the first two years of college courses. Later the same leaders asked Charlotte voters to approve a two-cent tax to support that college.
Charlotte College drew students from the city, Mecklenburg County and from a dozen surrounding counties.
As soon as Charlotte College was firmly established, efforts were launched to give it a campus of its own. With the backing of Charlotte business leaders and legislators from Mecklenburg and surrounding counties, land was acquired on the northern fringe of the city and bonds were passed to finance new facilities. In 1961, Charlotte College moved its growing student body into two new buildings on what was to become a 1,000-acre campus located 10 miles from downtown Charlotte. Three years later, the North Carolina legislature approved bills making Charlotte College a four-year, state-supported college. The next year, 1965, the legislature approved bills creating the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, the fourth campus of the statewide university system. In 1969, the university began offering programs leading to master’s degrees. In 1992, it was authorized to offer programs leading to doctoral degrees.
Now a research-intensive university, UNC Charlotte is the third largest of the 17 institutions within the University of North Carolina system and the largest institution in the Charlotte region.
Spirit and Traditions
Popular UNC Charlotte traditions include:
• Attending Homecoming and reminiscing about your times on campus
• Participate in Wear Green Wednesday and show your school spirit
• Attend Family Weekend with your Niner loved ones
• Run through the rings at the College of Health and Human Services for good luck
• Dip your class ring in the 49er Miner statue’s pan
• Test the natural echo by standing in the center of the Star Quad
• Rub the Golden Nugget located near the Barnhardt Student Activity Center
Norm the Niner Mascot
A miner was chosen as our mascot as a nod to Reed Gold Mine in nearby Concord, the site of the first documented gold find in the United States in 1799. He was named Norm through popular student vote shortly after he was made our mascot. Norm is rarely seen without his trusty pick axe and never takes his slouch hat off.
UNC Charlotte Bell
The UNC Charlotte bell, which for many years hung in the belfry of the old Elizabeth School at East Fifth Street and Travis Avenue in Charlotte, was given to Charlotte College in 1960 to be rung on ceremonial occasions.
Alma Mater
Hail University! To you we sing our praise.
May Charlotte’s light dispel the night, illumine all our days.
In Carolina’s crown the brightest gem we see.
Without your power our finest hour would hold no victory.
So let us love your life and cherish your great name.
To aid your cause, up hold your laws, and your enduring fame.
49ers Fight Song
Hail, Charlotte 49ers, proud as we can be
We stand to fight for the green and white,
Til’ we win the Victory (Go Niners!)
We pledge our trust in you,
And wave your colors high
The loyal Niner Nation cheers,
Forever! We’ll Fight-Fight-Fight!
The fight song music was composed by former music faculty member Dr. Harry Bulow in 2001. It replaced one which belonged to the University of Texas at Austin, entitled “Texas Fight,” which had been used since the late 1960’s. The new fight song was played for five years before Dr. Laurence Marks, UNC Charlotte’s director of bands, composed a set of lyrics in 2006. Minor changes suggested by the campus administration, Athletics, and students were accepted by Marks and submitted for final approval by the Chancellor and the 49ers Fight Song, reflected above, was born.