The campus includes the sites of Henderson Male and Female Institute (1869-1885), West Tennessee Christian College (1885-1897), Georgie Robertson Christian College (1897-1907), and National Teachers Normal and Business College (1907-1919). It was renamed in 1919 in honor of A.C. Freed and N.B. Hardeman, administrators of Georgie Robertson Christian College and cofounders of National Teachers Normal and Business College.