Henry Hunt, principal of Fort Valley High and Industrial School from 1904 to 1939, Horace Mann Bond, president of Fort Valley State College from 1939 to 1945, and Cornelius V. Troup, president from 1945 to 1965, provided the continuity of vision and leadership that forged the foundation of Fort Valley State University. Hunt shepherded the young school into a state college, Bond raised the school's national stature and reputation, and Troup dramatically expanded enrollment and infrastructure during the civil rights era. The institution's development is marked by 1895, when Fort Valley High and Industrial School was founded, 1939, when it became a state college, and 1996, when it became a state university.