Apalachicola native and former Florida A&M University (FAMU) President Dr. Frederick S. Humphries will be honored with a statue on the Tallahassee campus next month.
Born in Apalachicola in 1935, Humphries attended Holy Family Catholic School and Wallace M. Quinn High School before graduating with honors from FAMU in 1957 with a degree in chemistry. He went on to earn both his master’s and doctorate degrees in physical chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh, becoming the first African American to receive a Ph.D. in chemistry from the institution.
Humphries began his career at FAMU as a chemistry professor in 1968 and, in 1985, was appointed the university’s eighth president. His tenure was marked by a transformative vision that elevated FAMU’s national profile. Under his leadership, the university attracted a record number of National Achievement Scholars, often surpassing Ivy League institutions in recruitment. In 1997, FAMU was named “College of the Year” by Time magazine and The Princeton Review. Humphries also oversaw record enrollment growth and significantly increased corporate financial support for the university.
Though his plans to establish a FAMU branch campus in Apalachicola were never realized, Humphries helped secure a $2.5 million NOAA grant in 2001 for research in Apalachicola Bay. The city later honored him by naming a street after him.
Humphries served as FAMU’s president until 2001, leaving behind a powerful legacy as a champion of education and opportunity for disadvantaged youth.
The statue unveiling will take place at 8 a.m. on Friday, October 17, during FAMU’s Homecoming Week, at the University Quadrangle.
