Floyd-Payne Campus Center and Bell Tower

Now at the top of the stairs, you have entered the main campus. Look to your left and see the bell and clock tower. Go to the benches that surround the tower and then press play to hear more. As you look into the open quad, you are looking at an area of campus called the “Historic District.” These are the oldest buildings on campus, many of which were designed by McKissack and McKissack—the first African American-owned architecture firm in the nation. We’ll hear more about some of the buildings in the historic district later in the tour. This bell tower is a signature landmark on campus, and it plays the school’s alma mater each day. You’ll hear more about the alma mater in a later stop.

The Floyd-Payne Campus Center you see today was completed in 1992. It is named in memory of two men who helped increase TSU’s visibility and status as a public university. Otis Floyd was the school’s fifth president, serving from 1986 to 1990. Joseph Payne was the university’s Dean of Students from 1958 until 1972. One more thing before we go. As you walked up the stairs you passed the TSU seal carved in stone on the side of Floyd-Payne Student Center. The seal displays the university’s motto—Think. Work. Serve. This motto dates back to 1912 and highlights the university’s focus as a land-grant college. Now let’s head to the library.

Walk up the side walk with the Floyd-Payne Student Center on your left. Just past Floyd-Payne, you will see the Brown-Daniel Library on your left. You can walk to the front entrance and sign or continue walking up the sidewalk to see more of the building’s architecture as you listen.