Many do not realize the foundational history America's Ivy League colleges. Established in 1764, Brown University was the Baptist protestant answer to the Presbyterian Princeton, the Episcopalian colleges of Penn and Columbia, and the Congregationalist's Yale and Harvard. What made Brown unique from the other fine universities was that Brown opened it's doors to all students regardless of affiliation. Much like that of Rhode Island's founding father Roger Williams. The territory of Rhode Island was founded 1636. Brown has long since shed its Baptist affiliation, but remains dedicated to diversity and intellectual freedom. Original located in Warren, Rhode Island, the university moved in 1770 to College Hill, overlooking Providence, Rhode Island.

As a private college, Brown University was originally named College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. After the American Revolution the college was renamed College of Rhode Island. In recognition of Nicholas Brown's 1804 contribution, the College of Rhode Island was renamed Brown University. Brown is the seventh oldest university located in the USA, and the third oldest in New England. Harvard University founded in 1636 is the oldest school for higher education in the United States. Harvard is located in Cambridge, MA.

Brunonians Tidbits:

• Baptist Minister James Manning served as Brown's first college president in 1765.
• Two of its founding charter members were Revolutionists.
• When Nicolas Brown Jr.'s family made the $5000.00 contribution to the university, tuition was $5.00. Today net value of the overall contribution is approximately $1,850,000.00.
• Sidney E. Frank is Brown's largest contributor. In 2004 the Frank's gifted Brown with a $100,000,000.00 to be used towards scholarships. Virtually eliminating the need for loans for the neediest students. He also donated $20,000,000.00, which constructed a a new academic building bearing his name.
  
• The school has the oldest undergraduate engineering program in the Ivy League.

• In 2001, Ruth Simmons became Brown's 18th president. She is the first African American university president, the first woman president at Brown and only the second woman to serve as president of an Ivy League institute.
  
• Brown's women's college, Pembroke College first admitted women in 1891 and merged with Brown in 1971.
• Brown's mascot is a bear.
• Brown motto is "In God we hope".
• The university philosophy was written by philosophy shaped by Brown President Francis Wayland. In 1850, he wrote:
  

“The various courses should be so arranged that, insofar as practicable, every student might study what he chose, all that he chose, and nothing but what he chose.”

Chief Justice and Governor of colonial Rhode Island, Stephen Hopkins was the appointed Delegate to the Continental Congress 1774-1776, after serving in the Colonial Congress in 1754 in Albany, New York. He is an original signaturer of the Declaration of Independence. Hopkins also was the first chancellor to the College of Rhode Island/Brown University.

Brown's first University President was the Rev. James Manning.  Like Hopkins, he is considered a founding father.  Born 1738 in New Jersey, James Manning graduated from College of New Jersey, which later became Princeton University.