Dixie State University

Dixie State University (formerly Dixie State College) is a public university located in St. George, Utah, United States.

History

The institution was founded by the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) on September 19, 1911, as St. George Stake Academy. In 1916, the academy, which is located in a region that was called "Utah's Dixie" by Brigham Young and the local settlers who were slave overseers from North Carolina and Mississippi, became Dixie Normal College, and then in 1923 the name was changed to Dixie Junior College. In 1933, the LDS Church discontinued its support of the college, and the local citizenry had to maintain the school until Utah began supporting it as part of the state's higher education system in 1935.

In 1952, the institution's sports teams adopted the "Rebel" name. In 1956 the institution adopted a caricature of a Confederate soldier as the official mascot. Starting in 1960, the Confederate flag was flown along with the American flag at official ceremonies. In 1961, the institution's sports teams began wearing the Confederate flag on their uniforms. In 1963, the institution's yearbook changed names to The Confederate. In 1963, the institution built and dedicated the Shiloh dorms. Between 1963 and 1993, the institution increased their Confederate identity: parade floats adopted themes from the Old South, students appeared in black face and Confederate costumes, horseman carried the Confederate flag at school events; mock slave auctions were held, and the yearbook staff depicted a scalping with someone dressed as a Native American and another person hanging from a tree.