This book is a scholarly history of the origin, development, and governance of Georgia State University. Historical scholarship has served as the method for collecting, analyzing, and presenting the data. A thorough search of archival documents including memos, correspondence, board minutes, faculty reports, oral histories, speeches, etc., was conducted. Eleven topis were focused upon by the author including institutional purpose, leadership and governance, faculty, curriculum and accreditation, student access, student life, funding, facilities, Board of Regents and political support, urban growth and business support, and alumni support. The overarching purpose of this book is to present the institutional evolution of Georgia State University. The overaching theme is the institutional mission and how the school struggled to articulate it to its various stakeholders over the past 89 years from 1913 to 2002.