In 1869, the American Missionary Association of New York purchased 500 acres (2 km) of land from John Boddie, owner of the Boddie Plantation to establish a school for the training of young people "irrespective of religious tenets and conducted on the most liberal principles for the benefit of “our citizens in general". The Mississippi Legislature granted the institution a charter under the name of "Tougaloo University" in 1871. In 1916, the name of the institution was changed to Tougaloo College.