On Dec. 13, 1769, the Royal Governor of New Hampshire issued a royal charter in the name of King George III creating Dartmouth college. John Wentworth provided the land upon which Dartmouth was built making it one of the nine colonial colleges chartered before the American Revolution.

The College was established by Eleazar Wheelock in Hanover as a school to educate Native Americans in Christian theology, but primarily trained Congregationalist ministers during its early history before becoming secularized. Dartmouth taught its first African-American students in 1775 and 1808. By the end of the Civil War, 20 black men had attended the college or its medical school.

During its first 200 years, Dartmouth did little to actualize its founding commitment to Native students. In 1970, Dartmouth reaffirmed its founding mission and two years later established one of the first Native American programs in the country. Today, 200 Indigenous students—representing more than 70 different tribal nations & communities—attend the College. Dartmouth counts over 1,200 Native graduates among its alumni.