On March 13, 1639, the college founded in 1636 in the Massachusetts Bay Colony was officially named Harvard College. The name honored John Harvard, a minister who left his library and half his estate to the institution. This early act of philanthropy helped secure the college’s future. Harvard became a training ground for ministers and civic leaders in New England. Over centuries, it developed into Harvard University, a leading academic institution. The decision to name the college after John Harvard also set a precedent for philanthropic naming in American higher education.
