The university is named in honor of James L. Alcorn, a prominent nineteenth-century political figure who served as the Governor of Mississippi and later as a United States Senator. During the complex political landscape of the post-Reconstruction era, Governor Alcorn played a critical, pivotal role in the legislative establishment and legal chartering of the institution. His support was instrumental in securing the land-grant status for the university, ensuring that meaningful, formal higher education opportunities were officially secured for generations of American students in Mississippi, thus permanently linking his name to the institution's proud, historic mission.