VCU's predecessors were the Richmond Professional Institute and the Medical College of Virginia. Explore the story of RPI in A History of the Richmond Professional Institute, written by Dr. Henry Hibbs, longtime leader of the school. Published for the RPI Foundation in 1973, the heavily illustrated book traces the development of RPI from its beginnings as the Richmond School of Social Economy in 1917 to its affiliation with the College of William and Mary in 1939, ending with the school's consolidation with MCV in 1968 to become Virginia Commonwealth University.
A History of the Richmond Professional Institute is part of the VCU Libraries Digital Collections, a growing resource for the VCU and global communities.