Alabama State University is a public historically Black university (HBCU) in Montgomery, Alabama, United States. Founded in 1867 during the Reconstruction era, it was one of about 180 "normal schools" established by state governments in the 19th century to train teachers for the rapidly growing public common schools. It was one of 23 established to train African Americans to teach in segregated schools. ASU is a member-school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.