Student governance has existed as an integral part of higher education since the time of the first college in Colonial America. Through a detailed history of each phase of student self-governance--from the earliest literary societies to the present-day student government associations--the struggles of students in higher education to acquire and hold power over their education, clubs, leisure and lives arc offered to provide insight into the development and import of student self-governance. The history of women and African-Americans in higher education and student self-governance is also highlighted.