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{{Short description|Historically Black college in Atlanta, Georgia, |
{{Short description|Historically Black college in Atlanta, Georgia, US}} |
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{{Use American English|date=November 2024}} |
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{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2023}} |
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2023}} |
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{{Infobox university |
{{Infobox university |
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| name = Morris Brown College |
| name = Morris Brown College |
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| image = Official seal of Morris Brown College.png |
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| image = Atlanta University, Stone Hall, Morris Brown College Campus, Atlanta (Fulton County, Georgia).jpg |
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| motto = To God and Truth<ref>{{cite web |title=Mission/Purpose/Faith Statement |url=https://morrisbrown.edu/mission-vision/ |website=Morris Brown College |access-date=17 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211216090252/https://morrisbrown.edu/mission-vision/ |archive-date=16 December 2021}}</ref> |
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| latin_name = |
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| established = {{start date and age|January 5, 1881}} |
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| motto = To God and Truth<ref>{{cite web |title=Mission/Purpose/Faith Statement |url=https://morrisbrown.edu/mission-vision/ |website=Morris Brown College |access-date=17 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211216090252/https://morrisbrown.edu/mission-vision/ |archive-date=16 December 2021}}</ref> |
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| type = [[Private university|Private]] [[Historically black colleges and universities|historically black]]<ref name="PresHBCU">{{Cite web |title=List of HBCUs – White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities |url=http://www.ed.gov/about/inits/list/whhbcu/edlite-list.html |date=2007-08-16 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071223032324/http://www.ed.gov/about/inits/list/whhbcu/edlite-list.html |archive-date=2007-12-23 |access-date=2008-01-03}}</ref> [[Liberal arts colleges in the United States|liberal arts college]] |
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| established = {{start date and age|January 5, 1881}} |
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| religious_affiliation = [[African Methodist Episcopal Church]]<ref name="MBCVisitors" /> |
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| type = [[Private university|Private]] [[Historically black colleges and universities|historically black]]<ref name="PresHBCU">{{Cite web |title=List of HBCUs – White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities |url=http://www.ed.gov/about/inits/list/whhbcu/edlite-list.html |date=2007-08-16 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071223032324/http://www.ed.gov/about/inits/list/whhbcu/edlite-list.html |archive-date=2007-12-23 |access-date=2008-01-03}}</ref> [[Liberal arts colleges in the United States|liberal arts college]] |
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| president = Kevin James<ref>{{cite press release |title=Dr. Kevin James named 19th President of Morris Brown College |url=https://morrisbrown.edu/new-president/ |access-date=27 November 2020 |work=Morris Brown College |date=May 18, 2020}}</ref> |
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| religious_affiliation = [[African Methodist Episcopal Church]]<ref name="MBCVisitors" /> |
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| students = 400+ (fall 2024) |
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| endowment = |
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| city = [[Atlanta]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] |
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| officer_in_charge = |
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| country = U.S.<ref name="MBCVisitors" /> |
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| chairman = |
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| coor = {{Coord|33.7548|-84.4089|type:edu|display=title, inline}} |
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| chancellor = |
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| campus = Urban, {{convert|21|acre}}<ref name="MBCVisitors" /> |
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| president = Kevin James<ref>{{cite press release |title=Dr. Kevin James named 19th President of Morris Brown College |url=https://morrisbrown.edu/new-president/ |access-date=27 November 2020 |work=Morris Brown College |date=May 18, 2020}}</ref> |
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| former_names = Morris Brown Colored College; Morris Brown University |
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| superintendent = |
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| colors = {{Color box|purple|border=darkgray}} {{Color box|Black|border=darkgray}} Purple & black |
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| provost = |
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| mascot = [[Wolverine|Wolverines and Lady Wolverines]] |
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| vice_chancellor = |
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| website = {{URL|http://www.morrisbrown.edu}} |
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| rector = |
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| logo = Morris Brown College logo.png |
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| principal = |
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| dean = |
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| director = |
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| head_label = |
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| head = |
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| faculty = |
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| administrative_staff = |
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| students = 36 (fall 2021) |
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| undergrad = |
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| postgrad = |
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| doctoral = |
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| other = |
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| city = [[Atlanta, Georgia]] |
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| country = U.S.<ref name="MBCVisitors" /> |
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| coor = {{Coord|33.7548|-84.4089|type:edu|display=title, inline}} |
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| campus = Urban, {{convert|21|acre}}<ref name="MBCVisitors" /> |
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| former_names = Morris Brown Colored College |
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| free_label = |
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| free = |
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| colors = {{Color box|purple|border=darkgray}} {{Color box|Black|border=darkgray}} Purple & black |
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| colours = |
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|sports_nickname = Brownites |
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| mascot = [[Wolverine|Wolverines and Lady Wolverines]] |
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|athletics_affiliations = |
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| affiliations = |
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| website = {{URL|http://www.morrisbrown.edu}} |
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| logo = MorrisBrown.png |
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|logo_size = 100px |
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| footnotes = |
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}} |
}} |
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[[File:Morris Brown College, Atlanta.jpg|thumb|Original location of Morris Brown]] |
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'''Morris Brown College''' ('''MBC''') is a [[Private university|private]] [[African Methodist Episcopal Church|Methodist]] [[Historically black colleges and universities|historically black]] [[Liberal arts colleges in the United States|liberal arts college]] in [[Atlanta |
'''Morris Brown College''' ('''MBC''') is a [[Private university|private]] [[African Methodist Episcopal Church|Methodist]] [[Historically black colleges and universities|historically black]] [[Liberal arts colleges in the United States|liberal arts college]] in [[Atlanta]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]]. Founded January 5, 1881, Morris Brown is the first educational institution in Georgia to be owned and operated entirely by African Americans. |
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[[File:(African American baseball players from Morris Brown College, with boy and another man standing at door, Atlanta, Georgia) (LOC) (3971751108).jpg|thumb|Baseball team in 1900]] |
[[File:(African American baseball players from Morris Brown College, with boy and another man standing at door, Atlanta, Georgia) (LOC) (3971751108).jpg|thumb|Baseball team in 1900]] |
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==History== |
==History== |
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===Establishment=== |
===Establishment=== |
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The '''Morris Brown Colored College''' (its original name) was founded on January 5, 1881, by African Americans affiliated with the [[African Methodist Episcopal Church]], the first independent black denomination in the United States. It was named to honor the denomination's second bishop, [[Morris Brown]], |
The '''Morris Brown Colored College''' (its original name) was founded on January 5, 1881, by African Americans affiliated with the [[African Methodist Episcopal Church]], the first independent black denomination in the United States. It was named to honor the denomination's second bishop, [[Morris Brown]],originally from [[Charleston, South Carolina]]. |
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After the end of the American Civil war, the AME Church sent numerous missionaries to the South to found new churches. They planted many new AME congregations in Georgia and other states, where hundreds of thousands of [[freedmen]] joined this independent black denomination. |
After the end of the American Civil war, the AME Church sent numerous missionaries to the South to found new churches. They planted many new AME congregations in Georgia and other states, where hundreds of thousands of [[freedmen]] joined this independent black denomination. |
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[[Stone Hall, Atlanta University|Fountain Hall]], originally known as Stone Hall when occupied by [[Atlanta University]], was completed in 1882. After Atlanta University consolidated its facilities, it leased the building to Morris Brown College, which renamed it as Fountain Hall. It is closely associated with the history of Morris Brown College and has been designated as a [[National Historic Landmark]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Stone Hall, Atlanta University |url=http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/atlanta/sto.htm |publisher=[[National Park Service]] |access-date=2009-02-26}}</ref> |
[[Stone Hall, Atlanta University|Fountain Hall]], originally known as Stone Hall when occupied by [[Atlanta University]], was completed in 1882. After Atlanta University consolidated its facilities, it leased the building to Morris Brown College, which renamed it as Fountain Hall. It is closely associated with the history of Morris Brown College and has been designated as a [[National Historic Landmark]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Stone Hall, Atlanta University |url=http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/atlanta/sto.htm |publisher=[[National Park Service]] |access-date=2009-02-26}}</ref> |
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Morris Brown College's [[Herndon Stadium]] was the site of the [[field hockey]] competitions during the [[1996 Summer Olympics]]. The stadium is designed to seat 15,000 spectators.<ref name="MBCVisitors" /> In 1950, the President of [[Georgia Tech]] and civil rights lecturer [[Blake R Van Leer]] delivered the |
Morris Brown College's [[Herndon Stadium]] was the site of the [[field hockey]] competitions during the [[1996 Summer Olympics]]. The stadium is designed to seat 15,000 spectators.<ref name="MBCVisitors">{{Cite web |title=Visitor |url=http://www.morrisbrown.edu/wwwroot/Prototype/MBCVisitors.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080108080555/http://www.morrisbrown.edu/wwwroot/Prototype/MBCVisitors.htm |archive-date=2008-01-08 |access-date=2008-01-25 |publisher=Morris Brown College}}</ref> In 1950, the President of [[Georgia Tech]] and civil rights lecturer [[Blake R Van Leer]] delivered the commencement address. Van Leer would later be involved in a local battle against a racist Governor at the time.<ref>[https://dlynx.rhodes.edu/jspui/bitstream/10267/31663/6/MW_v18n95_1950-05-23.pdf Newspaper clipping] rhodes.edu Retrieved May 27, 2023</ref> |
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=== Embezzlement prosecution === |
=== Embezzlement prosecution === |
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By the early 2000s, Morris Brown College had become heavily reliant on federal financial aid to sustain its enrollment of 2,500 students. Approximately $8 million in federal funds was disbursed to the college annually. To qualify for these funds, the college was obligated to accurately report student enrollment figures to the [[United States Department of Education|Department of Education]]. However, a fraudulent scheme was orchestrated by former president [[Dolores Cross]] and financial aid director Parvesh Singh. They knowingly falsified enrollment data, inflating the number of students receiving financial aid. The millions of dollars fraudulently obtained were diverted from designated student accounts to cover the college's escalating operational costs, including payroll expenses. This egregious misuse of federal funds led to the revocation of the college's accreditation by the [[Southern Association of Colleges and Schools]] in 2002. The loss of accreditation precipitated a financial crisis, ultimately forcing the college to the brink of closure. |
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By the early 2000s, eighty percent of the school's 2,500 students received financial aid from the [[federal government of the United States|federal government]], totaling $8 million annually. Under the federal government's [[grant-in-aid]], a college student financial aid program, accredited universities requested the Department of Education to reimburse grants in aid based on the enrollment of financially qualified students for each semester/quarter hour. |
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Cross and Singh were subsequently indicted, convicted, and sentenced for their roles in the scheme. Their actions inflicted substantial damage to the college's reputation and left a lasting impact on the institution and its students. <ref name="theatlantavoice.com">{{Cite web |date=28 June 2018 |title='We're still here': Morris Brown College president, alums talk about the institution's slow road back to prominence – The Atlanta Voice |url=https://www.theatlantavoice.com/articles/renewing-a-legacy-morris-brown-college-initiates-slow-resurgence/ |access-date=28 February 2019 |website=The Atlanta Voice – Atlanta GA News}}</ref><ref name="WP0501">{{Cite news |last=Romano |first=Lois |date=1 May 2006 |title=Morris Brown College |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/01/AR2006050101382.html |access-date=13 May 2010 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref><ref name="AJCFeb2007">{{Cite journal |last=Jones |first=Andrea |date=2007-02-24 |title=Morris Brown Marks 126 Years |journal=Metro News, 1B. |publisher=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}}</ref><ref name="AJCJan2007">{{Cite web |date=4 January 2007 |title=Ex-president of Morris Brown gets probation |url=http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/atlanta/stories/2007/01/03/0104metmobrown.html |access-date=4 January 2007 |website=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref><ref name="BIHE">{{Cite news |last=Powell |first=Tracie |date=30 December 2004 |title=Former Morris Brown College president, financial aid director indicted for fraud |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0DXK/is_23_21/ai_n8706820 |access-date=4 January 2007 |work=Black Issues in Higher Education}}</ref> |
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The university's registrar and accountable fiscal officer are required to jointly certify the students enrolled as full and/or part-time graduate or undergraduate students. The university also has to annually certify to its accreditation body that it is conducting an academic semester (or quarter) that the accreditor approved for overall semester/quarter length, and actual number of in-classroom clock-hours per semester (or quarter) hour to be awarded, in each classroom course offered.<!-- Rewrite to explain more clearly - too bureaucratic --> |
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===Aftermath (2003-2019)=== |
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A federal criminal case was filed against the former president, [[Dolores Cross]], and the financial aid director (the accountable fiscal officer), Parvesh Singh, alleging that they had, on behalf of the university, submitted to the Department of Education (the grant administrator) false declarations of enrollment of students for certain semesters. The charges said that in the specified semesters, the students identified in the declarations had not, in fact, been enrolled. Since the [[Student financial aid in the United States|grant-in-aid program's structure]] required the federal funds received to be applied to each individual enrolled student's account, the two school officers committed their second offense of [[embezzlement]] when they unlawfully applied these funds directly to ineligible college costs, such as salaries for personal staff, instead of applying the funds to offset individual students' enrollment expenses. |
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Once a thriving institution with approximately 2,500 students,<ref name=":0" /> Morris Brown College experienced a significant decline marked by financial mismanagement, accreditation loss, and legal challenges. The college's peak enrollment occurred before a series of scandals led to the resignation of its president and subsequent accreditation issues. |
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Despite attempts to revive the college, including the return of former president, Samuel D. Jolley (1993-1997) and a proposed enrollment goal of 107 students, Morris Brown struggled to regain its footing.<ref name="AJCJan2007" /> The loss of accreditation proved catastrophic, cutting off vital federal and state financial aid and precipitating a steep enrollment drop. The college's financial woes deepened, culminating in a $13 million property bond default that threatened foreclosure on historic campus buildings. |
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In 2002, the [[Southern Association of Colleges and Schools]] revoked the college's [[educational accreditation|accreditation]] because of its financial problems. Cross and Singh were charged in December 2004 in a 34-count [[indictment]] that accused them of [[fraud|defrauding]] the university, the [[United States Department of Education|U.S. Department of Education]], and hundreds of students. The pair, who had first worked together at a college in Chicago, Illinois, were convicted of using the names of hundreds of students, ex-students, and people who were never enrolled in order to obtain financial aid funds that they applied for other purposes.<ref name="AP0103" /> |
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To stave off closure, Morris Brown filed for bankruptcy in 2012. <ref name=":1" /> A lifeline emerged in 2014 when the city of Atlanta purchased the campus, relieving the college of a substantial debt burden. However, the deal did not reverse the college's academic decline. Enrollment plummeted to fewer than 50 students by 2018, hindered by the lack of accreditation and limited financial aid options. |
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During the time Cross held the college presidency, from November 1998 through February 2002, Singh obtained about 1,800 payments from federally insured loans and [[Pell grant]]s for these students, who had no idea they would be responsible for paying off the loans, the indictment said.<ref name="CHE1210">{{Cite web|title=Federal Indictment Accuses Former Morris Brown President and Aid Officer of $5-Million Fraud |url=https://www.chronicle.com/article/federal-indictment-accuses-former-morris-brown-president-and-aid-officer-of-5-million-fraud/ |date=10 December 2004 |website=Chronicle of Higher Education |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080830075428/http://chronicle.com/daily/2004/12/2004121006n.htm |archive-date=August 30, 2008 |access-date=12 May 2021 |last=Fain |first=Paul}}</ref> Singh pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement. Singh, 64, was sentenced to five years of probation and 18 months of home confinement.<ref name="AP0103" /> |
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Compounding the challenges, Morris Brown suffered severe building deterioration, including a devastating fire at Gaines Hall. While the city expressed interest in preserving the historic campus architecture, the overall condition of the college continued to deteriorate. Despite efforts to regain accreditation, Morris Brown faced an uphill battle for survival. |
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At the time of the 2004 indictment, Cross was teaching at [[DePaul University]] in Chicago.<ref name="BIHE">{{Cite news|last=Powell |first=Tracie |date=30 December 2004 |title=Former Morris Brown College president, financial aid director indicted for fraud |work=Black Issues in Higher Education |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0DXK/is_23_21/ai_n8706820 |access-date=4 January 2007}}</ref> On May 1, 2006, Cross [[guilty plea|pleaded guilty]] to fraud by embezzlement.<ref name="WP0501">{{Cite news|last=Romano |first=Lois |date=1 May 2006 |title=Morris Brown College |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/01/AR2006050101382.html |access-date=13 May 2010}}</ref> She agreed to pay $11,000 to the Department of Education in restitution. |
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=== The Hard Reset and The Resurgence (2019-present) === |
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On January 3, 2007, Cross was sentenced to five years of probation and one year of home confinement for the fraud. Cross, 70 years old, suffers from [[sleep apnea]] and has had a series of small [[stroke]]s, factors the judge took into consideration. An additional factor the judge considered for each person was that they did not use the embezzled funds for personal profit, but to prop up the school's poor finances.<ref name="AP0103">{{Cite news|date=3 January 2007 |title=Former college president gets probation for $3.4M embezzlement |agency=Associated Press |url=http://www.cnn.com/2007/EDUCATION/01/03/morrisbrown.fraud.ap/index.html |url-status=dead |access-date=4 January 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070106023516/http://www.cnn.com/2007/EDUCATION/01/03/morrisbrown.fraud.ap/index.html |archive-date=6 January 2007}}</ref> The initial indictment said Cross had used the funds to finance personal trips for herself, her family, and friends.<ref name="CHE0501">{{Cite journal|title=Ex-President of Morris Brown College Pleads Guilty |url=https://www.chronicle.com/article/ex-president-of-morris-brown-college-pleads-guilty/ |date=1 May 2006 |journal=The Chronicle of Higher Education |access-date=12 May 2021}}</ref> |
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[[File:Atlanta University, Stone Hall, Morris Brown College Campus, Atlanta (Fulton County, Georgia).jpg|thumb|[[Fountain Hall]] in 1979]] |
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The board of trustees selected Kevin James to serve as interim president of the college in 2019. James came to Morris Brown after a 20-year career in higher education, serving as a senior-level administrator, with positions at Strayer University and Herzing University as a dean of academic affairs. James led the charge calling the initiative to make Morris Brown College the number one HBCU in this country in every metric, "The Hard Reset". |
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Under James's leadership, Morris Brown was authorized as an institute of higher learning by the [[Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission]] (GNPEC) in 2019. The approval was a notable step towards regaining full accreditation.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.11alive.com/article/news/education/morris-brown-approved/85-d43a1c14-2b64-494a-a634-4be6733891ab | title=Morris Brown has been approved as an institute of higher learning| date=11 October 2019}}</ref> James was officially named president in 2020. He was also to raise millions of dollars for the school and establish lucrative partnerships to help further its growth. In 2021, the college became beneficiaries of a $30 million investment that partners them with [[Hilton Worldwide|Hilton]] to establish a new hotel on campus and reestablish a hospitality management degree program to train Brownites<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.theatlantavoice.com/articles/morris-brown-college-receives-30-million-investment-for-hotel-development-project/|title=Morris Brown College receives $30 million investment for hotel development project | the Atlanta Voice|date=3 March 2021}}</ref> and its application for accreditation candidacy through the [[Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools]] (TRACS) was approved, enabling the school to regain access to federal financial aid programs and Title IV funding. <ref name="TRACS_2021_candidacy" /> |
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The prosecutor, U.S. Attorney David Nahmias, said at the sentencing: "When the defendants arrived at Morris Brown, the college was already in serious financial condition. Thereafter, these defendants misappropriated ... money in fairly complicated ways in what appears to have been a misguided and ultimately criminal attempt to keep Morris Brown afloat."<ref name="AJCJan2007">{{Cite web|title=Ex-president of Morris Brown gets probation |url=http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/atlanta/stories/2007/01/03/0104metmobrown.html |date=4 January 2007 |website=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |access-date=4 January 2007}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> |
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In 2024, James was offered and accepted a contract extension to retain his position until June 2029.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sharpe |first=Martel |date=2024-04-29 |title=Morris Brown College president receives second contract extension |url=http://theatlantavoice.com/morris-brown-college-president-receives-second-contract-extension/ |access-date=2024-05-23 |website=The Atlanta Voice |language=en-US}}</ref> |
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===Rebuilding=== |
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At its peak before accreditation issues, the college had approximately 2,500 students enrolled.<ref name="theatlantavoice.com">{{Cite web |title='We're still here': Morris Brown College president, alums talk about the institution's slow road back to prominence – The Atlanta Voice |url=https://www.theatlantavoice.com/articles/renewing-a-legacy-morris-brown-college-initiates-slow-resurgence/ |date=28 June 2018 |website=The Atlanta Voice – Atlanta GA News |access-date=28 February 2019}}</ref> |
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As of April 2024, Morris Brown had an enrollment of 300+ students.<ref name=":1">{{cite web|title=Atlanta's Morris Brown College charts a new course|website=WABE|last=Dalton|first=Martha|date=16 March 2023|url=https://www.wabe.org/atlantas-morris-brown-college-charts-a-new-course/|access-date=12 December 2023}}</ref> |
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In 2004, Dr. Samuel D. Jolley, who had been the school's president from 1993 to 1997, agreed to return to the presidency to help the college's attempts to recover. The school hoped to have 107 students in fall 2006, the same number when the school opened in 1881, but failed to meet that goal.<ref name="WP0501" /> Tuition in the fall semester of 2006 was $3,500, but without accreditation, students cannot obtain federal or state financial aid for their tuition and other school expenses. |
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=== Leaders === |
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By February 2007, MBC had 54 students in two degree programs, supported by 7 faculty and staff employees.<ref name="AJCFeb2007">{{Cite journal |last=Jones |first=Andrea |date=2007-02-24 |title=Morris Brown Marks 126 Years |publisher=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |journal=Metro News, 1B.}}</ref> After the sentencing of two former administrators, the chair of the college's board of trustees, Bishop William Phillips DeVeaux, issued a press release stating the college would move forward and that "This sad chapter in the college's history is now closed."<ref name="AJCJan2007" /> |
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'''Founders:''' |
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* Wesley John Gaines |
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* Steward Wylie |
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'''Principals:''' |
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In addition to civil lawsuits filed by former and current students, Morris Brown faced a civil suit for defaulting on a $13 million property bond, a case that could have led to foreclosure on some of the college's most historic buildings, including its administration building. The complaint asked for $10.7 million in principal owed on the loan agreement, $1.5 million in interest, and a per diem of $2,100 for each day Morris Brown does not pay. |
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* Mary McGree, 1885-1886 |
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* Alice D. Carey, 1886-1887 |
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* E.W. Lee, 1887-1888 |
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'''Presidents:''' |
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In December 2008, the City of Atlanta disconnected water service to the college because of an overdue water bill.<ref name="WSB1208">{{Cite web |title=Water Shut Off At Historic Atlanta College For Unpaid Bill |url=http://www.wsbtv.com/news/18329829/detail.html |date=December 21, 2008 |publisher=WSB-TV |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304133718/http://www.wsbtv.com/news/18329829/detail.html |archive-date=4 March 2009 |access-date=4 June 2009}}</ref> The debt was paid and the service restored. |
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* James Henderson, 1896-1904 |
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* J.S. Flipper, 1904-1908 |
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Radio personality [[Tom Joyner]] made several offers to buy the troubled college from 2002 through 2004, during the worst of the accreditation and fraud crises. In 2003, his charitable foundation gave the school $1 million to assist with its immediate needs.<ref name="BIHE" /> |
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* E.W. Lee, 1908-1911 |
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* W.A. Fountain, 1911-1920 |
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The school faced foreclosure in September 2012.<ref name="AJC0812">{{Cite web |title=With foreclosure looming, Morris Brown College on the brink |url=http://www.ajc.com/news/with-foreclosure-looming-morris-1504312.html |last=Ernie Suggs |date=August 24, 2012 |access-date=24 August 2012}}</ref> The college filed for [[Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code|Chapter 11 bankruptcy]] in an attempt to prevent foreclosure and sale of the school at auction.<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 25, 2012 |title=Morris Brown College seeks federal protection, hopes to prevent auction of campus |work=[[The Atlanta Journal-Constitution]] |url=http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/morris-brown-college-seeks-1506275.html |access-date=August 27, 2012}}</ref> |
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* J.H. Lewis, 1920-1928 |
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* William A. Fountain, 1928-1950 |
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In June 2013, Morris Brown's board of trustees rejected a $9.7 million offer from the city of Atlanta. However, negotiations continued and mid-year in 2014 Morris Brown reached an agreement with Invest Atlanta, Atlanta's economic development agency.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Leslie |first=Katie |title=Invest Atlanta approves purchase of Morris Brown College |work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |url=https://www.ajc.com/news/invest-atlanta-approves-purchase-morris-brown-college/9MM7LPgqDcyrCxdhk4zrlI/}}</ref> The offer eliminated the school's $35 million debt by purchasing the 37 acres on which the college sits, paying the school's creditors, and paying $480,000 in back pay owed to professors and staff. The college will be able to retain use of several historic buildings for educational purposes. The city's administration wishes to revitalize the area around Morris Brown; the site of the new [[Atlanta Falcons]] stadium is just east of the campus. Mayor [[Kasim Reed]] said that the city has no interest in operating the school, and that it would be illegal for them to do so.<ref name="AJC0613">{{Cite web |title=Morris Brown trustees turn down taxpayer money |url=http://www.ajc.com/ap/ap/education/morris-brown-trustees-turn-down-taxpayer-money/nYF55/ |date=June 8, 2013 |publisher=Associated Press |access-date=18 June 2013}}</ref> |
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* Edward C. Mitchell (interim), 1950-1951 |
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[[File:2019-05-15 Morris Brown College UNCF Statue 2.jpg|thumb|right|230px|The [[UNCF]] [[statue]] on campus]] |
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* John H. Lewis, 1951-1958 |
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* Frank Cunningham, 1958-1965 |
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Several of Morris Brown's buildings are in an extreme state of disrepair and have been heavily damaged, including [[Herndon Stadium]], the Middleton Twin Towers dorm, Gaines Hall, and Furber Cottage. Gaines Hall was heavily damaged by a two-alarm fire in August 2015.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Preservation Center |url=http://atlantapreservationcenter.com/place_detail?id=20&pt=1 |website=Atlantapreservationcenter.com}}</ref> Mayor Reed indicated in August 2015 that he would like to see the city help preserve the building.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Reed: We are going to find a way to preserve Gaines Hall |work=Atlanta Business Chronicle |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2015/08/24/reed-we-are-going-to-find-a-way-to-preserve-gaines.html}}</ref> |
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* John A. Middleton, 1965-1973 |
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* Robert Threatt, 1973-1984 |
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As of fall 2018, the college had less than 50 students enrolled. The college received approximately 2,000 applications but interest dropped significantly once applicants were notified they can not receive financial aid because the college was not accredited.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Morris Brown College used to enroll 2,500 students. Today, there are 40. |url=https://www.atlantamagazine.com/great-reads/morris-brown-college/ |last=Wheatley |first=Thomas |date=13 April 2017 |access-date=28 February 2019}}</ref><ref name="theatlantavoice.com" /> |
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* Calvert H. Smith, 1984-1992 |
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* Gloria C. Anderson (interim), 1992-1993 |
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In 2019, Morris Brown College was authorized as an institute of higher learning by the [[Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission]] (GNPEC). The approval is a notable step towards regaining full accreditation.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.11alive.com/article/news/education/morris-brown-approved/85-d43a1c14-2b64-494a-a634-4be6733891ab | title=Morris Brown has been approved as an institute of higher learning| date=11 October 2019}}</ref> In 2021, the college became beneficiaries of a $30 million investment that partners them with [[Hilton Worldwide|Hilton]] to establish a new hotel on campus and reestablish a hospitality management degree program to train Brownites<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theatlantavoice.com/articles/morris-brown-college-receives-30-million-investment-for-hotel-development-project/|title=Morris Brown College receives $30 million investment for hotel development project | the Atlanta Voice|date=3 March 2021}}</ref> and its application for accreditation candidacy through the [[Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools]] (TRACS) was approved, allowing the college to once again receive federal financial aid and other funds.<ref name=TRACS_2021_candidacy /> |
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* Samuel D. Jolley, Jr., 1993-1998 |
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* Gloria C. Anderson (interim), 1998 |
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* Delores Cross, 1999-2002 |
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* Charles E. Taylor, 2002-2003 |
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* Samuel D. Jolley, Jr. 2004-2006 |
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* Stanley J. Pritchett, 2010-2018 |
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* Kevin E. James, 2019 - present |
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== Academics == |
== Academics == |
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Morris Brown offers the [[Bachelor of Arts]] and [[Bachelor of Science]] degrees. The Department of Business also offers four certificate programs.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://morrisbrown.edu/academics-curriculum/ | title=Academics – Curriculum }}</ref> |
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Morris Brown offers baccalaureate degrees in management, entrepreneurship, and technology (for traditional students) and Organizational Management and Leadership (for Adult Degree matriculants).<ref name="MBCVisitors">{{Cite web |title=Visitor |url=http://www.morrisbrown.edu/wwwroot/Prototype/MBCVisitors.htm |publisher=Morris Brown College |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080108080555/http://www.morrisbrown.edu/wwwroot/Prototype/MBCVisitors.htm |archive-date=2008-01-08 |access-date=2008-01-25}}</ref> |
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===Accreditation=== |
=== Accreditation === |
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Morris Brown was [[Higher education accreditation in the United States|unaccredited]] from 2003 to 2022.<ref name="April_2017_Atlanta_Magazine">{{Cite magazine |last=Thomas Wheatley |date=April 2017 |title=Morris Brown College used to enroll 2,500 students. Today, there are 40. |url=http://www.atlantamagazine.com/great-reads/morris-brown-college/ |magazine=[[Atlanta Magazine]] |access-date=November 10, 2017}}</ref> Until 2003, Morris Brown was accredited by a regional accreditor, the [[Southern Association of Colleges and Schools|Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)]]. |
Morris Brown was [[Higher education accreditation in the United States|unaccredited]] from 2003 to 2022.<ref name="April_2017_Atlanta_Magazine">{{Cite magazine |last=Thomas Wheatley |date=April 2017 |title=Morris Brown College used to enroll 2,500 students. Today, there are 40. |url=http://www.atlantamagazine.com/great-reads/morris-brown-college/ |magazine=[[Atlanta Magazine]] |access-date=November 10, 2017}}</ref> Until 2003, Morris Brown was accredited by a regional accreditor, the [[Southern Association of Colleges and Schools|Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)]]. |
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In March 2019, the college's leaders announced that the college was applying for accreditation through the [[Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools]] (TRACS) within 12 to 18 months.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Blog: Morris Brown: Can this college be saved? Leader says it can. |url=https://www.ajc.com/blog/get-schooled/morris-brown-can-this-college-saved-leader-says-can/1SwDufQNPqI0ggFeftdVAM/ |last=Downey |first=Maureen |website=AJC – Atlanta Journal Constitution}}</ref> The college's application for candidacy was accepted by TRACS in early 2021, enabling the college to once again receive federal financial aid and other funding.<ref name=TRACS_2021_candidacy>{{cite web |url=https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2021/04/14/morris-brown-earns-accreditation-candidacy-after-19-years |title=Morris Brown Earns Accreditation Candidacy After 19 Years |publisher=[[Inside Higher Ed]] |first=Emma |last=Whitford |date=April 14, 2021}}</ref> |
In March 2019, the college's leaders announced that the college was applying for accreditation through the [[Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools]] (TRACS) within 12 to 18 months.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Blog: Morris Brown: Can this college be saved? Leader says it can. |url=https://www.ajc.com/blog/get-schooled/morris-brown-can-this-college-saved-leader-says-can/1SwDufQNPqI0ggFeftdVAM/ |last=Downey |first=Maureen |website=AJC – Atlanta Journal Constitution}}</ref> The college's application for candidacy was accepted by TRACS in early 2021, enabling the college to once again receive federal financial aid and other funding.<ref name=TRACS_2021_candidacy>{{cite web |url=https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2021/04/14/morris-brown-earns-accreditation-candidacy-after-19-years |title=Morris Brown Earns Accreditation Candidacy After 19 Years |publisher=[[Inside Higher Ed]] |first=Emma |last=Whitford |date=April 14, 2021}}</ref> |
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On April 26, 2022, Morris Brown College was granted full accreditation. This is a rare example of a college regaining accreditation after nearly 20 years without it.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.cbs46.com/2022/04/26/morris-brown-college-officially-regains-full-accreditation-after-nearly-20-years/#:~:text=ATLANTA%2C%20Ga.,Colleges%20and%20Schools%20Tuesday%20afternoon. | title=Morris Brown College officially regains full accreditation after nearly 20 years | date=26 April 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url=https://news.yahoo.com/morris-brown-college-makes-history-214805076.html?&p2=%5EEQ%5Ecd30us%5E&doi=2022-02-20&o=APN12174 | title=Morris Brown College Makes History as the First Institution to Land Full Accreditation After Revocation | date=April 27, 2022 }}</ref> |
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==Athletics== |
==Athletics== |
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In the early 2000s, the college briefly had an independent [[NCAA Division I]] athletics program.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Morris Brown College is surviving, hoping to thrive again |url=https://andscape.com/features/morris-brown-college-is-surviving-hoping-to-thrive-again/ |date=21 October 2016 |access-date=28 February 2019}}</ref> Prior to the Division I transition, the college was a founding and active member of the NCAA Division II [[Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference]] between 1913 and 2000.<ref>{{Cite web |title=On Road to Losin' for Morris Brown |url= |
In the early 2000s, the college briefly had an independent [[NCAA Division I]] athletics program.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Morris Brown College is surviving, hoping to thrive again |url=https://andscape.com/features/morris-brown-college-is-surviving-hoping-to-thrive-again/ |date=21 October 2016 |access-date=28 February 2019}}</ref> Prior to the Division I transition, the college was a founding and active member of the NCAA Division II [[Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference]] between 1913 and 2000.<ref>{{Cite web |title=On Road to Losin' for Morris Brown |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-dec-16-sp-15285-story.html |agency=Associated Press |date=16 December 2001 |via=LA Times |access-date=28 February 2019}}</ref> |
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The Morris Brown Wolverines football program played at [[Herndon Stadium]] on campus until the athletic program was discontinued in 2003. Despite an inactive athletics program, Morris Brown has continued its homecoming tradition every fall semester on campus.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://andscape.com/features/and-it-dont-stop-morris-brown-college-homecoming-2016/ |title = And it don't stop: Morris Brown College homecoming 2016|date = November 2016}}</ref> |
The Morris Brown Wolverines football program played at [[Herndon Stadium]] on campus until the athletic program was discontinued in 2003. Despite an inactive athletics program, Morris Brown has continued its homecoming tradition every fall semester on campus.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://andscape.com/features/and-it-dont-stop-morris-brown-college-homecoming-2016/ |title = And it don't stop: Morris Brown College homecoming 2016|date = November 2016}}</ref> |
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Morris Brown College was well known for its popular and sizable marching band program, "The Marching Wolverines", and danceline "Bubblin Brown Sugar." Both were strongly featured in the 2002 box office hit ''[[Drumline (film)|Drumline]]'' and invited to perform at the first [[Honda Battle of the Bands]] event in 2003.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Band – Morris Brown College |url=https://morrisbrown.edu/band/ |access-date=28 February 2019 |archive-date=18 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181218083202/http://morrisbrown.edu/band/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2006, the rappers [[OutKast]] released a song named "[[Morris Brown (song)|Morris Brown]]" that featured the marching band. |
Morris Brown College was well known for its popular and sizable marching band program, "The Marching Wolverines", and danceline "Bubblin Brown Sugar." Both were strongly featured in the 2002 box office hit ''[[Drumline (film)|Drumline]]'' and invited to perform at the first [[Honda Battle of the Bands]] event in 2003.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Band – Morris Brown College |url=https://morrisbrown.edu/band/ |access-date=28 February 2019 |archive-date=18 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181218083202/http://morrisbrown.edu/band/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2006, the rappers [[OutKast]] released a song named "[[Morris Brown (song)|Morris Brown]]" that featured the marching band. |
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Due to accreditation problems at the college in the 2000s, the band program eventually discontinued. There have been conversations by Morris Brown's leadership to bring back the marching band program and athletics now the school is accredited again.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://andscape.com/features/morris-brown-college-is-surviving-hoping-to-thrive-again/ | title=Morris Brown College is surviving, hoping to thrive again | date=21 October 2016 }}</ref> |
Due to accreditation problems at the college in the 2000s, the band program eventually discontinued. There have been conversations by Morris Brown's leadership to bring back the marching band program and athletics now that the school is accredited again.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://andscape.com/features/morris-brown-college-is-surviving-hoping-to-thrive-again/ | title=Morris Brown College is surviving, hoping to thrive again | date=21 October 2016 }}</ref> |
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== In popular culture == |
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Morris Brown's campus has been used as a primary or partial filming location for various television shows and movies including:<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sharpe |first=Martel |date=2024-04-29 |title=Morris Brown College president receives second contract extension |url=http://theatlantavoice.com/morris-brown-college-president-receives-second-contract-extension/ |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=The Atlanta Voice |language=en-US}}</ref> |
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* ''[[Drumline (film)|Drumline]]'' (2002) |
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* ''[[We Are Marshall]]'' (2006) |
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* ''[[Stomp the Yard]]'' (2007) |
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==Notable alumni== |
==Notable alumni== |
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|former AFL defensive back for the Kansas Chiefs and New York Jets |
|former AFL defensive back for the Kansas Chiefs and New York Jets |
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|[[Ezell Brown]] |
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|educational entrepreneur, founder of Education Online Services Corporation |
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|[[James Alan McPherson]] |
|[[James Alan McPherson]] |
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|1965 |
|1965 |
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|McArthur “genius grant” winner and [[Pulitzer Prize]]-winning author |
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|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.maravipost.com/who-was-the-nfls-biggest-african-star/|title = Who Was the NFL's Biggest African Star?|date = 26 October 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.usafricadispatch.com/2019/02/01/touchdown-many-africans-have-taken-the-nfl-by-storm/ | title=Touchdown: Many Africans have taken the NFL by storm | access-date=2020-04-05 | archive-date=2020-07-06 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200706224300/https://www.usafricadispatch.com/2019/02/01/touchdown-many-africans-have-taken-the-nfl-by-storm/ | url-status=dead }}</ref> |
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.maravipost.com/who-was-the-nfls-biggest-african-star/|title = Who Was the NFL's Biggest African Star?|date = 26 October 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.usafricadispatch.com/2019/02/01/touchdown-many-africans-have-taken-the-nfl-by-storm/ | title=Touchdown: Many Africans have taken the NFL by storm | access-date=2020-04-05 | archive-date=2020-07-06 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200706224300/https://www.usafricadispatch.com/2019/02/01/touchdown-many-africans-have-taken-the-nfl-by-storm/ | url-status=dead }}</ref> |
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|[[T-Mo|Robert "T-Mo" Barnett]] |
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|Teck Holmes |
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|Rapper and member of [[Goodie Mob]] and [[Dungeon Family]] |
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| |
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|Castmate on MTV's ''[[The Real World: Hawaii]]'', actor, and TV personality |
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|<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0392068/bio | title=Teck Holmes| website=[[IMDb]]}}</ref> |
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|} |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{Reflist}} |
{{Reflist}} |
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[[Category:Morris Brown College| ]] |
[[Category:Morris Brown College| ]] |
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[[Category:African Methodist Episcopal Church]] |
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[[Category:Historically black universities and colleges in the United States]] |
[[Category:Historically black universities and colleges in the United States]] |
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[[Category:Universities and colleges affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church]] |
[[Category:Universities and colleges affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church]] |
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[[Category:Private universities and colleges in Georgia (U.S. state)]] |
[[Category:Private universities and colleges in Georgia (U.S. state)]] |
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[[Category:Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools]] |
[[Category:Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Universities and colleges established in 1881]] |
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[[Category:Universities and colleges in Atlanta]] |
[[Category:Universities and colleges in Atlanta]] |
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[[Category:Old Fourth Ward]] |
[[Category:Old Fourth Ward]] |
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Latest revision as of 08:29, 30 December 2024
 | |
Former names | Morris Brown Colored College; Morris Brown University |
|---|---|
| Motto | To God and Truth[1] |
| Type | Private historically black[2] liberal arts college |
| Established | January 5, 1881 |
Religious affiliation | African Methodist Episcopal Church[3] |
| President | Kevin James[4] |
| Students | 400+ (fall 2024) |
| Location | , U.S.[3] 33°45′17″N 84°24′32″W / 33.7548°N 84.4089°W |
| Campus | Urban, 21 acres (8.5 ha)[3] |
| Colors | Purple & black |
| Mascot | Wolverines and Lady Wolverines |
| Website | www |
 | |
Morris Brown College (MBC) is a private Methodist historically black liberal arts college in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded January 5, 1881, Morris Brown is the first educational institution in Georgia to be owned and operated entirely by African Americans.
History
[edit]Establishment
[edit]The Morris Brown Colored College (its original name) was founded on January 5, 1881, by African Americans affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the first independent black denomination in the United States. It was named to honor the denomination's second bishop, Morris Brown,originally from Charleston, South Carolina.
After the end of the American Civil war, the AME Church sent numerous missionaries to the South to found new churches. They planted many new AME congregations in Georgia and other states, where hundreds of thousands of freedmen joined this independent black denomination.
On January 5, 1881, the North Georgia Annual Conference of the AME Church passed a resolution to establish an educational institution in Atlanta for the moral, spiritual, and intellectual growth of Negro boys and girls. The school chartered and opened October 15, 1885, with 107 students and nine teachers. Morris Brown was the first educational institution in Georgia to be owned and operated entirely by African Americans.[5] By 1898 the school had 14 faculty, 422 students, and 18 graduates.[6] For more than a century, the college enrolled many students from poor backgrounds, large numbers of whom returned to their hometowns as teachers, as education was a mission of high priority.
Fountain Hall, originally known as Stone Hall when occupied by Atlanta University, was completed in 1882. After Atlanta University consolidated its facilities, it leased the building to Morris Brown College, which renamed it as Fountain Hall. It is closely associated with the history of Morris Brown College and has been designated as a National Historic Landmark.[7]
Morris Brown College's Herndon Stadium was the site of the field hockey competitions during the 1996 Summer Olympics. The stadium is designed to seat 15,000 spectators.[3] In 1950, the President of Georgia Tech and civil rights lecturer Blake R Van Leer delivered the commencement address. Van Leer would later be involved in a local battle against a racist Governor at the time.[8]
Embezzlement prosecution
[edit]By the early 2000s, Morris Brown College had become heavily reliant on federal financial aid to sustain its enrollment of 2,500 students. Approximately $8 million in federal funds was disbursed to the college annually. To qualify for these funds, the college was obligated to accurately report student enrollment figures to the Department of Education. However, a fraudulent scheme was orchestrated by former president Dolores Cross and financial aid director Parvesh Singh. They knowingly falsified enrollment data, inflating the number of students receiving financial aid. The millions of dollars fraudulently obtained were diverted from designated student accounts to cover the college's escalating operational costs, including payroll expenses. This egregious misuse of federal funds led to the revocation of the college's accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in 2002. The loss of accreditation precipitated a financial crisis, ultimately forcing the college to the brink of closure.
Cross and Singh were subsequently indicted, convicted, and sentenced for their roles in the scheme. Their actions inflicted substantial damage to the college's reputation and left a lasting impact on the institution and its students. [9][10][11][12][13]
Aftermath (2003-2019)
[edit]Once a thriving institution with approximately 2,500 students,[14] Morris Brown College experienced a significant decline marked by financial mismanagement, accreditation loss, and legal challenges. The college's peak enrollment occurred before a series of scandals led to the resignation of its president and subsequent accreditation issues.
Despite attempts to revive the college, including the return of former president, Samuel D. Jolley (1993-1997) and a proposed enrollment goal of 107 students, Morris Brown struggled to regain its footing.[12] The loss of accreditation proved catastrophic, cutting off vital federal and state financial aid and precipitating a steep enrollment drop. The college's financial woes deepened, culminating in a $13 million property bond default that threatened foreclosure on historic campus buildings.
To stave off closure, Morris Brown filed for bankruptcy in 2012. [15] A lifeline emerged in 2014 when the city of Atlanta purchased the campus, relieving the college of a substantial debt burden. However, the deal did not reverse the college's academic decline. Enrollment plummeted to fewer than 50 students by 2018, hindered by the lack of accreditation and limited financial aid options.
Compounding the challenges, Morris Brown suffered severe building deterioration, including a devastating fire at Gaines Hall. While the city expressed interest in preserving the historic campus architecture, the overall condition of the college continued to deteriorate. Despite efforts to regain accreditation, Morris Brown faced an uphill battle for survival.
The Hard Reset and The Resurgence (2019-present)
[edit].jpg)
The board of trustees selected Kevin James to serve as interim president of the college in 2019. James came to Morris Brown after a 20-year career in higher education, serving as a senior-level administrator, with positions at Strayer University and Herzing University as a dean of academic affairs. James led the charge calling the initiative to make Morris Brown College the number one HBCU in this country in every metric, "The Hard Reset".
Under James's leadership, Morris Brown was authorized as an institute of higher learning by the Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission (GNPEC) in 2019. The approval was a notable step towards regaining full accreditation.[16] James was officially named president in 2020. He was also to raise millions of dollars for the school and establish lucrative partnerships to help further its growth. In 2021, the college became beneficiaries of a $30 million investment that partners them with Hilton to establish a new hotel on campus and reestablish a hospitality management degree program to train Brownites[14] and its application for accreditation candidacy through the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS) was approved, enabling the school to regain access to federal financial aid programs and Title IV funding. [17]
In 2024, James was offered and accepted a contract extension to retain his position until June 2029.[18]
As of April 2024, Morris Brown had an enrollment of 300+ students.[15]
Leaders
[edit]Founders:
- Wesley John Gaines
- Steward Wylie
Principals:
- Mary McGree, 1885-1886
- Alice D. Carey, 1886-1887
- E.W. Lee, 1887-1888
Presidents:
- James Henderson, 1896-1904
- J.S. Flipper, 1904-1908
- E.W. Lee, 1908-1911
- W.A. Fountain, 1911-1920
- J.H. Lewis, 1920-1928
- William A. Fountain, 1928-1950
- Edward C. Mitchell (interim), 1950-1951
- John H. Lewis, 1951-1958
- Frank Cunningham, 1958-1965
- John A. Middleton, 1965-1973
- Robert Threatt, 1973-1984
- Calvert H. Smith, 1984-1992
- Gloria C. Anderson (interim), 1992-1993
- Samuel D. Jolley, Jr., 1993-1998
- Gloria C. Anderson (interim), 1998
- Delores Cross, 1999-2002
- Charles E. Taylor, 2002-2003
- Samuel D. Jolley, Jr. 2004-2006
- Stanley J. Pritchett, 2010-2018
- Kevin E. James, 2019 - present
Academics
[edit]Morris Brown offers the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees. The Department of Business also offers four certificate programs.[19]
Accreditation
[edit]Morris Brown was unaccredited from 2003 to 2022.[20] Until 2003, Morris Brown was accredited by a regional accreditor, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).
In March 2019, the college's leaders announced that the college was applying for accreditation through the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS) within 12 to 18 months.[21] The college's application for candidacy was accepted by TRACS in early 2021, enabling the college to once again receive federal financial aid and other funding.[17]
On April 26, 2022, Morris Brown College was granted full accreditation. This is a rare example of a college regaining accreditation after nearly 20 years without it.[22][23]
Athletics
[edit]In the early 2000s, the college briefly had an independent NCAA Division I athletics program.[24] Prior to the Division I transition, the college was a founding and active member of the NCAA Division II Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference between 1913 and 2000.[25]
The Morris Brown Wolverines football program played at Herndon Stadium on campus until the athletic program was discontinued in 2003. Despite an inactive athletics program, Morris Brown has continued its homecoming tradition every fall semester on campus.[26]
The Marching Wolverines
[edit]Morris Brown College was well known for its popular and sizable marching band program, "The Marching Wolverines", and danceline "Bubblin Brown Sugar." Both were strongly featured in the 2002 box office hit Drumline and invited to perform at the first Honda Battle of the Bands event in 2003.[27] In 2006, the rappers OutKast released a song named "Morris Brown" that featured the marching band.
Due to accreditation problems at the college in the 2000s, the band program eventually discontinued. There have been conversations by Morris Brown's leadership to bring back the marching band program and athletics now that the school is accredited again.[28]
In popular culture
[edit]Morris Brown's campus has been used as a primary or partial filming location for various television shows and movies including:[29]
- Drumline (2002)
- We Are Marshall (2006)
- Stomp the Yard (2007)
Notable alumni
[edit]| Name | Class year | Notability | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kimberly Alexander | member of the Georgia House of Representatives | ||
| George Atkinson | former NFL defensive back for the Oakland Raiders | ||
| Solomon Brannan | former AFL defensive back for the Kansas Chiefs and New York Jets | ||
| Jean Carn | jazz and pop singer | ||
| Charles W. Chappelle | attended late 1880s | Aviation pioneer, international businessman, president of the African-American Union, electrical engineer and architect/construction | |
| Donté Curry | 2000 | former NFL linebacker for Carolina Panthers and Detroit Lions | |
| Carl Wayne Gilliard | member of the Georgia House of Representatives | [30] | |
| Tommy Hart | former NFL defensive end for the San Francisco 49ers | ||
| Beverly Harvard | 1973 | first black female police chief of Atlanta and United States Marshal | [31] |
| Donzella James | former member of the Georgia State Senate | ||
| Alfred Jenkins | 1973 | former NFL and WFL wide receiver for the Birmingham Americans 1974 and the Atlanta Falcons 1975-1983 | |
| Ezra Johnson | former NFL defensive end for the Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts | ||
| Carrie Thomas Jordan | 1889 | educator | |
| NeNe Leakes | American television personality and entrepreneur | attended 1986 and 1987 | |
| James Alan McPherson | 1965 | McArthur “genius grant” winner and Pulitzer Prize-winning author | |
| Billy Nicks | former head football coach of Morris Brown and Prairie View A&M University | ||
| Sommore | comedian and member of the Queens of Comedy | ||
| Hosea Williams | civil rights activist | ||
| Greg Grant | former NBA player | ||
| Howard Simon Mwikuta | former kicker for the Dallas Cowboys and the first native-born African to play in the NFL | [32][33] | |
| Robert "T-Mo" Barnett | Rapper and member of Goodie Mob and Dungeon Family |
References
[edit]- ^ "Mission/Purpose/Faith Statement". Morris Brown College. Archived from the original on December 16, 2021. Retrieved February 17, 2022.
- ^ "List of HBCUs – White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities". August 16, 2007. Archived from the original on December 23, 2007. Retrieved January 3, 2008.
- ^ a b c d "Visitor". Morris Brown College. Archived from the original on January 8, 2008. Retrieved January 25, 2008.
- ^ "Dr. Kevin James named 19th President of Morris Brown College". Morris Brown College (Press release). May 18, 2020. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
- ^ "Morris Brown College founded". The African American Registry website. Archived from the original on December 1, 2007.
- ^ Hawkins, John R., ed. (1898). "Our Schools from Latest Reports". The Educator. Educational Department of the A.M.E. Church. 1 (no. 1): 47.
- ^ "Stone Hall, Atlanta University". National Park Service. Retrieved February 26, 2009.
- ^ Newspaper clipping rhodes.edu Retrieved May 27, 2023
- ^ "'We're still here': Morris Brown College president, alums talk about the institution's slow road back to prominence – The Atlanta Voice". The Atlanta Voice – Atlanta GA News. June 28, 2018. Retrieved February 28, 2019.
- ^ Romano, Lois (May 1, 2006). "Morris Brown College". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 13, 2010.
- ^ Jones, Andrea (February 24, 2007). "Morris Brown Marks 126 Years". Metro News, 1B. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
- ^ a b "Ex-president of Morris Brown gets probation". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. January 4, 2007. Retrieved January 4, 2007. [dead link]
- ^ Powell, Tracie (December 30, 2004). "Former Morris Brown College president, financial aid director indicted for fraud". Black Issues in Higher Education. Retrieved January 4, 2007.
- ^ a b "Morris Brown College receives $30 million investment for hotel development project | the Atlanta Voice". March 3, 2021.
- ^ a b Dalton, Martha (March 16, 2023). "Atlanta's Morris Brown College charts a new course". WABE. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
- ^ "Morris Brown has been approved as an institute of higher learning". October 11, 2019.
- ^ a b Whitford, Emma (April 14, 2021). "Morris Brown Earns Accreditation Candidacy After 19 Years". Inside Higher Ed.
- ^ Sharpe, Martel (April 29, 2024). "Morris Brown College president receives second contract extension". The Atlanta Voice. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
- ^ "Academics – Curriculum".
- ^ Thomas Wheatley (April 2017). "Morris Brown College used to enroll 2,500 students. Today, there are 40". Atlanta Magazine. Retrieved November 10, 2017.
- ^ Downey, Maureen. "Blog: Morris Brown: Can this college be saved? Leader says it can". AJC – Atlanta Journal Constitution.
- ^ "Morris Brown College officially regains full accreditation after nearly 20 years". April 26, 2022.
- ^ "Morris Brown College Makes History as the First Institution to Land Full Accreditation After Revocation". April 27, 2022.
- ^ "Morris Brown College is surviving, hoping to thrive again". October 21, 2016. Retrieved February 28, 2019.
- ^ "On Road to Losin' for Morris Brown". Associated Press. December 16, 2001. Retrieved February 28, 2019 – via LA Times.
- ^ "And it don't stop: Morris Brown College homecoming 2016". November 2016.
- ^ "Band – Morris Brown College". Archived from the original on December 18, 2018. Retrieved February 28, 2019.
- ^ "Morris Brown College is surviving, hoping to thrive again". October 21, 2016.
- ^ Sharpe, Martel (April 29, 2024). "Morris Brown College president receives second contract extension". The Atlanta Voice. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ "Representative Carl Wayne Gilliard".
- ^ "Beverly Harvard: Atlanta's first black female police chief". Retrieved May 27, 2023.
- ^ "Who Was the NFL's Biggest African Star?". October 26, 2019.
- ^ "Touchdown: Many Africans have taken the NFL by storm". Archived from the original on July 6, 2020. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Morris Brown College.
| Archives at | ||||||
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| How to use archival material |
- Official website
- "Digital Collection: Morris Brown College Photographs". RADAR. Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library.
- "Digital Collection: Morris Brown College Yearbooks". RADAR. Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library.
- "Digital Collection: The Wolverine Observer (student newspaper)". RADAR. Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library.
- "Digital Collection: Morris Brown College Catalog". RADAR. Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library.
| International | |
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| National | |
| Geographic | |
Categories:
- Morris Brown College
- Historically black universities and colleges in the United States
- Universities and colleges affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church
- Private universities and colleges in Georgia (U.S. state)
- Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools
- Universities and colleges established in 1881
- Universities and colleges in Atlanta
- Old Fourth Ward
- 1881 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)
- English Avenue and Vine City