By Brooklyn White ·November 11, 2020November 11, 2020
Good news! Famed HBCU Morris Brown College will once again be accredited after 18 years. Morris Brown was the first college for Black students in Georgia.
Founded in Atlanta in January 1881, the private liberal arts college has always been closely affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church—the first Black religious denomination in the country.
The college has experienced a number of financial issues in recent decades, one of which led to the school losing its accreditation in 2002. Within 2 years, the then-president, along with her financial aide directed, were caught claiming that enrollment numbers were higher than they were. They also received student loans on behalf of attendees and used the money to keep the school afloat. The school’s president plead guilty on an embezzlement charge in 2006.
Once Morris Brown was no longer accredited, students could not receive federal financial aid. This led to enrollment dropping down to less than 10% almost immediately and it was feared that the school would shut its doors. Compounded by $30 million worth of debt, the HBCU filed for bankruptcy in 2012. The debt was erased, but the school then owed the AME church $4 million, which was forgiven by the church in January 2020.
A few notable celebrities who attended Morris Brown are comedian Sommore and the late Thomas J. Byrd.
This step forward will hopefully boost enrollment and help the school fully get back to its mission of enriching the lives of young Black people through education.
TOPICS: HBCU HBCU preservation
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