The History of Morris Brown College

By Karcheik Sims Alvarado

Published November 15, 2024
Last Updated December 3, 2024

Morris Brown College (MBC) serves “to provide educational opportunities in a positive and nurturing environment that will enable its students to become fully functional persons in our global society.” MBC prepares graduates for meaningful and rewarding lives so they can positively contribute to society.

In 1881, Wesley John Gaines introduced the idea of establishing a college at the North Georgia African Methodist Episcopal Annual Conference at Big Bethel A.M.E. Church in Atlanta, Georgia. In 1885, the State of Georgia granted a charter to Morris Brown College, named after the second consecrated Bishop of the AME church. In 1932, the college relocated to the original Atlanta University campus, where it resides today.

Morris Brown College, the only open admissions institution in the AUC, regained accreditation from the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools in 2022. With fierce dedication from the Morris Brown community and unflappable leadership, the college is growing both in student population and program offerings.

Read more in this article Tracing the Legacy of Atlanta’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Whether in the classroom, museum or in the field, Dr. Karcheick Sims Alvarado has sought to document and teach the African-American odyssey through various mediums.