Morehouse College: A Legacy of Excellence and Leadership

Morehouse College, a distinguished historically black, men's liberal arts college located in Atlanta, Georgia, stands as a beacon of academic excellence and leadership development. Anchored by its 61-acre main campus near downtown Atlanta, the college boasts a variety of residential dorms and academic buildings east of Ashview Heights. From its humble beginnings in 1867 to its current status as a leading institution, Morehouse has remained committed to its mission of educating and empowering African-American men.

Founding and Early Years

Morehouse College was founded in 1867, two years after the American Civil War, by William Jefferson White, an Atlanta Baptist minister and cabinetmaker. White was supported by Rev. Richard C. Coulter, a former slave from Atlanta, and Rev. Edmund Turney, organizer of the National Theological Institute for educating freedmen in Washington, D.C. The institution was initially established as the Augusta Institute in Augusta, Georgia, at Springfield Baptist Church, the oldest independent Black church in the United States. The primary goal was to educate African-American men in theology and other subjects, providing them with opportunities that had been denied due to former slave laws.

Between 1867 and 1871, James W. Parker, J. Mason Rice, Charles Henry Corey, Lucian Hayden, and W.D. Siegfried served as principals of the Augusta Institute under White's appointment. In 1871, Rev. Dr. Joseph T. Robert, a trained minister and physician, became the first president, serving until 1884.

Relocation and Name Changes

In 1879, the institution moved to Atlanta and was renamed the Atlanta Baptist Seminary. The Reverend Frank Quarles was invited to move the Augusta Theological Institute into the basement of Friendship Baptist Church in Atlanta. During this period, the Augusta Theological Institute incorporated and was renamed The Atlanta Baptist Seminary. The school received sponsorship from the American Baptist Home Mission Society, an organization that helped establish several historically Black colleges. It later acquired a 4-acre campus in downtown Atlanta.

In 1885, Dr. Samuel T. Graves became the second president, and the seminary moved to its present location on land donated by John D. Rockefeller, a prominent Baptist and industrialist. In 1890, George Sale became the seminary's third president. In 1897, the Atlanta Baptist Seminary was authorized to offer baccalaureate degrees, and its name was changed to Atlanta Baptist College.

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In 1913, the college was renamed Morehouse College in honor of Rev. Henry L. Morehouse, the corresponding secretary of the American Baptist Home Mission Society. Morehouse had been a significant supporter of the college, and the renaming acknowledged his influential role.

The John Hope Era

In 1906, John Hope became the first African-American president of the institution. Hope, a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Brown University, envisioned an academically rigorous college that would be the antithesis of Booker T. Washington's emphasis on agricultural and trade-focused education for African Americans. During his tenure, the college experienced significant growth in enrollment and academic stature. Hope expanded the curriculum and established the tradition of educating leaders for all areas of life.

Mid-20th Century Developments

Samuel H. Archer became the fifth president of the college in 1931 and chose maroon and white as the school colors, reflecting his alma mater, Colgate University. Archer led the institution during the Great Depression.

Benjamin Mays became president in 1940 and is known as the architect of Morehouse’s international reputation for excellence in scholarship, leadership, and service. Mays, who became a mentor to Martin Luther King Jr., recruited highly educated faculty, introduced higher academic expectations, and created the "Morehouse Mystique." This mystique included five tenets: academic excellence, the elocutionary arts, high moral values, social commitment, and belief in a higher power.

In 1967, Hugh M. Gloster became the seventh president. The following year, Morehouse became the third historically Black institution (HBCU) to establish a Phi Beta Kappa Honors Society. In 1975, Gloster established the Morehouse School of Medicine, which became independent from Morehouse College in 1981.

Late 20th and Early 21st Century Leadership

Leroy Keith Jr. was named president in 1987. In 1995, alumnus Walter E. Massey became Morehouse's ninth president. His successor, alumnus Robert Michael Franklin Jr., was the tenth president of the college. In November 2012, alumnus John Silvanus Wilson was announced as the institution's 11th president.

In January 2018, David A. Thomas became the 12th president of Morehouse College. Thomas's leadership was marked by significant advancements and initiatives aimed at enhancing the college's academic and financial standing.

Recent Developments

Morehouse celebrated several historic milestones in 2013, including the centennial of its renaming after Henry Lyman Morehouse and the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech and "Letter from Birmingham Jail." In May 2013, President Barack Obama delivered the commencement address at Morehouse College's 129th Commencement ceremony.

In April 2019, Morehouse announced that it would begin admitting transgender men in 2020. In May 2019, Robert F. Smith paid off the student loans of the Class of 2019. In June 2020, Reed Hastings and his wife Patty Quillin donated $40 million to Morehouse College for scholarship funds. In January 2022, Morehouse announced the establishment of the Black Men's Research Institute.

Morehouse College proudly welcomes renowned public health leader and biostatistician Dr. F. DuBois Bowman, a 1992 graduate of Morehouse, as the College’s 13th president. Dr. Bowman officially began his tenure on July 15, 2025.

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Campus and Facilities

Morehouse College's campus includes a variety of facilities that support its academic, athletic, and residential programs:

Archer Hall: Named after the fifth president, Samuel H. Archer, this hall houses recreational facilities such as a gymnasium, swimming pool, and game room.
B. T. Harvey Stadium/Edwin Moses Track: This 9,000-seat stadium, built in 1983, is named after the only alumnus to win an Olympic gold medal.
Brazeal Hall: A dormitory built in 1991, it housed athletes during the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
Ray Charles Performing Arts Center and Aretha Robinson Music Academic Building: A 76,000-square-foot facility dedicated on September 29, 2010, featuring the Emma & Joe Adams concert hall.
Chivers Hall/Lane Hall: The college's cafeteria, featured in many movies, seats 600 people and is attached to Mays Hall.
Douglass Hall: Originally built as the school's student center, it now serves as an academic readiness center with study spaces, conference rooms, and a computing lab.
DuBois Hall: A freshman dorm erected in 1973, named after philosopher W. E. B. Du Bois.
Franklin L. Forbes Arena: A 5,700-seat capacity arena built for the 1996 Olympic Games, it is now the main gymnasium for the college's basketball team and hosts many events year-round.
Graves Hall: Named after the second president, Samuel T. Graves, it houses the Howard Thurman Honors Program and Bonner Scholars. When constructed in the 1880s, it was the tallest building in Atlanta.
Hope Hall: Named after John Hope, the first African-American president, it originally served as the Science Building and later the Biology Building.
Hubert Hall: A freshman dorm named after Charles D. Hubert.
Kilgore Campus Center: Houses administrative offices, seminar rooms, and lounges, with a separate area serving as a dormitory.
Living Learning Center (LLC): Formerly known as Thurman Hall.
Martin Luther King, Jr. International Chapel/Gloster Hall: Built in 1978, it serves as the auditorium and administration building, housing the Gandhi-King-Ikeda Reconciliation Institute.
Mays Hall: Named after the sixth president, Benjamin Mays.
Merrill Hall: The chemistry building, named after Charles E. Merrill Jr., underwent a renovation in the 2000s that doubled its size.
Nabrit-Mapp-McBay Hall: Erected in 1987, it houses the Biology department and is named for distinguished science professors Samuel M. Nabrit, Mapp, and McBay.
Otis Moss Jr. Residential Suites: Apartment, studio, and suite dwellings built in 2003, renamed in spring 2006 after Otis Moss Jr.
Perdue Hall: A residence hall built around the time of the 1996 Summer Olympics.
Robert Hall: Named after Joseph T. Robert, the first president, it was the college's first residence hall.
Sale Hall: Named after the third president, it houses the religion and philosophy departments and features the Chapel of the Inward Journey.
Shirley A. Massey Executive Conference Center: Named after the first lady of the ninth president, it houses conference rooms and the Bank of America Auditorium.
Walter E. Massey Leadership Center: Houses the Business Administration and Economics departments, the Bonner Office of Community Service, a 500-seat auditorium, and an executive conference center.

Statues and Monuments

A bronze statue of Martin Luther King Jr. stands at the eastern portion of the main entrance plaza of the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel. An obelisk named in honor of Howard Thurman stands at the western end of the main entrance plaza of King Chapel, containing the remains of Thurman and his wife. A statue of Benjamin Mays stands atop a marble monument in front of Graves Hall, marking the graves of President Mays and his wife, Sadie Gray Mays.

Academics and Accreditation

Morehouse College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) to award Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees. The college offers more than 30 majors and the Howard Thurman Honors Program, a selective academic program for students of outstanding intellectual ability, high motivation, and broad interests.

Morehouse College, along with other members of the Atlanta University Center, shares the Robert W. Woodruff Library.

The King Collection

Morehouse College is home to a 10,000-piece collection of original documents written by Martin Luther King Jr., known as the King Collection. Valued at between $28 and $30 million by the Library of Congress, the collection was acquired through private donations in Atlanta to ensure its availability for research, public access, and exhibits.

Athletics

The Morehouse College Maroon Tigers are affiliated with the NCAA Division II Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC). The college's athletic program contributes to a well-rounded student experience, complementing its academic pursuits.

Student Life

New Student Orientation (NSO) is an eight-day experience that culminates with new students being ceremoniously initiated as Men of Morehouse. They learn about the college's legacy, traditions, academic divisions, brotherhood, and the "Morehouse Mystique." Approximately 60% of Morehouse students live on campus in 10 residence halls.

Traditions and Policies

Morehouse has a tradition of friendly competitions among first-year residence halls. In October 2009, Morehouse College initiated a campus-wide attire policy that prohibits students from wearing women's clothes, jewelry on their teeth, pajamas as classroom attire, du-rags or bandanas on their heads, or pants which hang below the waist at official college-sponsored events. This dress code is part of the Five Wells, which holds that "Morehouse Men are Renaissance Men with a social conscience and global perspective who are Well-Read, Well-Spoken, Well-Traveled, Well-Dressed, and Well-Balanced."

The Morehouse College Marching Band

The Morehouse College Marching Band, known as the House of Funk, is renowned for its halftime performances that combine dance and marching with music from various genres. They have performed at major events, including Super Bowl XXVIII and the NCAA Men's National Championship basketball game.

Debate and Glee Club

Morehouse's debate team claims to have been formed in 1906. In 2005, Morehouse College became a member of the American Mock Trial Association (AMTA). Founded in 1911, the Morehouse College Glee Club has a long and impressive history.

Motto: "And There Was Light"

The college's motto, "And There Was Light," aptly captures its mission to illuminate the minds and spirits of its students, guiding them toward a path of success and enlightenment.

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