Morehouse College

This article is about the private school in Atlanta, Georgia. For the independent special school in Frensham, United Kingdom, see More House School, Frensham.

Morehouse College
Former names
Atlanta Baptist Seminary, Atlanta Baptist College
MottoLatin: "Et Facta Est Lux"
Motto in English
And there was light[1]
TypePrivate historically black men's liberal arts college
Established1867; 157 years ago (1867)
Academic affiliations
NAICU
CIC
Annapolis Group
ORAU
ACS
Oberlin Group
Space-grant
Endowment$186 million (2022)[2]
PresidentDavid A. Thomas[3]
Students2,260 (Fall 2021)
Location
Atlanta
,
Georgia
,
U.S.

33°44′48″N 84°24′55″W / 33.74667°N 84.41528°W / 33.74667; -84.41528
Campus61 acres, urban[4]
NewspaperThe Maroon Tiger[5]
ColorsMaroon and White[6]
   
NicknameMaroon Tigers[7]
Sporting affiliations
NCAA Division II SIAC[7]
MascotThe Maroon Tiger
Websitemorehouse.edu

Morehouse College is a private historically Black, men's, liberal arts college in Atlanta, Georgia. Anchored by its main campus of 61 acres (25 ha) near Downtown Atlanta, the college has a variety of residential dorms and academic buildings east of Ashview Heights. Along with Spelman College, Clark Atlanta University, and the Morehouse School of Medicine, the college is a member of the Atlanta University Center consortium.

Founded by William Jefferson White in 1867 in response to the liberation of enslaved African Americans following the American Civil War, Morehouse stressed preparatory and religious instruction in the Baptist tradition for students who had been prevented from receiving education by former slave laws. Growth in the late 19th and early 20th century led to strengthened finances, higher enrollment, and focus on the liberal arts. The college has played a key role in the development of the civil rights movement and racial equality in the United States.

The largest men's liberal arts college in the United States,[8] Morehouse has been home to 11 Fulbright Scholars, five Rhodes Scholars, and five Marshall Scholars, and is the alma mater of many celebrated African Americans, including civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and entertainment icon Spike Lee. The college has graduated numerous "African-American firsts" in local, state and federal government, as well as in science, academia, business, and entertainment.

  1. ^ "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. (literal translation of Latin itself translated from Hebrew: "And light was made")
  2. ^ As of March 7, 2022. U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2021 Endowment Market Value and Change in Endowment Market Value from FY20 to FY21 (Report). National Association of College and University Business Officers and TIAA. 2022. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  3. ^ Stirgus, Eric. "Breaking: Morehouse College names new president". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference USNews was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "Maroon Tiger Home Main".
  6. ^ "Color Palette–Brand Fonts and Colors" (PDF). Morehouse College Brand Guidelines. Retrieved September 24, 2022.
  7. ^ a b "Member Institutions". TheSIAC.com. July 9, 2018. Retrieved September 24, 2022.
  8. ^ Palmer, Robert T.; Cadet, Mykia O.; LeNiles, Kofi; Hughes, Joycelyn L. (February 18, 2019). Personal Narratives of Black Educational Leaders: Pathways to Academic Success. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-351-58402-9.