Edward Waters University

Edward Waters University is a private, historically Black university located in Jacksonville, Florida. Founded by the African Methodist Episcopal Church, it is the oldest historically Black college in the state and maintains its affiliation with the AME Church. The institution offers undergraduate programs across the liberal arts, business, education, and sciences, along with select graduate degrees. Its urban campus serves a diverse student body, with many students drawn to its historic mission of expanding educational access and its emphasis on community engagement. Edward Waters University competes in NCAA Division II athletics and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

Edward Waters University was founded in 1866 in Jacksonville, Florida, by members of the African Methodist Episcopal Church to educate newly freed African Americans after the Civil War. Originally established as the Brown Theological Institute, the school experienced financial challenges and temporary closures during the Reconstruction era. It reopened in the 1880s and expanded its curriculum, becoming East Florida Conference High School and later East Florida Scientific and Divinity High School. In 1892, the institution was renamed Edward Waters in honor of the third bishop of the AME Church. The campus was rebuilt after the Great Fire of 1901. Edward Waters University gained junior college accreditation in 1955 and achieved four-year accreditation in 1979. In 2021, after expanding academic offerings to include graduate programs, Edward Waters College officially became Edward Waters University.