Florida Memorial University

Florida Memorial University is a private historically Black university located in Miami Gardens, Florida. Affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA, it was founded in 1879 and is one of the oldest academic centers in the state. The institution offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs across fields such as business, education, social sciences, and the arts. Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Florida Memorial University serves a diverse student body and is the only historically Black university in South Florida. Students are often drawn to its faith-based heritage, small campus environment, and longstanding commitment to expanding educational access.

Florida Memorial University was founded in 1879 as the Florida Baptist Institute in Live Oak, Florida, to educate newly freed African Americans during the Reconstruction era. J. L. A. Fish served as its first president. In 1892, amid racial tensions, part of the institution relocated to Jacksonville and later consolidated in 1896 as the Florida Normal and Technical Institute. The school moved to St. Augustine in 1918 and expanded its academic offerings. In 1941, the institution became a four-year liberal arts college and graduated its first baccalaureate class in 1945. Renamed Florida Memorial College in 1963, it relocated to Miami Gardens in 1968 during the civil rights era. In 2006, Florida Memorial College officially became Florida Memorial University, reflecting the addition of graduate programs and its continued development as South Florida’s only historically Black university.