Morehouse College

Morehouse College is a private, historically Black liberal arts college for men located in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded in 1867, it is one of the nation’s oldest historically Black colleges and universities and is part of the Atlanta University Center Consortium. Morehouse offers undergraduate programs in the humanities, social sciences, business, and natural sciences, with a mission centered on educating African American men for leadership and service. The college is known for its long-standing role in the development of civic and civil rights leaders, including Martin Luther King Jr. Students drawn to Morehouse often seek a close-knit academic environment focused on leadership development, social responsibility, and preparation for graduate and professional study.

Morehouse College was founded in 1867 in Augusta, Georgia, as the Augusta Institute, established in the basement of Springfield Baptist Church by the Rev. William Jefferson White to educate newly freed African American men for ministry and teaching. In 1871, the Rev. Joseph T. Robert became the first president, helping stabilize and expand the institution. The school moved to Atlanta in 1879 and became Atlanta Baptist Seminary, later renamed Atlanta Baptist College in 1897. In 1913, it adopted the name Morehouse College in honor of Henry Lyman Morehouse of the American Baptist Home Mission Society. In 1929, Morehouse College joined with Spelman and Clark to form what became the Atlanta University Center. During the presidency of Benjamin E. Mays from 1940 to 1967, Morehouse College strengthened its academic profile and national influence. Today, Morehouse College remains a leading historically Black men’s liberal arts college in Atlanta.