Morris Brown College Regains Full Accreditation In Unanimous Vote After 20-Year Hiatus

After a 20-year hiatus, Morris Brown College is now celebrating its full accreditation.

BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported that the Atlanta HBCU received accreditation candidacy from the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS) late last year. At the time President Dr. Kevin James, called it a “new day for Morris Brown College.”

On Tuesday, TRACS granted the 141-year-old college full accreditation in an unanimous vote, CBS 46 reported.

An elated James said that Morris Brown is the only college in the country to regain full accreditation and funding after a 20-year journey without it.

“Morris Brown College just made history,” Dr. James told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “We’re excited about it. A lot of people had written us off. But due to a lot of hard work and dedication, we were able to regain our accreditation.”

Following a rigorous review, the re-accreditation is a step toward enrolling more students at Morris Brown College and obtaining more opportunities for students to apply for federal loans, work study, and Pell grants, the Journal-Constitution reported. In addition, students can now graduate with accredited degrees.

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools renounced Morris Brown’s accreditation in 2002 due to the school’s enormous debt—more than $30 million dollars.bTo date, there are 107 HBCUs in the U.S. recognized by the Department of Education. Of those 107, three are currently closed and two are at risk of losing their accreditation, according to records.

James has made other ambitious efforts toward the college’s improvement. From new programs and partnerships, Morris Brown is also looking forward to the development of a new hotel and hospitality management program on the campus, a first for any HBCU.

Founded in 1881, Morris Brown College was the first institution of higher education in Georgia created by Black people for Black students. It currently offers a number of bachelor of arts and science degrees in hospitality management, music, and psychology. It also offers certificates in business entrepreneurship, eSports, and nonprofit management.