Knoxville College facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Knoxville College

Motto	Let There Be Light
Motto in English	Guided by Faith. Inspired by Knowledge
Type	Private, HBCU
Established	December 16, 1875
Affiliation	Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Endowment	$1 million (appx.)
Chairman	Jessica Thrasher Wilson
President	Leonard L. Adams Jr.
Vice-president	Dasha Lundy
Academic staff	35
Students	11
Location	Knoxville , Tennessee , United States 35°58′12″N 83°56′45″W / 35.97000°N 83.94583°W / 35.97000; -83.94583
Campus	Urban, 39 acres (16 ha)
Colors	Garnet and blue
Nickname	Bulldogs

Knoxville College is a historically black college in Knoxville, Tennessee. It was started in 1875 by the United Presbyterian Church of North America. This college is a member of the United Negro College Fund.

Starting in the 1970s, the college began to face challenges. By 2015, only 11 students were enrolled. In May 2015, the college stopped classes temporarily to reorganize. On May 17, 2018, the Tennessee Higher Education Commission allowed Knoxville College to reopen.

On July 1, 2018, the college announced it was enrolling students again. In May 2022, three students graduated from the college.

History of Knoxville College

How Knoxville College Began

Knoxville College started from a school opened in Knoxville in 1864. R. J. Creswell of the United Presbyterian Church created it. The school aimed to educate Black people who were free or had been enslaved.

This early school first met in the First Baptist Church. It then moved to a permanent building in East Knoxville in 1866. Even with little support from city leaders, the school grew. It soon had over 100 students. Both Black and white students attended until 1901. That year, Tennessee passed a law forcing all schools to be segregated.

Knoxville College, as it appeared on an 1886 map of Knoxville

In the 1870s, the church's Freedmen's Mission decided to build a larger school in Knoxville. In 1875, the church bought the college's current land. This land was once a hill used by a Confederate battery during the Civil War.

The school's first building, McKee Hall, was finished in 1876. It was named after Reverend O.S. McKee. The school opened in December of that year. Former governor William G. Brownlow spoke at the opening.

Reverend John Schouller McCulloch became the first principal. Eliza B. Wallace was the principal for female students. The new school mainly trained teachers. It also had an academy for local children. In 1877, the state recognized it as a college. In 1890, the state gave the school funds for Black students. With these funds, the school started mechanical and agricultural departments.

Medical Training at Knoxville College

Before 1865, there were no medical schools for African Americans. Knoxville College had an early medical department for Black students. It was open from 1895 to 1900. This department was created with help from the University of Tennessee. The "Colored Department" there had been founded in 1887 for medical training.

Knoxville College Hospital (circa 1907)

William Wallace Derrick, an African American faculty member, helped set up the medical department. The Knoxville College Hospital opened in 1907. It was located at 1825 College Street. After this department closed, the city of Knoxville started a new Black medical school in 1900. It was called the Knoxville Medical College.

Growth in the Early 1900s

In 1901, Knoxville College officially received its charter from Tennessee. Six years later, the school opened the Eliza B. Wallace Hospital. This hospital trained nurses. It also helped the health needs of the local Black community. The hospital was very important during the city's Influenza outbreak in 1918.

Knoxville College in the early 20th century

In 1913, John Henry Michael, who led the school's mechanical department, designed the "Negro Building." This building was for the National Conservation Exposition. It was built with help from Knoxville College students.

The Negro Building at the Appalachian Exposition (1910 to 1911), designed and built by John Henry Michael, Knoxville College faculty and students

During World War I, students helped raise money for liberty bonds and the Red Cross. After the Knoxville Riot of 1919, the school's leaders supported the African American community. They praised students for staying calm. In 1925, students protested strict rules. They held a month-long boycott of classes. This led to a student council being created.

In 1957, Knoxville College became one of the first Black colleges to join the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). In the summer of 1960, students held sit-ins. They protested segregation at lunch counters downtown. This helped end the practice in many businesses. In 1962, the school's rules changed to allow white students.

Challenges and Rebuilding Efforts

Starting in the 1970s, Knoxville College faced financial difficulties. In 1997, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools removed the college's accreditation. This caused student numbers to drop sharply. Many campus buildings were closed.

In August 2005, the school's Board of Trustees removed the president, Barbara Hatton. After this, the alumni association worked hard to raise money. In January 2010, Dr. Horace A. Judson became interim president. He created a plan to help the college. This plan included regaining accreditation and becoming financially stable.

However, the college continued to struggle. In April 2015, the school announced it would stop classes for a semester. This was to allow for reorganization. Enrollment had fallen to just 11 students. In May 2015, the school said classes would start again in Fall 2016.

In 2016, the City of Knoxville asked the college to repair 14 of its buildings. Most of the campus buildings are now empty and in need of repair. Since early 2018, the college administrative offices are back on campus. They are in The College Annex, next to McMillan Chapel. Plans are being made to fix McMillan Chapel and the Alumni Library.

In 2023, Knoxville College's Vice President Dasha Lundy joined a team. They are working with the University of Tennessee and other schools. Their main goal is for Knoxville College to regain its accreditation by 2024.

Campus Life and Buildings

Knoxville College Historic District
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district
McKee Hall
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Area	14.5 acres (5.9 ha)
NRHP reference No.	80003841
Added to NRHP	May 1, 1980

Knoxville College has a campus with 17 buildings. It covers 39-acre (16 ha) a hill. This hill overlooks the Mechanicsville neighborhood, near downtown Knoxville. The campus has administration and classroom buildings. It also includes a performing arts center, a gym, a library, a chapel, and a student center. There are dorms for students and houses for faculty.

Historic Buildings on Campus

In 1980, eight buildings on the Knoxville College campus were recognized. They were added to the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district. Many early buildings were built by students. They used bricks made by students and wood donated by alumni. The district includes these buildings:

• McKee Hall: This is the oldest building, first built in 1876. It was largely rebuilt in 1895 after a fire. It is named for Reverend O.S. McKee. This building now holds administration offices.
• The President's House: Built in the late 1880s. Brick siding was added in 1905.
• Wallace Hall: Built in 1890 as an orphanage. It is named for Eliza B. Wallace. She was the principal for female students from 1877 to 1897.
• Elnathan Hall: Built in 1898 after the first Elnathan Hall burned down. It has been a women's dorm, an administration building, and a classroom building.
• Two Faculty cottages: Located at 1005 and 1009 College Street. Both were built in the Bungalow style in 1906.
• McMillan Chapel: Built in 1913. It was designed by Knoxville College alumnus, William Thomas Jones. The chapel hosted church services and performances. Famous guests like George Washington Carver and Jackie Robinson spoke here.
• Giffen Memorial Gymnasium: Built in 1929.

In 2016, Knox Heritage listed the Knoxville College Historic District as endangered.

Freedmen's Mission Historic Cemetery

The Freedmen's Mission Historic Cemetery is on campus. It is a historic African-American burial ground. You can find it at the corner of Booker and College streets.

College Leadership

A 16-member Board of Trustees oversees Knoxville College. Dr. Michael V. Bowie is the chairman. The board includes members from the Knoxville College National Alumni Association.

The Board of Trustees chooses the president. The president is the main leader of the school. In July 2017, Dr. Keith E. Lindsey was named Interim President. He helps guide the college's rebuilding. The president works with other leaders, like the academic dean and admissions director.

Academics and Learning

As of 2010^[update], Knoxville College offered two types of degrees. These were the four-year Bachelor of Liberal Studies and the two-year Associate of Arts. The Bachelor of Liberal Studies had four main areas of study. These included Humanities, Business and Computer Sciences, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, or Social and Behavioral Sciences.

Knoxville College had a special policy to help students avoid debt. This was through its College Work Program. Students could work several hours a week to help pay for their tuition. This program involved campus tasks, community work, and internships.

Student Life at Knoxville College

Omega Psi Phi monument

The Student Government Association (SGA) was elected by students. It helped students communicate with the college leaders. The SGA was led by a president.

Student activities included a dance team, a debate team, and a choir. The school newspaper, The Aurora, was published for over 100 years. The college also had a student ambassador program. A wellness program offered volunteer services to the community.

After 1997, Knoxville College stopped most sports programs. This was because fewer students were enrolled. However, as part of its reorganization, the college hopes to bring back basketball teams and a cheerleading squad.

Notable Alumni