Miles College facts for kids
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Former name
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Miles Memorial College (1898–1941) |
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| Motto | Sapientia et Pax et Amor Omnibus |
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Motto in English
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Wisdom and Peace and Love for all. |
| Type | Private historically black college |
| Established | 1898 |
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Religious affiliation
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CME Church |
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Academic affiliations
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Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference |
| President | Bobbie Knight |
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Administrative staff
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135 |
| Students | 1,500 |
| Location |
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U.S.
33°28′50″N 86°54′32″W / 33.48056°N 86.90889°W |
| Campus | 76 acres (310,000 m2) |
| Colors | Purple & gold |
| Nickname | Golden Bears |
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Sporting affiliations
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NCAA Division II – SIAC |
| Mascot | The Golden Bear |
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Miles Memorial College Historic District
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| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Area | 76 acres (31 ha) |
| Built | 1907 |
| Architect | Tisdale, Stone & Patton; Gilreath Construction |
| Architectural style | Bungalow/Craftsman, Beaux Arts |
| NRHP reference No. | 93001031 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | January 3, 1994 |
Miles College is a private college located in Fairfield, Alabama. It is a special type of school known as a historically black college. The college was started in 1898. It is connected to the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church (CME Church). Miles College is also a member of the United Negro College Fund.
Contents
History of Miles College
Miles College began to be organized in 1893. It was officially founded in 1898 by the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church. This church is now called the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. The college was first named Miles Memorial College. This name honored Bishop William H. Miles. Bishop Miles was born into slavery in Kentucky and later became free.
Early Campus and Growth
In 1911, Miles College gave out its first bachelor's degrees. The college was first located at the old Booker City High School campus in Booker City, Alabama. In 1907, the college moved to its current campus in Fairfield, Alabama. This new campus is about six miles west of downtown Birmingham.
The school was able to survive the Great Depression. This was thanks to the help of college president, William Augustus Bell. In 1941, the name of the college was changed from Miles Memorial College to Miles College.
Recent Events
In January 2020, Charles Barkley gave $1 million to Miles College. Barkley is from Alabama. This was the biggest donation from one person the school had ever received. Dr. Bobbie Knight was the first female president of the college at that time. She said the donation would help start efforts to raise $100 million for the school.
College Presidents
Miles College has had many leaders throughout its history. These presidents have helped the college grow and succeed over the years.
- L. L. Wilson, –1904
- R. S. Williams, –1907
- James Albert Bray, 1907–1912
- William Augustus Bell, 1912–1913
- John Wesley Gilbert, 1913–1914
- George A. Payne, 1914–1918
- Robert T. Brown, 1918–1922
- George L. Word, 1922–1926
- Mack Burley, 1926–1931
- Brooks Dickens, 1931–1936
- William Augustus Bell, 1936–1961
- Lucius Holsey Pitts, 1961–1971
- W. Clyde Williams, 1971–1986
- Leroy Johnson, 1986–1989
- Albert Sloan, 1989–2005
- George T. French Jr., 2006–August 31, 2019
- Bobbie Knight (interim), August 1, 2019–March 5, 2020
- Bobbie Knight, March 5, 2020– present
What Students Learn at Miles College
Miles College is approved by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. This means it meets high standards for education. The college can give out bachelor's degrees. Its social work program is also approved by the Council of Social Work Education.
Miles College offers 25 different bachelor's degrees. These degrees are in six main areas. These areas include Business and Accounting, Communications, and Education. They also include Humanities, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and Social and Behavioral Sciences. Miles College is one of 41 schools in the country with a Center of Academic Excellence. This center is under the Director of National Intelligence.
The college has about 1,700 students. It also has an honors program for students who do very well in their studies.
Miles College Campus
Miles College bought the Lloyd Noland Hospital site. This purchase more than doubled the size of the campus. The college built a new student activity and dining center. They also built a new welcome and admissions center. A new residence hall with 204 beds was also completed. Part of the campus is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Sloan Alumni Stadium is named after a former college president, Albert J. H. Sloan II. This stadium was recently improved. It now has a new Environ-Turf field.
After Birmingham-Southern College closed in 2024, Miles College tried to buy its campus. However, Miles missed some deadlines to complete the sale. Birmingham-Southern then decided to look for other buyers. Miles College still wants to buy the campus.
Student Life and Activities
Students at Miles College can join many groups. These include the Student Government Association and academic clubs. There are also religious organizations and National Pan-Hellenic Council groups. Students can also join general interest clubs. The college has a gospel choir and a concert choir.
College Radio Station
The school used to have a radio station called WMWI FM 88.7. It started in 2009. The station was licensed to serve Demopolis, Alabama. It stopped broadcasting in 2019. Its license was officially canceled in December 2023.
Marching Band
The Miles College band is called the Purple Marching Machine (PMM). The PMM started in 1996. It was first led by Prof. Arthur Means, Jr. Now, there are almost 200 members in the band. It is led by Willie Snipes Jr. The PMM has performed at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. They have also been in many "battle of the bands" events. The band has also performed for the Atlanta Falcons football team. The PMM is joined by the Golden Stars danceline and the Steaming Flags color guard.
Sports at Miles College
The Miles College sports teams are called the Golden Bears. They compete in the NCAA Division II. This is part of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC). The college has sports for both men and women. These sports include basketball, football, and volleyball. They also have track, baseball, softball, cross country, and golf.
Famous People from Miles College
Many successful people have attended Miles College.
- Richard Arrington Jr., the first African-American Mayor of Birmingham.
- U. W. Clemon, the first African-American federal judge in Alabama.
- Autherine Lucy, the first African-American student to attend the University of Alabama.
- Pollie Anne Myers Pinkins, a person who worked for civil rights.
- Fred Horn, a politician who was in the Alabama House of Representatives.
- Vince Hill, an American football player.
- Juandalynn Givan, a politician who is in the Alabama House of Representatives.
- Thales McReynolds, a former NBA basketball player.
- Bennett M. Stewart, a former U.S. Representative from Illinois.
- Paul A. G. Stewart, a Bishop of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. He is also a Vice Chairperson of the Board of Trustees at Miles College.
- Cleopatra Tucker, a politician who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2008.
Notable Faculty and Staff
Some important people have also worked at Miles College.
- John U. Monro, who was the director of freshman studies at Miles College. He was also a former dean at Harvard College.
- Sam Shade, a professional football player and college football coach.
- Steven Whitman, a researcher in public health.
See also
- List of historically black colleges of the United States
- Miles Law School
