Miles College facts for kids
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| Latin: Sapientia et Pax et Amor Omnibus | |
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Former name
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Miles Memorial College (1898–1941) |
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| Motto | "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 in Fairfield, Alabama. It is a historically black college, which means it was founded to educate African American students. The college started in 1898. It is connected to the CME Church. Miles College is also part of the United Negro College Fund, which helps students attend college.
Contents
The Story of Miles College
Miles College began to form in 1893. It was officially founded in 1898. The college was started by the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church. This church is now known as the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. The school was first named Miles Memorial College. This name honored Bishop William H. Miles. Bishop Miles was born into slavery in Kentucky. He later became a free man. In 1911, Miles College gave out its first bachelor's degrees.
The college first used the old Booker City High School campus. This was in Booker City, Alabama. In 1907, the college moved to its current campus. This campus is in Fairfield, Alabama. It is about six miles west of downtown Birmingham.
The school managed to survive the Great Depression. This was thanks to college president William Augustus Bell. In 1941, the name changed from Miles Memorial College to Miles College.
Recent College News
In January 2020, Charles Barkley gave a big gift to Miles College. Barkley is a famous basketball player from Alabama. He donated $1 million to the college. This happened under the first female President, Dr. Bobbie Knight. Barkley's gift is the largest one-time donation the school has ever received. Dr. Knight said this donation will help the college raise even more money. They aim to raise $100 million in total.
College Leaders
Miles College has had many presidents over the years. These leaders help guide the college. They make important decisions for the students and staff. Here are some of the people who have led Miles College:
- 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 Can Study
Miles College is approved by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. This means it meets high standards for education. It is also approved by the Alabama State Department of Education. Miles College offers 25 different bachelor's degrees. These degrees are in many subjects. Students can study business, communications, education, or science. They can also study math, humanities, or social sciences.
Miles College is one of only 41 schools in the country. It has a Center of Academic Excellence. This center works with the Director of National Intelligence. The college has about 1,700 students. It also has an honors program for students with excellent grades.
College Campus
Miles College bought the Lloyd Noland Hospital site. This greatly increased 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 dorm with 204 beds was also completed. Part of the campus is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is a historically important place.
Sloan Alumni Stadium is named after a past college president. The stadium recently got a new Environ-Turf field. This new field cost $1 million.
Student Life and Fun Activities
Students at Miles College can join many groups. There is a Student Government Association. There are also academic clubs for different subjects. Students can join religious groups. There are also groups for general interests. The college has a gospel choir and a concert choir. Students can also join National Pan-Hellenic Council organizations.
The Purple Marching Machine
The Miles College band is very famous. It is known as the Purple Marching Machine (PMM). The PMM started in 1996. Professor Arthur Means, Jr. was its first director. Now, the band has almost 200 members. Willie Snipes Jr. is the current director. The PMM has performed in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. They have also been in many "battle of the bands" events. The band has even performed for the Atlanta Falcons football team. The PMM performs with the Golden Stars danceline. They also have the Steaming Flags color guard.
College Sports Teams
The Miles College sports teams are called the Golden Bears. They compete in NCAA Division II. This is a national sports league for colleges. They are part of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC). Miles College has many sports for men and women. These include basketball, football, and volleyball. They also have track, baseball, softball, cross country, and golf.
Famous People from Miles College
Many successful people have gone to Miles College. Here are a few of them:
- 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.
- Fred Horn, a politician who served in the Alabama House of Representatives.
- Vince Hill, an American football player.
- Juandalynn Givan, a politician 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 in the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church.
- Cleopatra Tucker, a politician in the New Jersey General Assembly.
Notable Teachers and Staff
Some important people have also worked at Miles College:
- John U. Monro, who was a director 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 who studied public health.
See also
- List of historically black colleges of the United States
- Miles Law School
