African Americans have long been serious about education. Even when education was denied to black Americans through law, custom, and physical violence, blacks exerted relentless self-determination in the pursuit of literacy. The black church, because of its growth in size, power, and influence, became the logical institution for assisting blacks…

In the years after the Civil War, there were millions of newly-freed Black children and adults who emerged from slavery worn, but eager and determined to get something they never had--a chance to learn how to read the Bible, write their names and words on a page, and be educated. Even before the Civil War, some Blacks in the North were pressing…

Examining Black church support of higher education in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, this article highlights the longstanding project of African-American self-determination. Motivated donors, many of who would not in their lifetime see the fruits of their gifts, made faithful investments in the project of racial uplift.…

The purpose of this article is to discuss the importance of increasing fund development at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Increasing the endowments at HBCUs means placing more emphasis on cultivating alumni and educating them about the importance of philanthropy. Advancement professionals at these specialized institutions…

The few existing historically Black Presbyterian colleges are struggling for survival. The church is encouraging the colleges to become self-sufficient as the predominantly white Presbyterian colleges are but does not want to diminish church ties. (MSE)

A number of organizations are working with alumni of Black colleges and with Black churches to attract more students to the campuses, raise money for financially strapped institutions (particularly for scholarships) and promote more alumni participation in college affairs. (MSE)

Religious denominations have a long history of benevolent outreach to individuals considered "less fortunate." The institution of slavery in the United States created an opportunity for most denominations in the North to advance an image of "patron saint" to an oppressed African American community. Immediately following the…

The ethnic minority local church and its role in the Methodist ministry is discussed in an effort to emphasize the importance of strengthening Methodist ties with the black community. The black religious heritage and its historical relationship to the Methodist church are also discussed. It is suggested that church boards and agencies should…

Revised version of paper based on a presentation at a conference on the needs of black colleges, Chicago, September 13, 1970, by the retiring president of Paine College, Augusta, who was the last white president of a black college. (JM)

Papers presented include: "Hope, History, and Higher Education in the South," (James H. Smylie, response by Samuel S. Hill, Jr.); "Current Strategies: An Exploration and Evaluation," (Robert L. Wilson, response by Clyde O. Robinson, Jr.); "Trends in Higher Education: A Look to the Future," (Anne Flowers, response by…

A cultural history of Simmons University from 1879 to 1930 is presented, based primarily on original records, including slave narratives, school annuals, denominational minutes, and newspapers. The account is also a cultural study of black Baptists, especially in their Kentucky denominational institution. This black-owned and controlled school of…

The presence of whites at traditionally black public colleges and universities (TBPCUs) is examined for six periods: the pre-Civil War period, 1837-1859; the period of the educational missionary, 1860-1885; the period of reaction to white control, 1886-1916; the decade of the great philanthropists, 1917-1927; the era of the Bureau of Education,…