Bishop College

Last updated
Bishop College
Type HBCU
Active1881–1988
Location
Marshall and Dallas
,
Texas
,

United States

32°40′41″N96°45′19″W / 32.6781°N 96.7552°W / 32.6781; -96.7552
MascotTiger

Bishop College was a historically black college, founded in Marshall, Texas, United States, in 1881 by the Baptist Home Mission Society. It was intended to serve students in east Texas, where the majority of the black population lived at the time. In 1961 the administration moved the college into Dallas, Texas. It closed in 1988.

Contents

In 2006 the president of Georgetown College in Georgetown, Kentucky reached out to Bishop College alumni, proposing to have them "adopt" his college as an alma mater. He offered scholarships to their descendants, with a chance to have their diploma read "Bishop College". This was part of an effort to increase minority enrollment at Georgetown.

History

1850 plot plan of Bishop College (Wyalucing) Wyalucing, Bishop and West Bush Streets, Marshall, Harrison County, TX HABS TEX,102-MARSH,1- (sheet 0 of 5).tif
1850 plot plan of Bishop College (Wyalucing)

The college was founded by the Baptist Home Mission Society in 1881 as the result of a movement to build a college for African-American Baptists. Nathan Bishop, who had been the superintendent of several major school systems in New England, started this effort. Baylor University President Rufus C. Burleson secured a pledge of $25,000 from Judge Bishop to start the college during a meeting of the National Baptist Education Society meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

A committee of Baptist ministers from East Texas, where most African Americans then lived, selected a location in Marshall, on land belonging to the Holcomb Plantation, Wyalucing. [1]

For the college's first several decades, Bishop's faculty and administration were staffed largely by European Americans. The first African American appointed as president was Joseph J. Rhoads, who started in 1929 and served through the Great Depression and World War II. [2] During his presidency, Bishop phased out the high school preparatory programs associated with the college, which had operated to help students compensate for failures in public education. He emphasized the college's new two-year ministerial program.

During the 1930s and 1940s, the ministerial program was developed as the Lacy Kirk Williams Institute. It moved to Dallas when the college moved in 1961. The Lacy Kirk Williams Institute evolved into a week-long seminar which attracted well-known preachers including Jessie Jackson and Martin Luther King, Sr. in 1975. (source, Lloyd Thompson's dissertation for North Texas University, p 34–35)

In 1961, after receiving a grant from the Hoblitzelle Foundation, Bishop moved to a 360-acre (1.5 km2) campus in Dallas. It was able to attract more students there. In Dallas, enrollments increased, peaking at almost 2,000 students around 1970. [2]

The college closed in 1988 after a financial scandal led to the revocation of its accreditation, and its eligibility to receive funds from charities such as the United Negro College Fund. Purchased in 1990 by Comer S. Cottrell, the campus is now used by Paul Quinn College. [3]

In 2006, the president of Georgetown College in Georgetown, Kentucky proposed a plan to Bishop College alumni to make Georgetown their adopted alma mater . Georgetown offers scholarships to children or grandchildren of Bishop alumni or students nominated by Bishop alumni. Upon graduation, these students receive diplomas with the name and insignia of Bishop College. Georgetown president William H. Crouch Jr. hopes the program will help the college reach its goal of increasing minority enrollment to 25% by 2012. [4]

Athletics

The Bishop athletic teams were called the Tigers. The college was a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing as an NAIA Independent from 1965–66 to the school's closure in 1987–88. The Tigers previously competed in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC) from 1958–59 to 1964–65, and the South Central Athletic Conference from 1956–57 to 1957–58. They were also a founding member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) from 1920–21 to 1955–56, which is currently an NCAA Division I FCS athletic conference.

Notable alumni

Listed below is a list of select notable alumni, listed in alphabetical order by last name.

NameClass yearNotabilityReference(s)
David Abner Jr. First African American to graduate from a college in Texas, president of Guadalupe College and Conroe College
TeCora Ballom United States Assistant Surgeon General, U.S. Public Health Service [5]
Harry Blake pastor and civil rights leader in Shreveport, Louisiana [6] [7]
R. H. Boyd Founder and head of the National Baptist Publishing Board [8]
Ella J. Bradley-Hughley 1907choir director, and a soprano soloist, popular from 1911 until 1918 in Los Angeles, California [9]
Bobby Brooks NFL Player, New York Giants [10]
William Harris 1987NFL player, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay Packers [11]
Mae C. King 1960Notable political scientist, founder of several professional organizations, and first African American and first woman on the staff of the American Political Science Association [12]
Tony Martin Dropped out after his freshman year in 1983 and eventually transferred to Mesa State College in 1987. NFL Player, Miami Dolphins and San Diego Chargers [13]
Tony McGee 1971NFL defensive end (Chicago, New England, Washington); transfer from Wyoming [14]
Sybil Collins Mobley Educator, founder of the Florida A&M University business school
William Nickerson, Jr. Founder of Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Company, at one time largest black-owned business in the West [15] [16]
Ike Thomas 1970NFL Player, Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers and Buffalo Bills [17]
Emmitt Thomas 1966Member of the NFL Pro Football Hall of Fame [18]
Michael S. Williams 1976Pastor, St. James Missionary Baptist Church, San Francisco, CA. Former board member (1996-1999), National Baptist Convention U.S.A., Inc.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wiley College</span> Private historically black college in Marshall, Texas

Wiley College is a private historically black college in Marshall, Texas. Founded in 1873 by the Methodist Episcopal Church's Bishop Isaac Wiley and certified in 1882 by the Freedman's Aid Society, it is one of the oldest predominantly black colleges west of the Mississippi River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgetown College</span> Christian liberal arts college in Kentucky, United States

Georgetown College is a private Christian college in Georgetown, Kentucky. Chartered in 1829, Georgetown was the first Baptist college west of the Appalachian Mountains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spring Hill College</span> Private Jesuit college in Mobile, Alabama

Spring Hill College is a private Jesuit college in Mobile, Alabama. It was founded in 1830 by Michael Portier, Bishop of Mobile. Along with being the oldest college or university in the state of Alabama, it was the first Catholic college in the South, is the fifth-oldest Catholic college in the United States, and is the third-oldest member of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iowa Wesleyan University</span> Liberal arts university in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, United States

Iowa Wesleyan University was a private university in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, United States. It was Iowa's first co-educational institution of higher learning and the oldest of its type west of the Mississippi River. The institution was affiliated with the United Methodist Church. It closed at the end of the 2022–23 academic year due to financial challenges.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southwestern Assemblies of God University</span>

Southwestern Assemblies of God University (SAGU) is a private Christian university in Waxahachie, Texas. SAGU is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges and officially endorsed by the Assemblies of God USA. The university offers associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctorate degrees in a variety of liberal arts programs, as well as programs in Bible and church ministries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stillman College</span> Historically black liberal arts college in Alabama, USA

Stillman College is a private historically black Presbyterian college in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. It awards Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in 22 programs housed within three academic schools. The college has an average enrollment of 728 students and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Texas A&M University–Commerce</span> University in Commerce, Texas

Texas A&M University–Commerce is a public university in Commerce, Texas. With an enrollment of over 12,000 students as of fall 2017, the university is the third-largest institution in the Texas A&M University System. Founded in 1889, the institution is also the fifth-oldest state university or college in the State of Texas.

Texas Wesleyan University is a private Methodist university in Fort Worth, Texas. It was founded in 1890 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The main campus is located in the Polytechnic Heights neighborhood of Fort Worth. Its mascot is the ram.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bluefield University</span> Private Baptist college in Bluefield, Virginia

Bluefield University is a private Baptist university in Bluefield, Virginia. It offers 22 majors and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The 82-acre (330,000 m2) campus is about 150 ft (46 m) from the state line between Virginia and West Virginia. It is affiliated with the Baptist General Association of Virginia. Bluefield University merged with Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine medical school system located at the campus of Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Campbellsville University</span> Private Christian university in Campbellsville, Kentucky, U.S.

Campbellsville University (CU) is a private Christian university in Campbellsville, Kentucky. It was founded as Russell Creek Academy and enrolls more than 12,000 students. The university offers associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Houston Christian University</span> Private university in Houston, Texas, U.S.

Houston Christian University (HCU), formerly Houston Baptist University, is a private Baptist university in Houston, Texas. It is affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Its Cultural Arts Center houses three museums: the Dunham Bible Museum, the Museum of American Architecture and Decorative Arts, and the Museum of Southern History.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Huston–Tillotson University</span> Historically black university in Austin, Texas

Huston–Tillotson University (HT) is a private historically black university in Austin, Texas. Established in 1875, Huston–Tillotson University was the first institution of higher learning in Austin. The university is affiliated with the United Methodist Church, the United Church of Christ, and the United Negro College Fund. Huston–Tillotson University awards bachelor's degrees in business, education, the humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, science, and technology and a master's degree in educational leadership. The university also offers alternative teacher certification and academic programs for undergraduates interested in pursuing post-graduate degrees in law and medicine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Benedict College</span> Historically black, liberal arts college located in Columbia, South Carolina

Benedict College is a private historically black college in Columbia, South Carolina. Founded in 1870 by northern Baptists, it was originally a teachers' college. It has since expanded to offer majors in many disciplines across the liberal arts. The campus includes buildings in the Benedict College Historic District, a historic area listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Park University</span> Private university in Parkville, Missouri

Park University is a private university in Parkville, Missouri. It was founded in 1875. In the fall of 2017, Park had an enrollment of 11,457 students.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of North Texas at Dallas</span> Public university in Dallas, Texas

The University of North Texas at Dallas (UNTD) is a public university in Dallas, Texas. It opened in 2000 as a branch campus of the University of North Texas, offering upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses in multiple disciplines. In 2009 it became a free-standing university, offering a full undergraduate program as well as graduate work. UNT Dallas is the only public university based within Dallas city limits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wayland Baptist University</span> Private Baptist university based in Plainview, Texas, USA

Wayland Baptist University (WBU) is a private Baptist university based in Plainview, Texas. It is affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Wayland Baptist has 11 campuses in five Texas cities, six states, American Samoa, and Kenya. Chartered in 1908, it had about 4,000 students in 2021, including about 900 students on its main campus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jarvis Christian University</span>

Jarvis Christian University (JCU) is a private historically black Christian college in Wood County, Texas. It was founded in 1912. It had a total undergraduate enrollment of 867 in the fall of 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Mary Hardin–Baylor</span> Private Christian University in Belton, Texas

The University of Mary Hardin–Baylor (UMHB) is a private Christian university in Belton, Texas. UMHB was chartered by the Republic of Texas in 1845 as Baylor Female College, the female department of what is now Baylor University. It has since become its own institution and grown to 3,914 students and awards degrees at the baccalaureate, master's, and doctoral levels. It is affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas and accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Truett McConnell University</span>

Truett McConnell University is a private Baptist university in Cleveland, Georgia. It is operated under the auspices of the Georgia Baptist Convention and controlled by a board of trustees elected by the convention. The university was named to honor George W. Truett and Fernando C. McConnell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">State Fair Classic</span>

The State Fair Classic is an annual college football game between the Grambling State University Tigers and the Prairie View A&M University Panthers of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). The game is played on a neutral site at the Cotton Bowl in Fair Park, Dallas, Texas during the State Fair of Texas. The game often occurs the weekend before the Red River Showdown game; the Heart of Dallas Classic took place on the first weekend of the 2013 fair, and the State Fair Football Showdown took place on the third weekends of the 2018 and 2019 fairs, featuring SWAC competitors Southern and Texas Southern.

References

  1. ↑ "Wyalucing plantation house was at HABS TX-33-D-4". Library of Congress . 32°32′51″N94°22′42″W / 32.5476°N 94.3784°W "Wyalucing, Bishop & West Bush Streets, Marshall, Harrison County, TX," Historic American Buildings Survey, Library of Congress, retrieved 22 January 2013
  2. 1 2 Bishop College: Texas school continues historic push for academic excellence, Ebony , May 1981
  3. ↑ "History of Bishop College". georgetowncollege.edu. Archived from the original on January 10, 2013. Retrieved May 28, 2012.
  4. ↑ Moser, Kate (2008-06-06). "A Home for Alumni of a Defunct College". The Chronicle of Higher Education. 54 (39): A6. Retrieved 2008-06-03.
  5. ↑ "Assistant Surgeon General TeCora Ballom, DO, is ready to safeguard public health". 20 January 2017.
  6. ↑ "'He was an instrument of change': Civil Rights icon Dr. Harry Blake has died at 85".
  7. ↑ "Rev. Harry Blake, Louisiana civil rights icon from Shreveport, dies at 85: 'He was a giant' | Coronavirus | theadvocate.com". www.theadvocate.com.
  8. ↑ Joe Early, Jr., Richard Henry Boyd: Shaper of Black Baptist Identity, Baptist History and Heritage, Summer-Fall, 2007
  9. ↑ Beasley, Delilah Leontium (1919). The Negro Trail Blazers of California: A Compilation of Records from the California Archives in the Bancroft Library at the University of California in Berkeley and from the Diaries, Old Papers and Conversations of Old Pioneers in the State of California. Times Mirror Print. and Binding House. pp. 216–217.
  10. ↑ "BOBBY BROOKS". profootballarchives.com. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  11. ↑ "William Harris Stats, News and Video - TE". NFL.com .
  12. ↑ Sherri L. Wallace (January 2020). "Chronicling Our Legacy of Leadership: The Task Force Historical Record on the Founders of the National Conference of Black Political Scientists". National Review of Black Politics. 1 (1): 80⁠–131. doi:10.1525/nrbp.2020.1.1.80.
  13. ↑ "Tony Martin Past Stats, Statistics, History, and Awards". Database Football. Archived from the original on 2013-04-08. Retrieved 2014-01-26.
  14. ↑ "Tony McGee Stats, News and Video - TE". NFL.com .
  15. ↑ Nickerson, Kim (February 14, 2008). "Black history: Nickerson, a pioneer of black business in Los Angeles". Los Angeles Sentinel. Los Angeles, California. pp. C–3, C–4.
  16. ↑ Poinsett, Alex (March 1990). "Unsung black business giants:pioneer entrepreneurs laid foundations for today's enterprises". Ebony. Chicago, Illinois: Johnson Publishing Company, Inc. 45 (5): 96, 98, 100.
  17. ↑ "The Press-Courier - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com.
  18. ↑ "Emmitt Thomas | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site".
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.