Heading into their 2026 graduation ceremony, students and administrators at Morris Brown College have something special to celebrate.
The Atlanta HBCU has earned a five year extension on its accreditation. The accreditation is granted by the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools, an agency in Virginia.
“Morris Brown’s reaffirmation of accreditation through 2031, earned during our 145th anniversary year, makes this even more special,” President Kevin James said in a statement. “It affirms the institution’s adherence to quality and reflects continuous improvement over the past five years since regaining our accreditation following a nearly 20-year hiatus of not being accredited.”
In 2019, James stepped into the role in the midst of uncertainty about the Atlanta college’s future. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools revoked Morris Brown’s accreditation in 2002 after a former president, Dolores Cross, and the college’s former financial aid director, Parvesh Singh, inflated enrollment data to steal federal funds to cover the college’s debt. Cross and Singh later pleaded guilty to embezzling federal funds. The school’s accreditation was reinstated in April 2022.
James’ tenure has been marked by both fundraising highs for the school and challenges when he was briefly removed as president on Jan. 12 and then reinstated Jan. 20.
According to 11Alive, school officials said 92 students are set to graduate this year, making the 2026 class the largest in 23 years.
Morris Brown College was founded in 1881 by the African Methodist Episcopal Church after the Rev. Wesley John Gaines introduced a resolution at the North Georgia Annual Conference calling for the establishment of an institution for the moral, spiritual, and intellectual growth of Negro boys and girls.
This story has been updated to correct the date of Mr. James’ removal as president.
Staff writer Alecia Taylor contributed to this report.
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