So, I have had a growing curiosity for exploring abandoned places lately. I finally indulged that curiosity and made my way to the abandoned parts of the historic Morris Brown College. As I stated in the video, they recently regained accreditation, but I think the history of this place is a good topic to explore this week. There is a detailed timeline I found on AJC.com that was a real asset for me while gathering the information.
But first! These pictures are the pictures I took (featured in the exploration in the video above!) All of these are available for PRINTS! Shop sizes in the Store!
Now for some history!
Morris Brown College was founded in 1881 and was the first HBCU “founded by black people for black people”. By 1908, enrollment was over 1,000. It became a charter in 1912, faced bankruptcy in 1928, and turns it all around by 1932.
In 1940,1941, and 1951, Morris Brown College won the Black College Football National Championship. They were an athletic powerhouse during that time.
By 1999, they would be torn apart by scandal that included inflated enrollment numbers and millions in student aid funds misappropriated. The only thing that would keep the college afloat was the new $21 million 1996 Olympic stadium and a conversion to Division I Athletics.
In 2002, the Morris Brown Marching Wolverines were introduced to little Samuel one of my favorite films from childhood, “Drumline”! I loved this movie. It was one of the reasons I decided to be in the marching band. It really started my interest in percussion instruments in general. Little did I know that I would be exploring the abandoned stadium for pictures 18 years later.
In 2003, their accreditations were revoked because of the growing debt the college was creating. 2004 brings charges of fraud for administrators of the college. In 2006, OutKast released a song titled after the now infamous college “Morris Brown,” which featured the marching band.
2012 brings a conclusion to the millions of debt collected by the college through bankruptcy. In 2015, a fire destroys Gaines Hall, and it is recommended that the building be torn down. It hasn’t yet.
It did become an accredited institution again in 2019 and I believe now has students enrolled. But the buildings I walked by were definitely abandoned. The college has a very long history, especially for a set of buildings in Atlanta.
Remember all of these pictures are available for prints! Check out the entire store here!
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