- LeMoyne–Owen College
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LeMoyne-Owen University Established 1968
LeMoyne College - 1871
Owen College - 1947Type Private, HBCU President Johnnie B. Watson (interim) Students 600 Location Memphis, TN, USA
35°07′18″N 90°02′06″W / 35.12175°N 90.03495°WCoordinates: 35°07′18″N 90°02′06″W / 35.12175°N 90.03495°WCampus Urban Former names LeMoyne College
Owen CollegeNickname Magicians Website www.loc.edu LeMoyne-Owen College is a fully accredited, four-year private historically black college located in Memphis, Tennessee, affiliated with the United Church of Christ. It was founded in 1862 to provide freedmen an education.
Contents
History
LeMoyne-Owen College was formed through the 1968 merger of LeMoyne College and Owen College, both private, historically black, church-affiliated colleges.[1]
LeMoyne Normal and Commercial School traces its history to 1862 when the American Missionary Association (AMA) sent Lucinda Humphrey to open an elementary school at Camp Shiloh for freedmen and escaped slaves. This was one of more than ten schools founded by the AMA, an integrated organization led by black and white Congregational and Presbyterian ministers.
This was soon after the occupation of Memphis by Federal troops during the Civil War. First known as Lincoln Chapel, the school relocated to Memphis in 1863. In 1866 it was destroyed during race riots that followed the withdrawal of federal troops. The school was rebuilt and in 1867 it reopened with 150 students and six teachers.
In 1870, Francis Julius LeMoyne (1798-1879), a Washington, Pennsylvania doctor, donated $20,000 to the American Missionary Association to build an elementary and secondary school for prospective teachers. LeMoyne, who was a notable abolitionist, traveled from his Pennsylvania home to visit the new school. He donated a clock for the school's tower. The Memphis yellow fever epidemic started in 1873 and took a toll on many school personnel.
Under the leadership of the third principal, Andrew J. Steele, the institution experienced three decades of growth and development.[2]
In 1914 the school moved from Orleans Street to its present site on Walker Avenue. Steele Hall, the first building on the new campus, was erected that same year. LeMoyne became a junior college in 1924 and then a four-year college in 1930. The LeMoyne College was chartered by the State of Tennessee just four years later.
Owen College traces its history as a junior college to 1947, when the Tennessee Baptist Missionary and Educational Convention bought property on Vance Avenue. S. A. Owen Junior College opened at that location in 1954.
Athletics
The college sponsors athletic teams that participate in the Division II level, in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) conference of the NCAA. The Lemoyne-Owen College Department of Athletics sponsors men's intercollegiate baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, and tennis along with women's intercollegiate softball, basketball, cross country, volleyball and tennis.
In 1975, the Lemoyne-Owen College men's basketball team won the NCAA Men's Division III Basketball Championship. [3] the school was then a member of Division III level of the NCAA. Up to this day, Lemoyne-Owen has been the only HBCU to win a national championship at that level.
Recent debt and accreditation issues
According to a 2007 AP article,[4] LeMoyne-Owen has suffered from management, debt and accreditation issues. Its accreditation has been in jeopardy, with Southern Association of Colleges and Schools placing it on probation for the last two years.
In August 2007, in a controversial move, the City of Memphis ensured the college would open for the fall 2007 semester by pledging $3 million in taxpayer funds to be added to other substantial pledges that came from the United Negro College Fund, Cummins Inc., radio host Tom Joyner and the United Church of Christ.
Notable alumni
Name Class year Notability References Lloyd Barbee 1949 Wisconsin legislator and civil rights activist [5] W. W. Herenton former mayor of Memphis, Tennessee from 1992 until his resignation in 2009 Myron Lowery former mayor of Memphis, Tennessee from July 31, 2009 – October 26, 2009 References
- ^ LeMoyne-Owen College Welcome, History
- ^ LeMoyne-Owen College (1871- )
- ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NCAA_Men%27s_Division_III_Basketball_Championship
- ^ http://diverseeducation.com/artman/publish/article_8969.shtml
- ^ http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/dictionary/index.asp?action=view&term_id=2040&keyword=barbee
External links
Colleges and universities in the Memphis Metro Area Baptist College of Health Sciences • Christian Brothers University • Harding University • LeMoyne-Owen College • Memphis College of Art • Memphis School of Preaching • Memphis Theological Seminary • Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary • Mid-South Community College • Rhodes College • Southern College of Optometry • Southwest Tennessee Community College • Union University • University of Memphis • University of Tennessee Health Science Center • Victory UniversityHistorically black colleges and universities Public institutions Alabama A&M · Alabama State · Albany State · Alcorn State · Arkansas-Pine Bluff · Bluefield State · Bowie State · Central State · Cheyney · Coahoma CC · Coppin State · Delaware State · Elizabeth City State · Fayetteville State · Florida A&M · Fort Valley State · Gadsden State CC · Grambling State · Harris-Stowe · Hinds CC · Jackson State · Kentucky State · Langston · Lincoln, Missouri · Lincoln, Pennsylvania · Maryland, Eastern Shore · Mississippi Valley State · Morgan State · Norfolk State · North Carolina A&T State · North Carolina Central · Prairie View A&M · Savannah State · Shelton State CC · South Carolina State · Southern · Southern-New Orleans · Southern-Shreveport · Tennessee State · Texas Southern · UDC · UVI · Virginia State · West Virginia State · Winston-Salem State
Private institutions Allen · Arkansas Baptist · Barber-Scotia · Benedict · Bennett · Bethune-Cookman · Claflin · Clark Atlanta · Concordia, Selma · Dillard · Edward Waters · Fisk · Florida Memorial · Hampton · Howard · Huston-Tillotson · Interdenominational Theological Center · Jarvis Christian · Johnson C. Smith · Knoxville · Lane · LeMoyne-Owen · Lewis College of Business · Livingstone · Meharry · Miles · Morehouse · Morehouse School of Medicine · Morris Brown · Morris · Oakwood · Paine · Paul Quinn · Philander Smith · Rust · Saint Paul's · Selma · Shaw · Simmons College (Ky.) · Southwestern Christian · Spelman · Stillman · St. Augustine's · Talladega · Texas College · Tougaloo · Tuskegee · Virginia Union · Virginia University · Voorhees · Wilberforce · Wiley · Xavier (Louisiana)
Defunct institutions Bishop · Daniel Payne · Guadalupe · Kittrell · Mount Hermon Female Seminary · Storer · Straight · Western
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Albany State • Benedict • Clark Atlanta • Claflin • Fort Valley State • Kentucky State • Lane • LeMoyne–Owen • Miles • Morehouse • Paine • Stillman • Tuskegee
Universities, colleges, and seminaries of the United Church of Christ Andover Newton Theological School • Bangor Theological Seminary • Catawba College • Chicago Theological Seminary • Deaconess College of Nursing • Defiance College • Dillard University • Doane College • Drury University • Eden Theological Seminary • Elmhurst College • Elon University • Heidelberg College • Huston-Tillotson University • Illinois College • Lakeland College • LeMoyne-Owen College • Lancaster Theological Seminary • Northland College • Olivet College • Pacific School of Religion • Pacific University • Piedmont College • Rocky Mountain College • Talladega College • Tougaloo College • United Theological Seminary of the Twin CitiesCategories:- Universities and colleges in Tennessee
- Historically black universities and colleges in the United States
- Educational institutions established in 1968
- National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities members
- Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
- LeMoyne–Owen College
- Universities and colleges in Memphis, Tennessee
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