After 131 years of history and tradition, Morris Brown College could fall to foreclosure.

The college filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Aug. 26 to delay the foreclosure for 120 days and prevent the selling of the school. The college is also auctioning several pieces of its school, including the administration building.  

Located in the Vine City community of Atlanta, Morris Brown was founded in 1881 by freed slaves after the North Georgia Annual Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church on Jan. 5, 1881, passed a resolution to establish the school for ``the moral, spiritual, and intellectual growth of African American Men and Women.’’

“As a graduate of Clark Atlanta, it affects me a little bit more because Morris Brown is our sister school,” says William Earvin, Mays band director. “Our ancestors fought so hard for a place where African-Americans could go to school and not deal with a lot of racism.” 

Morris Brown's financial troubles began in 2003 when the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) revoked accreditation from the college for using the names of hundreds of students, ex-students, and people who were never enrolled to obtain financial aid for the school.

The lack of charitable alumni has also contributed to the current financial situation.

 “I have not given to Morris Brown since 2006, but at the time it was a monthly thing,” says Dante Edwards, Math and Science academy leader.  Morris Brown is currently over $13million in debt and educates approximately 50 students with about 17 staff and faculty members who have remained unpaid for the last three months.

Some Morris Brown graduates have taken to the task of volunteering to clean up the school because its staff is so small. Since the loss of accreditation, there have been several efforts to save the college, even with popular national radio personality Tom Joyner offering to buy the college several times.

Morris Brown once also had one ofthe best bands in the nation, a promising Division 1 program, and even was one of the feature bands in the classic movie “Drumline.”

 “I wouldn’t be in the position I am in today if it wasn’t for Morris Brown,” says Edwards. “I know for a fact that it’s schools like Morris Brownthat get students in the door, gives them a quality education and propels their lives. Students that graduate with scores that aren’t so great need a college that will take them in and teach them how to become productive citizens.”

The college has since discontinued its sports program. Morris Brown has held a prayer vigil and has asked forfinancial support on its website in order to lessen the financial burden.

If Morris Brown is able to survive its current financial situation, it looks to reapply for accreditation in October.