African American Higher Education- Arkansas Baptist College

Little Rock and North Little Rock are home to three of the oldest seats of African American higher education in Arkansas. Arkansas Baptist College was founded in 1884 by the Colored Baptists of the State of Arkansas. When it initially opened at Mount Zion Baptist Church in Little Rock is was called Ministers’ Institute, reflecting its primary mission of educating African American ministers. In 1885, its name changed to Arkansas Baptist College when it moved to its current location at 16th and High Street (now, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Street). The college expanded its mission over the years to become not only an important center for African American higher education in the state, but it also served as a junior college and at times as a high school for African Americans from surrounding rural areas. I’m John Kirk of the UALR History Department and this has been an Arkansas moment.