By Savannah Tribune
Morris Brown College (MBC) President, Dr. Kevin James, was the featured guest at a Victory Celebration Reception in Savannah on May 26, 2023. The event was held at Carver State Bank’s Skidaway Road Branch.
The tone for the uplifting evening was set by AME Savannah Central District Presiding Elder Billy G. McFadden who brought greetings from Bishop Reginald T. Jackson, Chairman of the Morris Brown Board of Trustees, before delivering an inspiring prayer of thanksgiving for the glorious history and promising future of dear Old Morris Brown College.
The reception was the culmination of a fundraiser chaired by Carver State Bank President Robert E. James, with Attorney Tammie Mosley, Chatham County Clerk of Superior Court as co-chair. Both are graduates of Morris Brown College.
Carver President James told to guests that he was asked by Jethro Joseph, President of the MBC National Alumni Association and other Omega Men who were initiated at Alpha Sigma Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity to raise funds for Morris Brown in Savannah. Mr. Joseph suggested a goal of $25,000 by June 30, 2023. Robert James said he immediately asked Attorney Mosley to Co-Chair the Campaign.
Mayor Van Johnson, Chatham County Commission Chairman Chester Ellis and State Representative Edna Jackson brought greetings and welcomed MBC President Kevin James to Savannah for his first visit.
After the greetings, the event hosts unveiled the outcome of the fundraiser, and presented the MBC President with a check for $40,000 Plus, Plus from the Savannah Community and the Alpha Sigma Omegas. Robert James said the Plus, Plus on the check are important since contributions are still being received and are still encouraged.
Attorney Mosley, a 1991 graduate, gave highlights of her MBC experience before introducing MBC President James.
MBC President James thanked Robert James (not related) and Tammie Mosley and all of the contributors for their support of Morris Brown College, and gave a dynamic, informative and inspiring address.
He started his remarks by polling the audience and concluding that almost 95% of the individuals in the room attended an HBCU. He then stated emphatically, “Not another HBCU should ever close – period, end of story!” He continued, “If we don’t take care of us, why in the world should they take care of us?”
MBC President James gave a brief history of the founding of Morris Brown, highlighting the fact that of the 10 HBCUs in Georgia, Morris Brown is the only one that was founded by Black People for Black People.
The MBC President said that about 20 years ago, when Morris Brown lost its accreditation, the enrollment went from 3,000 to 50 students overnight because students attending unaccredited colleges are not able to receive federal financial aid. President James continued, “That should have been the end of Morris Brown College, but somehow – someway, the institution never closed.”
President James said that his mother, on his first day on the job, asked him how in the world is Morris Brown College still open. “I call it the triple A’s…Almighty God, the Alumni and the AME Church,” he asserted.
After describing how he became the President of Morris Brown, James highlighted the historical nature of the institution’s achievements so far. “We are the first HBCU to actually pull this off,” he said. “Morris Brown College is now fully accredited…and is now the first college, Black or white, to get its financial aid back after filing bankruptcy. We just got our veterans benefits back and we are in the final stages of getting approval for international students.
After the discussion about the past, President James gave the leaders encouraging insights about the current condition and future direction of the college.
Morris Brown has moved from a low of 20 students to a current enrollment of 260 and an anticipated enrollment of 400 this fall. He touted innovative initiatives such as the $40 million, 91 thousand square foot upscale hotel that is to be constructed on campus with 3,000 square feet dedicated to the MBC Hospitality Management Degree Program and the new degree offering in Esports. Morris Brown is the first HBCU in the country to offer a degree in Esports.
President James received cheers from the audience when he said that right now, we are in the process of bringing back the world-renowned Marching Wolverines Band.
He concluded his remarks by again thanking the hosts for this marvelous fundraiser and stating that HBCUs do the best job in educating us. We are only 3% of all colleges, but we produce 25% of all Black college graduates.
The festive and informative evening ended with the MBC Alumni singing the College’s Alma Mater.