HISTORY OF ALLEN UNIVERSITY

 Allen University was founded by the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church in South Carolina under the leadership of Bishop John M. Brown on July 29, 1870. In an effort led by Reverend Simon Miller, 150 acres of land was purchased for the institution in Cokesbury, SC. The newly founded school was named Payne Institute in honor of Bishop Daniel A. Payne, a South Carolinian, and noted advocate for Black education. For its first 10 years, the school prospered in fulfilling its mission of developing an educated clergy in the face of repression and violent opposition during the Reconstruction Era. Delegates to the Annual Conference in Spartanburg, SC in 1880, with Bishop William F. Dickerson presiding, voted to move Payne Institute to Columbia, SC. Concurrently, Payne Institute was renamed Allen University in honor of Bishop Richard Allen, founder of the AME Church. Into the 20th century, Allen met the needs of students at all educational levels. The curriculum not only included courses in law, theology, and the arts, but coursework at elementary and high school levels. It was possible to enter Allen as a child in first grade and leave prepared to teach, preach, or prosecute/defend in the courts as fully trained educators, ministers, and lawyers. The grammar school closed in the mid-1920s, and the high school in1933.

An influx of veterans pursued studies at Allen following World War II. In the 1940’s, Departments of Humanities, Philosophy, Psychology and Religion were added to existing academic programs. During the 1960’s, the University fielded highly successful athletic teams that competed in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC). In 1970, the University marked a century of service with a Centennial celebration and rededicated itself to the principles upon which it was founded. Responsive to changes in society, Allen revised its curricula in the 1980s and began to pursue regional accreditation. The 1990s was a period of growth and development, that resulted in the first accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges. During that period, the John Hurst Adams Gymnatorium was constructed. In the early 2000s, Arnett Hall received a major restoration, the Williams Residence Halls were constructed, and Chappelle Auditorium and Gallery were restored/renovated.

In 2016, an enlightened system of governance to the institution fueled dramatic change and growth. The campus received a dramatic aesthetic facelift, NCAA athletics were returned, Reid and Higgins Halls were renovated, noteworthy capacity in information technology was acquired, the historic Waverly Hospital building was renovated and expanded, and the Boeing Institute on Civility at Allen University was launched. In 2018, the University moved from Level II to Level III to offer its first graduate program, the Master of Divinity degree via the newly formed Dickerson-Green Theological Seminary. The Seminary attained associate membership in the Association of Theological Schools and ultimately accreditation in 2024. In 2023, the University moved from Level III to Level V to offer its first doctoral program, the Doctor of Ministry. In 2024, three additional master’s programs in other disciplines began. The University has a distinguished history, rich in the tradition of promoting personal and spiritual growth, and in educating men and women to become productive leaders and citizens in an ever-changing world.