In 1867, two years after the Civil War ended, Augusta Theological Institute was established in the basement of Springfield Baptist Church in Augusta, Ga. Founded in 1787, Springfield Baptist is the oldest independent African-American church in the United States. The school’s primary purpose was to prepare Black men for ministry and teaching.
Today, Augusta Theological Institute is Morehouse College, located on a 66-acre campus in Atlanta. It enjoys an international reputation for producing leaders who have influenced national and world history.