Louisville Municipal College

Louisville Municipal College
Former name
Louisville Municipal College for Negros
TypePrivate
Active1931–1951
Parent institution
University of Louisville
Location
Louisville
,
Kentucky
,
United States

Louisville Municipal College was a historically black college located in Louisville, Kentucky which existed from 1931 to 1951.

History

In 1920, a bond issue for funding of University of Louisville (which required a two-thirds affirmative vote) failed in part due to Negro opposition, as the bond issue would have used taxes of Negros, however University of Louisville did not allow Negros to attend.[1] In 1925, after compromises including sharing 10% ($100 thousand of the $1 Million of the bond) proceeds with a College for Negros.[2]

Progress on the College for Negros was delayed by the deaths of two University of Louisville Presidents while in Office: President Arthur Younger Ford (President from 1914 to 1926) and his successor, George Colvin (President from 1926 to 1928).[2][3]

The school was founded on the former location of Simmons College of Kentucky. Simmons, founded in 1879 had had its location at Seventh and Kentucky forclosed in 1930,[4] Simmons College continued operations elsewhere in Louisville, eventually returning to the Seventh and Kentucky location in 2006.[5]


Deans

Deans of Louisville Municipal College:[2]

  • Rufus Early Clement, 1931–1937
  • David A. Lane, 1937–1942
  • Bertram W. Doyle, 1942–1950

In the last year before the merger, Louisville Municipal College did not have a dean.

Student activities

The school newspaper was The Bantam.[6]

Fraternities and Sororities

The college had chapters of the following National Pan-Hellenic Council Fraternities and Sororities.

  • Alpha Phi Alpha - Alpha Pi chapter - May 7, 1934[7]
  • Alpha Kappa Alpha - Beta Epsilon chapter - November 6, 1933[8]
  • Kappa Alpha Psi - Alpha Omicron chapter - June 15, 1933[9][10]
  • Delta Sigma Theta - Xi chapter - April 15, 1922[11] (originally chartered at Simmons College)
  • Phi Beta Sigma - Tau chapter - April 25, 1925[12] (originally chartered at Simmons College)
  • Sigma Gamma Rho - Delta chapter - 1930s[13]
  • Zeta Phi Beta - Delta Alpha chapter - 1934[14]


Athletics

The football team was the Bantams.[15]

Football seasons ran from at 1931 to 1949 and included 1946 and 1947.[16][17][18]

Basketball was also played through 1950[19]

Notable alumni, faculty and staff

Alumni

  • Elmer Lucille Allen - Ceramic artist and chemist
  • Leon Bibb (musician) - American folk singer
  • Fannie R. Givens - artist, missionary, and political activist
  • Cynthia Jenkins - American librarian, community activist, and politician from New York.
  • Alberta Odell Jones - African-American attorney and civil rights icon
  • Georgia Davis Powers - First African American and first woman elected to the Kentucky State Senate.[20]

Faculty and Staff

References

  1. ^ Notable Kentucky African Americans Database - Louisville Municipal College for Negroes
  2. ^ a b c University of Louisville, Archives & Special Collections (ASC), Louisville Municipal College History: LMC History
  3. ^ New York Times, July 23, 1928 GEORGE COLVIN DEAD.; President of University of Louisville Victim of Appendicitis.
  4. ^ Simmons College of Kentucky nears accreditation
  5. ^ "Simmons going back to school's roots". The Courier-Journal. Archived from the original on January 20, 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
  6. ^ Linda L. Wilson Louisville Municipal College collection
  7. ^ Alpha Phi Alpha Historical Marker
  8. ^ Alpha Kappa Alpha Historical Marker
  9. ^ Kappa Alpha Psi Historical Marker
  10. ^ Kappa Alpha Psi holds ‘Kappa Week’ to connect with students and community The Louisville Cardinal
  11. ^ Delta Sigma Theta Historical Marker
  12. ^ Phi Beta Sigma Historical Marker
  13. ^ Sigma Gamma Rho Historical Marker
  14. ^ Zeta Phi Beta Historical Marker
  15. ^ "Municipal Loses 32 to 0 In Vulcan Bowl". The Courier-Journal. January 2, 1947. p. II-6 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ [Baltimore Afro American Newspaper Archives October 31, 1931 Page 15
  17. ^ "K.S.I.C. Beats Municipal 27-0". The Courier-Journal. November 25, 1934. p. V-3 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Tennessee State Yearly Results (1945-1949)". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
  19. ^ Wilson Daily Times Newspaper Archives December 7, 1950 Page 12
  20. ^ Georgia Davis Powers Gallery of Great Black Kentuckians Poster
  • Louisville Municipal College (LMC) scrapbook, University of Louisville Archives & Special Collections
  • Louisville Municipal College records, University of Louisville Archives & Special Collections
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