About Morris College
Enter to Learn. Depart to Serve.
A Legacy of education
EMPOWERMENT
Morris College was founded in 1908 by Jacob J. Durham, initially as a grade school, high school, and college. For almost a century and a half, it has empowered talented students to make a meaningful difference in the global community through intellectual, personal, professional, and spiritual growth and a focus on excellence.
Commanding
Excellence
Top HBCU in
South Carolina for First-Generation
College Graduates
U.S. Department of
Education, 2023
Over 80% of Morris Graduates Employed or in Graduate School Within 6 Months
Morris College Career
Services Report, 2024
Historic Leader in Producing Black Educators, Community Leaders, & Public Servants
South Carolina HBCU
Impact Study, 2023
Morris on a
Mission
Tradition Lives Here.
Morris College is proud of its rich, storied legacy. As one of South Carolina’s premier HBCUs, we’ve spent over a century shaping leaders who make history. When you join The Hive, you become part of something greater—more than 100 years of excellence, pride, and purpose. At Morris, tradition fuels our culture and inspires every student to lead unapologetically and rise to their full potential.
Excel with Morris
High-quality education, exceptional faculty and staff, and relevant academic programs give students the confidence not just to compete, but to lead.
“As we forge into the future of Morris College, let us all remember that our commitment to the students and the institution’s mission stands unwavering.”
Alumni Snapshot
Laura Hall ’65
Member, Alabama House of Representatives
Alabama State Representative Laura Vandiver Hall is a native of Pendleton, South Carolina. She earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Morris College before also earning a master’s degree in education from Ohio State University. She was elected in 1994 and was the first Black woman to represent her district, House District 19. She has sponsored legislation to create “silver alerts” to help find missing persons with Alzheimer’s disease, a bill to designate December 1 as “Rosa Parks Day” in Alabama, and a bill which allows newborns in risk of abandonment to be brought to hospitals. Among other committees, she has served on the Judiciary, Public Safety, Health, Joint Budget and Finance, Government Finance and Appropriations, and Industrial and Economic Development Committees. She has also served as chairperson of the Governor’s Commission on AIDS and the Alabama House of Representatives Black Caucus.
Dr. Arthenia Bates McMillican ’41
Author and Educator
Arthenia Bates McMillican, Ph.D. was an literary writer, poet, and educator. Her books included . She earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Morris College, a master’s degree from Clark Atlanta University, and was the second Black woman to earn a Ph.D. in English from Louisiana State University. Her acclaimed books of short stories include “Seeds Beneath the Snow,” “Such Things from the Valley,” “The Bottoms and Hills: Virginia Tales.” She also wrote the novel “The Deity Nodded” and her short story “Where You Belong” earned her a fellowship from the National Endowment of the Arts.
J. David Weeks ’75
Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives
J. David Weeks represents Sumter County in the South Carolina House of Representatives where he has served on the Ethics and Ways and Means Committees. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Morris College in 1975, followed by a master’s degree from Howard University and a juris doctorate from the University of South Carolina. A member of the Morris College Board of Trustees, he also served as a municipal court judge in Timmonsville, South Carolina, chair of the Sumter City-County Planning Commission and chair of the Sumter County Voter Registration Board.