Named in honor of Bishop Isaac T. Wiley,
an outstanding minister, medical missionary and educator, Wiley
College was founded in 1873 during turbulent times for Blacks in
America. Wiley College opened its doors just south of Marshall with
two frame buildings and an overwhelming desire to succeed in a climate
fraught with racism and Jim Crow laws. So entrenched was their desire
to succeed that in 1880, rather than moving Wiley College farther out
of town, the founders of the College moved nearer to Marshall on 70+
acres of wooded land where the College stands today. Land was cleared
and four additional buildings were constructed as student enrollment
soared to 160 students with seven full-time faculty members. Wiley
College had effectively become the first Black college west of the
Among the visionaries of that era were presidents revered in
Wiley College history. Individuals who persevered in a climate of
hostility in the South and in the face of great personal sacrifice were
Wiley’s first presidents: Rev. F. C. Moore (1873-1876), Rev. W. H. Davis (1876-1885), Rev. N. D. Clifford (1885-1888), Rev. Dr. George Whitaker (1888-1889), and Rev. Dr. P. A. Pool
(1889-1893). It was their strength of character in the face of
hardship and acrimony that forged the early foundations of this bastion
of academic excellence. Their labors were rewarded in 1888 when the
first graduate of Wiley University (for so it was called at the time)
was awarded the Bachelor of Arts degree. Mr. H.B. Pemberton would lead
the way for generations of Wiley College graduates to come.
Reverend Isaiah B. Scott (1893-1896) was
appointed as the sixth president of Wiley College in 1893. His
appointment was significant because he was the first Negro president of
Wiley. The Freedman’s Aid Society departed from its traditional
administration of the school and boldly placed Reverend Scott in the
lead role for the fledgling school. Twenty-three years had passed
since the founding of Wiley College when Reverend Scott retired in
1896. Two years later, the General Conference of 1896 elected Dr.
Scott to the editorship of the Southwestern Christian Advocate. A new generation of students then greeted a new president of the College.
Matthew Winfred Dogan, Sr. (1896-1942) was to
become the most prolific and the longest-sitting president to grace the
halls of Wiley College. The seventh president took office at the age
of 33 and was to become the “backbone and strength of Wiley.” During
his 46-year administration of Wiley College, many changes occurred on
the campus and in the United States as a whole. At a time in history
when the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
(NAACP) and the National Urban League were established to reinvigorate
the old abolitionist struggle to achieve complete emancipation and full
citizenship for Black Americans, Wiley College was building and
Two of Wiley’s most outstanding faculty members served during
Dogan’s tenure, Dr. James Farmer, Sr., the first black in Texas with a
Ph.D. degree and the visionary Melvin Beavnorus Tolson, one of the most
distinguished debate coaches in the United States. Tolson taught at
Wiley from 1924 to 1947. During his illustrious and firebrand years as
a faculty member, he established the Alpha Phi Omega Forensic Society
(debate team), which went virtually undefeated. It was, however, the
defeat of the National Champions at the University of Southern
California in 1935 that established the signal and historic achievement
and prominence of the debate team of Wiley College.
In 1906, the College boasted of eleven buildings on campus.
The first brick building constructed on campus under the Dogan
administration was the central building. It was built of bricks made
on campus and was constructed by students. Subsequent campus
buildings were constructed around this main building and housed
programs in mechanics, printing, tailoring, broom making, woodworking
and industrial programs. Among the eleven buildings was the King
Industrial Home for Girls bringing the important study of home
economics to Wiley.
Dogan’s dream was to expand for the future and indeed Wiley
College expanded as building after building was erected for more
specialized programs. However, 1906 also brought tragedy to Wiley
College as five buildings were destroyed by fire, including the main
central building. Although the buildings were in ashes, the
foundations remained strong and in 1907, buildings of greater magnitude
began to take shape on the campus. Noted philanthropist, Andrew
Carnegie, made possible the construction of the Carnegie Library that
was erected in 1907.
In 1915, floods, cotton crop failures, and a reactivated Ku
Klux Klan motivated Southern rural blacks to migrate to the North in
search of employment opportunities in the expanding military industry.
Within a year and a half, 350,000 African Americans had moved from
Southern farms to the factories of Northern cities. However, Wiley
College was continuing to expand. Coe Hall, named for former teacher,
Mrs. Isabel Coe, was built to serve as the men’s dormitory. Coe’s
father had donated the sum of $5,000 to the College. Thirkield Hall, a
magnificent three-story structure built with the grandeur befitting an
institution of higher learning, was erected in 1918 and named for
Bishop Wilbur P. Thirkield, a close friend of the College and former
president of Howard University.
The Daniel Adams Brainard Chapel was erected in
1924 with a capacity for 800 students. The Chapel was equipped with a
pipe organ that was one-of-a-kind among similar sized colleges of the
time. In 1925, Dogan Hall was built to accommodate women in dormitories. Dogan Hall was a truly lavish residence hall in its day. The Refectory
was also erected during this time period as a dining hall for students
and a place for extra-curricular activities. Truly a pioneer in the
educational arena, Wiley College took the leadership role in
reorganizing Black schools of higher education and in 1929 renamed
itself Wiley College, dropping the use of the word “University”. It
was at this time the high school and trade school were discontinued.
Wiley College was recognized in 1933 as an “A” class college by the
Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools of the southern states.
This marked the first time any Black school had ever been rated by the
same agency and standards as other universities.
Wiley College was a leader in planting the seeds of the first
social organizations in the Southwest. These fraternities and
sororities nurtured the cohesiveness of Black college students. The
Beta Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. was formed on the Wiley
campus in 1915, the second chapter founded in the United States.
The Theta Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. was formed in 1922
and the Theta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. was formed in
1923. Other social organizations included the Phi Chapter of Alpha
Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. in 1924, the Alpha Sigma Chapter of Alpha
Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. in 1925, the Alpha Iota Chapter of Delta
Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. in 1930 and the Alpha Chi Chapter of Kappa
Alpha Psi, Inc. in 1935.
At a time when Jesse Owens was thundering to an unprecedented
four gold medals in the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, Wiley College was
introducing football to Black colleges and was a leader in forming the
Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), still in existence today.
Wiley College won many national championships in football and
basketball, having more championship athletic teams than all its
opponents in the SWAC combined.
This drive for excellence extended beyond the football fields
and the basketball courts and spilled over into the academic arenas with
a debating championship in 1928 and notable accomplishments in the
field of dramatic competitions. Wiley College was the first of its
kind in the region to adopt an honor roll system for outstanding
students. Wiley College was the leader that other Black colleges and
universities eagerly followed.
Music has always played an integral part in Black history and
this was also true in the history of Wiley College. The Wiley
College band was a first during this period. In the 1930’s, Duke”
Ellington wrote “It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing” and George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess
debuted before record crowds in New York. The Wiley College music
department was also making some noise of its own, proudly becoming
second to none among similar colleges in the region. The Wiley
Quartet sang for stage and radio during this time period and the Glee
Club, band, orchestra and choir were all well equipped with instruments
The General Education Board of The Methodist Church provided
funding in 1935 to refurnish and redecorate the Carnegie Library. The
College accepted the gift and a challenge from the Board to match
dollar-for-dollar a $3,000 proposed endowment. The Endowment Drive
was completed in 1938 and the College endowment grew to $6,000
(equivalent to over $200,000 in today’s value).
World War II began for the United States on December 7, 1941,
with the Japanese sneak attack on Pearl Harbor. As President Franklin
Roosevelt was addressing Congress on the proposition of war, Wiley
College President, Dr. Matthew Dogan, relinquished the reins of
authority in 1942 to Dr. E.C. McLeod, Wiley’s eighth
president (1942-1948). While college enrollment took a back seat to
the draft, Dr. McLeod never backed down from the vision established by
the previous administration to build and expand “Dear Wiley”, thus, a
five-year building plan was unveiled.
Wiley served the defense effort well with the establishment of
the Wiley College Committee on Community Service and National Defense.
The Committee coordinated its efforts with the country’s national
defense resources through an expansion of its summer program. Many
Wileyites seized this opportunity and trained for community health
improvement with the aid of this national program.
Addressing the demands of the market, homemaking education was
added to the curriculum and a new facility complete with lecture rooms,
laboratories and mock dining and lodging facilities was established in
1942. A new athletic stadium was constructed and improvements were
made to the athletic fields. McLeod Hall was
constructed as a men’s residence hall to accommodate the veterans
returning from the war. Many young men took advantage of the
educational opportunities afforded them through their G.I. Benefits
package. This was the most expansive record of enrollment in Wiley
During McLeod’s administration, the College joined the United
Negro College Fund in 1944 as a charter member. This brought new
resources to the College for expanding programs and building projects.
Wiley College enjoys the distinction of having won the title of “Miss
UNCF” for three consecutive terms being the only college of the era to
receive this stellar national honor.
With the retirement of Dr. McLeod in 1948, Wiley College changed leadership. The ninth president of Wiley College was Dr. Julius S. Scott, Sr.
(1948-1958). He had worked at the College in various capacities over
the years and brought a true “Wiley Spirit” to the presidency. Under
his leadership, the Alumni Gymnasium was completed.
The new gym was a project initiated by the Wiley College National
Alumni Association and was funded through gifts from alumni and grants
from the federal government. The gymnasium was more than a new
structure on campus. It was a monument to the struggles and the
successes of its former students and graduates of the College.
Wiley College students were getting their first taste of
rock-n-roll in 1954 listening to the sounds of recording artists like
Fats Domino, Chuck Berry and Little Richard. During this period,
Smith-Nooks Hall of Music was built and dedicated and shortly
thereafter, in 1958, Dr. Scott retired the presidency.
Dr. Thomas Winston Cole, Sr. (1958-1971) was
selected as the tenth president to lead Wiley College in 1958. He
was a 1934 graduate of Wiley College and the first layman to hold the
position. His visionary goal was to build on the great traditions
established by his predecessors. In 1960, Wiley College was admitted
to full membership in the Southern Association of Colleges and
Secondary Schools (SACS). In addition, a new building program was
established including a complete renovation of the Refectory together
with its transformation into a modernized dining facility. Dr. Cole was
instrumental in refurbishing and remodeling many facilities on campus
including the Aaron Baker Science Building, the T.W. Cole Library,
and the Fred T. Long Student Union Building. He had the streets
paved, new sidewalks installed and created new parking facilities for
students, faculty and staff. It was also during this period that the
annex for Dogan Hall was completed to house the senior females on
campus. Dr. Cole served Wiley College well from 1958-1971.
The eleventh president of Wiley College was also an alumnus of the College, Dr. Robert E. Hayes, Sr.
(1971-1986). His administration continued to advance the College.
During his presidency, the College experienced continued growth and
development. A new men’s dormitory was constructed to accommodate an
increasing enrollment. The fledgling KBWC, Wiley College radio
station, received licensing approval by the Federal Communications
Commission. The A Cappella choir resumed its annual spring concert
tour of the mid-west and the number of faculty members holding earned
doctorate degrees increased to 41 percent. Dr. Hayes was also
instrumental in raising over a million dollars through speaking
engagements and gifts from individuals. Dr. Hayes served his Alma Mater
from 1971 until his retirement in June of 1986. Between 1986 and
1987, Dr. E.W. Rand, and Dr. David R. Houston served successively as interim presidents of the College.
The Wiley College Board of Trustees elected Dr. David L. Beckley (1987-1993) as
the twelfth president of the institution in 1987. Under his
leadership, the College improved its fiscal management practices,
retired outstanding federal bonds on several campus buildings and
facilities, retired federal debts and loans, increased the endowment
fund and increased the number of faculty members holding terminal
degrees. Also during the Beckley administration, the College was
reorganized into five academic divisions: Basic Studies; Business and
Social Sciences; Education and Physical Education; Humanities and
Natural Sciences and Mathematics. These programs helped prepare
students for careers in their major discipline as well as making
available to them the opportunity to pursue graduate work.
Dr. Lamore J. Carter (1993-1996) was named
thirteenth president of Wiley College by the Board of Trustees in 1993.
Under his administration, significant accomplishments included the
reaffirmation of accreditation by the Commission on Colleges of the
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). The renovation of
significant portions of the Wiley-Pemberton Complex was completed
through acquisition of several grants from the Department of Housing
and Urban Development (HUD). Dr. Carter continued the initiative to
increase the number of Ph.D.s on the faculty and brought about
outstanding improvements in the educational programs via a Fulbright
Faculty Seminar in Thailand in 1994.
In 1996, Dr. Julius S. Scott, Jr. (1996-1998), a 1945 graduate of Wiley College, became
the fourteenth president and chief executive officer of the
institution. Dr. Scott’s administration was marked by focused planning,
fiscal stability and a “seize the day” philosophical ideal. He is
credited with enhancing the academic experiences of students, increasing
enrollment, improving the living and learning facilities, improving
the overall academic standards of the institution, and improving the
College’s relationships with the Texas Annual Conference of The United
Dr. Ronald L. Swain (1998-2000) became Wiley’s
fifteenth president in 1998. Under his leadership, a College-wide
strategic planning initiative was launched. Equally important, the
College increased its technological capabilities by extending computer
usage throughout the campus, providing laptop computers to each
student. Improvements to the information systems were initiated that
eventually led to increased network, Internet and computing
capabilities and resources for the library.
In 2000, Dr. Haywood L. Strickland
(2000-present) was named the sixteenth president and he launched the
administrative theme, “Achieving Excellence Through Pride and
Performance.” During his first year of service, he exemplified this
theme in achievements by beginning the construction of the $2.4 million
Julius S. Scott, Sr. Chapel on September 11, 2001, a day that will be
etched in the memories of all Americans. As the New York “twin
towers” were falling, the Julius S. Scott, Sr. Chapel was rising. This
edifice is now a center for worship and a gathering place for
educational and spiritual enrichment for the Wiley College family and
will be for generations to come. Dr. Strickland has been responsible
for renovating and refurbishing every campus facility, substantially
improving science laboratory facilities and securing record amounts in
private gifts, as well as increased external funding for sponsored
programs. Dr. Strickland is committed to the utilization of innovative
techniques and strategic planning in all administrative processes. He
is equally committed to modern pedagogy, the application of
cutting-edge technology, and the involvement of the College in service
for the community. The 16th president of the College is dedicated to
student-centered programs and a customer-focused approach. Under Dr.
Strickland’s administration, the College had its accreditation
reaffirmed to the year 2013. The College garnered rare, international
visibility on December 25, 2007 with the release of the movie, The
Great Debaters, directed by Mr. Denzel Washington and produced by HARPO
Productions and the Weinstein Company. This major
motion picture captured the fame and notoriety of Professor Melvin B.
Tolson and the intellectual legacy of four former students -- Hobart
Jarrett, Henry Heights, James Farmer, Jr. and Henrietta Bell (Wells).
It was their 1935 victory over that year’s National Champions, the
University of Southern California, that was the subject of the movie,
The Great Debaters, which also won national acclaim. Under President
Strickland’s leadership, the College received a one million dollar gift
from Mr. Denzel Washington to revive the school’s debate team.
The College is currently organized into three degree granting
divisions and one service unit; the Division of Arts and Sciences, the
Division of Education, the Division of Business and Technology and the
Division of General Education and Special Studies. The latter division,
although not degree granting, is responsible for the College’s general
education and developmental education programs, and provides initial
support and advisement to freshmen and transfer students.
There is an unyielding conviction among the faculty and
administration today that learning occurs best in an environment that
is academically challenging, supportive and that embraces the
principles of academic freedom, professional security and shared
governance. Overall, Wiley College remains a viable force in the
academic community. The institution continues to be a leader in
innovation. It was the first “Thinkpad College” west of the Mississippi
River. This initiative afforded all students the opportunity to use
a laptop in their daily class work. This type of technologically
advanced classroom allows students to become more proficient in the use
of technology by obtaining class assignments, tests, and research
projects via the Internet on a “24/7” basis. Each residence hall is
equipped with Internet capabilities for students to perform extensive
research from the comfort of their rooms.
For the last 140 years, Wiley has offered educational
opportunities to the citizens of Texas, the nation and the world. The
Wiley College spirit remains vibrant in the face of remarkable social
change, global terrorism, economic strife and adversity. The beacon
light that is Wiley College will shine forth unsullied for
generations to come. The insightful vision of years past that made
Wiley College a preeminent black college in the south is alive and