Concordia College Alabama was a

Private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

historically black college Historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with the intention of primarily serving the African-American community. Mo ...

associated with the

Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), also known as the Missouri Synod, is a traditional, confessional Lutheran denomination in the United States. With 1.8 million members, it is the second-largest Lutheran body in the United States. The LC ...

and located in

Selma, Alabama Selma is a city in and the county seat of Dallas County, in the Black Belt region of south central Alabama and extending to the west. Located on the banks of the Alabama River, the city has a population of 17,971 as of the 2020 census. About ...

. It was the only historically black college among the ten colleges and universities in the

Concordia University System The Concordia University System (CUS) is an organization of seven colleges and universities and one satellite campus in the United States that are operated by the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS). All of the institutions are named "Concordi ...

. The college ceased operations at the completion of the spring 2018 semester, citing years of financial distress and declining enrollment.

History

In 1919, African-American Lutheran congregations in Alabama petitioned the

Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North America The Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North America (german: Die Evangelisch-lutherischen Synodal-Conferenz von Nord-Amerika), often known simply as the Synodical Conference, was an association of Lutheran synods that professed a comp ...

for funds to open a high school and college to train church workers. The school opened in 1922 in a rented cottage, and the Synodical Conference soon purchased in northeast

, as the site of the Alabama Luther College. A recitation hall (now named Bakke Hall) and a dormitory were erected at a cost of $36,000 and opened in 1925. The college was forced to close during the

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

and the remaining high school was renamed the Alabama Lutheran Academy. Eventually the college was reopened, resulting in the name Alabama Lutheran Academy and College. In 1981, the name was changed to Concordia College Alabama, and in 1994, it gained accreditation from the

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) is an educational accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. This agency accredits over 13,000 public and priv ...

as a bachelor's degree-granting institution. In February 2018, the college announced that it would close at the conclusion of its academic year due to enduring financial problems. The 147 members of the final graduating class received their diplomas on April 28, 2018. On January 3, 2019, Dr. Paul J. Kim, a Korean minister, signed paperwork to purchase the campus. He plans to open a "mission retreat center", similar to

Yoido Full Gospel Church Yoido Full Gospel Church is a Pentecostal church affiliated with the Assemblies of God on Yeouido (Yoi Island) in Seoul, South Korea. With about 480,000 members, it is the largest Pentecostal Christian congregation in South Korea. Founded by Dav ...

's Prayer Mountain Korea. He also intends to establish a "contemporary music university" over the next two years.

Campus

Concordia College's Bakke Hall and the Dormitory, completed in 1928, were both added to the

Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage The Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage, commonly referred to as the Alabama Register, is an official listing of buildings, sites, structures, objects, and districts deemed worthy of preservation in the U.S. state of Alabama. These properties ...

on June 19, 1997. In 2010, Concordia increased the size of its campus from to by acquiring the grounds and buildings of the adjacent United Methodist Children's Home.

Academic profile

The college had 445 students during the fall 2017 term.

Student life

Athletics

At the time of the school's closing, Concordia–Selma athletic teams were called the Hornets. The college was a member of the

United States Collegiate Athletic Association The United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) is a national organization for the intercollegiate athletic programs of 72 mostly small colleges, including community/junior colleges, across the United States. The USCAA holds 15 nationa ...

(USCAA), primarily competing as an Independent. Concordia–Selma competed in seven intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports included baseball, basketball, and soccer; while women's sports included basketball, softball, track & field, and volleyball.

Football

The college fielded a football team from 2005 until it was cancelled at the end of the 2015 season due to costs.Daniel Evans,

ROTC

Concordia College

Army ROTC The Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (AROTC) is the United States Army component of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps. It is the largest Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program which is a group of college and university-based offic ...

, a satellite program of

Marion Military Institute Marion Military Institute, the Military College of Alabama, (MMI, sometimes Marion Institute, Marion Military, or simply Marion) is a Public college, public military junior college in Marion, Alabama. Founded in 1842, it is the official state mil ...

, featured more than 25 cadets.

Notable people

Fred Rouse Fred Rouse may refer to: * Fred Rouse (gridiron football) (born 1985), gridiron football wide receiver * Fred Rouse (footballer) (1881–1953), English footballer *Fred Rouse, 1921 lynching victim, see lynching of Fred Rouse {{hndis, Rouse, ...

- professional football player *

Titus Ryan Titus LeMoyne Ryan (born May 19, 1984) is a former professional American and Canadian football wide receiver. He was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at Concordia College, Selma. ...

- National Football League player *

Cortez Stubbs Cortez Stubbs (born August 16, 1988) is an American football defensive back who is currently a free agent. He played college football at the Concordia College Alabama and attended Huffman High School in Birmingham, Alabama. Stubbs has been a m ...

- professional football player *

Rosa Young Rosa Jinsey Young (May 16, 1890 – June 30, 1971) was an African American Lutheran educator who worked primarilly in the Black Belt of Alabama. Born in Rosebud, Alabama, to Grant, an African Methodist Episcopal pastor, and Nancy Young, Rosa Young ...

- professor

References

External links

Official website

Official athletics website
{{Authority control African-American history of Alabama Buildings and structures in Selma, Alabama Defunct private universities and colleges in Alabama Education in Selma, Alabama Educational institutions established in 1922 Historically black universities and colleges in the United States Properties on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage USCAA member institutions Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools 1922 establishments in Alabama 2018 disestablishments in Alabama Educational institutions disestablished in 2018 Universities and colleges affiliated with the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod Private universities and colleges in Alabama