Daniel Payne College

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Daniel Payne College, also known as the Payne Institute, Payne University and Greater Payne University,^[1] was a historically black college in Birmingham, Alabama. It was associated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church and operated from 1889 to 1979.^[2] The college was named in honor of Daniel Payne, a noted leader in the A.M.E. Church and the first black president of a college in the United States.^[2]

The college was originally founded in Selma in 1889.^[2] Its campus was located at 1525 Franklin Street and included the Bishop Gaines Hall as the primary building, two additional classroom buildings and Coppin Hall which served as a dormitory.^[3] The college would remain in that location through 1922 when it would relocate to its Woodlawn location within the city of Birmingham.^[2]

During its time in Woodlawn, the college was located at 6415 Washington Boulevard. By 1974, the college had to be relocated because of airport expansion and the building of interstate highways in the area.^[2] The street on which the college was located no longer exists, and it is impossible to access the original location; however, a remnant of University Avenue still exists off the Messer Airport Highway that once led to the campus.^[4]

The college moved to a new campus at the southeast corner of Cherry Avenue and Daniel Payne Drive on the far northern edge of Birmingham, where new buildings were constructed in 1974.^[2] On April 4, 1977 a destructive tornado tore through the campus, severely damaging buildings.^[5] The damage, along with mounting financial problems, forced the school to file for bankruptcy in 1978 and subsequently close its doors in 1979.^[2][5] At the time of its closure, the college had 120 students enrolled on the 153 acres (0.239 sq mi/0.619 km²) campus.^[2]

Later a group of students sued the former president, claiming that he had mismanaged college funds. A court established the important precedent that students have a vested interest in the operation of the college they attend. Ironically, although the college was closed, the city of Birmingham changed the name of Sayreton Road to Daniel Payne Drive. The old campus still exists, although the dormitories and cafeteria are abandoned and for lease. Another building houses a public health clinic, and yet another is a jurisdictional headquarters for the African Methodist Episcopal church, which once ran the college.^[2]

[edit] References

1. ^ Colleges in Alabama. Retrieved on 2008-03-29.
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i} Garrison, Greg. "New lease on life: Students returning to Payne", The Birmingham News, February 21, 1997, pp. 1H. 
3. ^ ProQuest Information and Learning. Digital Sanborn Maps [map], Selma May 1925, Sheet 20 edition.
4. ^ MacDonald, Ginny. "Fun facts, historical tidbits and tips to find your way through Birmingham", The Birmingham News, January 2, 2007, pp. 2B. 
5. ^ ^{a b} NOAA. April 4, 1977, Smithfield F5 Tornado. Retrieved on 2008-03-29.