Arkansas Baptist College

Arkansas Baptist College is a private, historically Black college (HBCU) located in Little Rock, Arkansas, and is affiliated with the Consolidated Missionary Baptist State Convention. Its enduring mission is to prepare students for a life of service, grounded in academic scholarship, Christian development, and social responsibility within the liberal arts tradition. The university provides focused educational opportunities across business administration, criminal justice, religious studies, and human services. It sits in a historic urban district and remains the only Baptist-affiliated HBCU west of the Mississippi River, serving a diverse student body and maintaining a commitment to empowering a traditionally underserved population.

The institution was founded in 1884 as the Minister's Institute by the Colored Baptists of Arkansas during their annual convention, with the primary goal of raising the educational level of the African American ministry. The college was quickly renamed this university in 1885 and later moved to its present location at 16th and High Street (now Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive). The construction of the Old Main building in 1893 is particularly noteworthy, as it is one of the oldest surviving academic structures in the state established for the purpose of educating Black students. Under the leadership of its early president, Joseph Albert Booker, the university also became an important center for civil rights activism and education, shaping the social landscape of Arkansas throughout the 20th century.

This university is a significant and enduring institution, defined by its founding as an HBCU and its ongoing affiliation with the Baptist faith. It continues to fulfill its original mission of preparing African American men and women for leadership and service, while also adapting its curriculum to meet contemporary needs in fields like business and criminal justice. By emphasizing both academic scholarship and Christian principles, the university provides its graduates with the moral and intellectual foundation necessary to positively influence their communities, ensuring that its legacy of faith, growth, and service remains a powerful force in the state and the region.