History & Mission:

Arkansas Baptist College, originally named the Minister’s Institute, was founded in 1884 by the Colored Baptists of Arkansas during their annual convention at Mount Zion Baptist Church in Little Rock. The  primary objective of the institute was to raise the educational level within the negro ministry. The secondary objective was to aid the state in making higher education available to young negro men and women. Most of the school’s students were trained in the ministry and today, Religious Studies continues to be one of the College’s major areas of matriculation.

In April 1885, the College’s name was changed to Arkansas Baptist College, and the school moved to 16th and High Street where the campus is currently located; however, the formal   address is now 1621 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Drive.

Twelve presidents have served as institutional leaders of Arkansas Baptist College from 1887 through 2005. A new eleven-member Board of Trustees was named to oversee the College in May 2005. The Arkansas Baptist College Board of Trustees selected Dr. O. Fitzgerald Hill as the College’s 13th President in January 2006. As president, Dr. Hill sees his mission and vision at Arkansas Baptist College as an alignment with his personal life’s work, and a chance to make a difference in the lives of students to be elevated academically as well as spiritually.

Arkansas Baptist College is a four-year historically black liberal arts institution that offers two and four year degree programs. It is the only black Baptist higher education institution west of the Mississippi River. The College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and affiliated with the Consolidated Missionary Baptist State Convention of  Arkansas.

Mission:

Arkansas Baptist College prepares students for a life of service grounded in academic scholarship, the liberal arts tradition, social responsibility, Christian development and preparation for employment in a global community.