130th Anniversary - A Brief Historical Overview

JANUARY 9, 1894

On Tuesday, January 9, 1894, aimed to utilize education as an equalizer, a group of ministers affiliated with the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church, now the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church (CME), founded Texas College. This founding represented the start of the educational process for a group of disenfranchised individuals in the area of east Texas, City of Tyler. The endeavor to found Texas College was the first of its kind in Tyler, which laid the foundation for higher education in the city. Founded in a four-room frame house on the same grounds as Texas College stands today, the landscape was considerably different. Lacking the accessibility conveniences such as Grand Avenue that exists today, students nonetheless commuted from all over East Texas and beyond to receive their education at Texas College. The College began with just six students.