American Baptist College

American Baptist College (also known as American Baptist Theological Seminary or ABTS) is a small, predominantly African American liberal arts college located in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 1924, its predecessor in black Baptist education was Roger Williams University, a Nashville college begun in the late-19th century and closed in the early 20th century (Its campus is now occupied by Peabody College of Vanderbilt University). Primarily a school designed to train African American Baptist ministers, its student body was highly influential in the civil rights movement.[citation needed] Upon full accreditation by the American Association of Bible Colleges, ABTS officially dropped use of the term "Theological Seminary" and renamed itself American Baptist College of ABTS. Recently, on March 25, 2013, the college was granted the honor of being named as a Historically Black College and University commonly referred to as an HBCU.

The College has educated Civil Rights champions, national leaders and outstanding Christian ministers. The school’s history during the 1960's and 1970's was lively with cultivating civil rights champions, national leaders and outstanding Christian ministers. Students from American Baptist College, such as Julius Scruggs, Bernard Lafayette, Jim Bevels, William Barbee and John Lewis served on the front line of the Nashville Student Sit-In movement for justice and change. Under the tutelage of then Professor J.F. Grimmett, the late the Rev. Kelly Miller Smith, and Rev Dr. C.T. Vivian, many of our students dared to sit down at lunch counters dramatically altering the quality of life for Americans living in the South.

The American Baptist College is a Private university located in Nashville.
The American Baptist College was founded in 1924.
The current president of American Baptist College is Dr. Forrest Elliot Harris, Sr.

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