Morris Brown College president fired in surprise decision by HBCU board
- - Morris Brown College president fired in surprise decision by HBCU board
Irene Wright, USA TODAYJanuary 14, 2026 at 3:32 AM
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The president of Morris Brown College, an HBCU in Atlanta, was terminated from his position and replaced by a member of the university's board in a surprise and unclear decision Monday.
Dr. Kevin E. James held the president's position for seven years and his contract was set to expire in 2029, he said in a statement.
But on Monday, James was told he had been terminated "without providing specific cause or substantive explanation."
Board of Trustee member Nzinga Shaw was appointed as interim president on the same day, according to a statement from the university.
Weeks before accreditation reaffirmation review
The surprising decision to remove James and appoint a Board of Trustees member to lead the school comes just weeks before Morris Brown College is up for its accreditation reaffirmation review, James said.
"The timing of this decision is particularly troubling," James said. "Equally concerning is that this action disregards established governance best practices and my existing presidential contract. ... I fully intend to pursue all rights and remedies afforded to me under that agreement."
The board did not elaborate on their decision to remove James in their statement on the interim president, but instead thanked him for his "years of service" and "meaningful role in guiding the institution through critical seasons of growth."
James' record of performance
"It is important to note that I recently complete a successful annual evaluation and have received consistently strong performance reviews through my seven years of service. Morris Brown College has literally made history under my leadership as President," James said.
Morris Brown College was the first HBCU, a historically black college or university established before 1964, to regain accreditation after losing it in 2002. They were reaccredited in 2021 under James' leadership.
With this came access to Federal Financial Aid for students, a significant boost in enrollment, clean financial audits for seven years and "long-term financial stability for the institution," James said.
James earned a bachelor's degree from Winthrop University and a master's degree from the Sorrell College of Business at Troy University. In 2009, James completed his doctorate in higher education leadership from Nova Southeastern University.
Morris Brown College
The university was founded in 1881 by the African Methodist Episcopal Church as a private liberal arts college. Classes began in 1885 with just 107 students and nine teachers at the corner of Boulevard and Houston Streets in Atlanta.
Morris Brown College was the first educational institution in Georgia opened solely under African-American patronage.
Today, Atlanta is a hub of HBCUs and Black higher education, including Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Spelman College, the Morehouse School of Medicine and the Interdenominational Theological Center.
Irene Wright is the Atlanta Connect reporter with USA Today’s Deep South Connect team. Find her on X @IreneEWright or email her at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Morris Brown College president terminated in surprise board decision
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