# Bishop College

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Bishop_College
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Bishop_College.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bishop_College
> Source revision: 1355415721
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Short description|Historically black college in Marshall, Texas (1881–1988)}}
{{Distinguish|Bishop State Community College|College bishop}}
{{For|schools called Bishop's College|Bishop's College (disambiguation)}}
{{Use American English|date=September 2025}}
{{Infobox university
 |name              = Bishop College
 |established       = 1881
 |closed            = 1988
 |type              = [HBCU](/source/Historically_black_colleges_and_universities)
 |affiliation       = 
 |city              = [Marshall](/source/Marshall%2C_Texas) and [Dallas](/source/Dallas)
 |state             = [Texas](/source/Texas)
 |country           = <br />[United States](/source/United_States)
 |coor              = {{coord|32.6781|-96.7552|format=dms|type:edu_region:US-TX|display=title,inline}}
 |campus            = 
 |former_names      = 
 |nickname          = 
 |mascot            = Tiger
 |athletics         = 
 |affiliations      = 
 |logo              = 
 |footnotes         = 
}}

'''Bishop College''' was a [historically black college](/source/historically_black_college), founded in [Marshall, Texas](/source/Marshall%2C_Texas), United States, in 1881 by the Baptist [Home Mission Society](/source/American_Baptist_Home_Mission_Society). It was intended to serve students in east Texas, where the majority of the black population lived at the time. In 1961 the administration moved the college into [Dallas](/source/Dallas), Texas.  It closed in 1988.

In 2006 the president of [Georgetown College](/source/Georgetown_College_(Kentucky)) in [Georgetown, Kentucky](/source/Georgetown%2C_Kentucky), reached out to Bishop College alumni, proposing to have them "adopt" his college as an alma mater. He offered scholarships to their descendants, with a chance to have their diploma read "Bishop College". This was part of an effort to increase minority enrollment at Georgetown.

==History==
[[File:Wyalucing, Bishop and West Bush Streets, Marshall, Harrison County, TX HABS TEX,102-MARSH,1- (sheet 0 of 5).tif|thumb|1850 plot plan of Bishop College ([Wyalucing](/source/Wyalucing))]]

The college was founded by the Baptist [Home Mission Society](/source/American_Baptist_Home_Mission_Society) in 1881 as the result of a movement to build a college for [African-American Baptists](/source/African-American_Baptists). [Nathan Bishop](/source/Nathan_Bishop_(educator)), who had been the [superintendent](/source/school_superintendent) of several major [school system](/source/school_system)s in [New England](/source/New_England), started this effort. [Baylor University](/source/Baylor_University) President Rufus C. Burleson secured a pledge of $25,000 from Judge Bishop to start the college during a meeting of the National Baptist Education Society meeting in [Philadelphia](/source/Philadelphia), [Pennsylvania](/source/Pennsylvania).

A committee of Baptist ministers from [East Texas](/source/East_Texas), where most [African American](/source/African_American)s then lived, selected a location in Marshall, on land belonging to the Holcomb [Plantation](/source/plantations_in_the_American_South), [Wyalucing](/source/Wyalucing).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/hh/item/tx0295/ |title=Wyalucing plantation house was at HABS TX-33-D-4|website=[Library of Congress](/source/Library_of_Congress)}} {{coord|32.5476|-94.3784|format=dms|type:landmark|display=inline}} "Wyalucing, Bishop & West Bush Streets, Marshall, Harrison County, TX," Historic American Buildings Survey, Library of Congress, retrieved 22 January 2013</ref>

For the college's first several decades, Bishop's faculty and administration were staffed largely by [European American](/source/European_American)s. The first African American appointed as president was [Joseph J. Rhoads](/source/Joseph_J._Rhoads), who started in 1929 and served through the [Great Depression](/source/Great_Depression) and [World War II](/source/World_War_II).<ref name=Ebony>[https://books.google.com/books?id=exJhWSKkASgC&pg=PA110&lpg=PA110 Bishop College: Texas school continues historic push for academic excellence], ''[Ebony](/source/Ebony_(magazine))'', May 1981</ref> During his presidency, Bishop phased out the [high school](/source/high_school) preparatory programs associated with the college, which had operated to help students compensate for failures in public education. He emphasized the college's new two-year ministerial program.

During the 1930s and 1940s, the ministerial program was developed as the [Lacey Kirk Williams](/source/Lacey_Kirk_Williams) Institute. It moved to Dallas when the college moved in 1961. The Lacey Kirk Williams Institute evolved into a week-long seminar which attracted well-known preachers including [Jesse Jackson](/source/Jesse_Jackson) and [Martin Luther King Sr.](/source/Martin_Luther_King_Sr.) in 1975. (source, Lloyd Thompson's dissertation for North Texas University, p 34–35)

In 1961, after receiving a grant from the [Hoblitzelle Foundation](/source/Hoblitzelle_Foundation), Bishop moved to a {{convert|360|acre|km2|adj=on}} campus in Dallas. It was able to attract more students there. In Dallas, enrollments increased, peaking at almost 2,000 students around 1970.<ref name=Ebony/>

The college closed in 1988 after a financial scandal led to the revocation of its [accreditation](/source/educational_accreditation), and its eligibility to receive funds from charities such as the [United Negro College Fund](/source/United_Negro_College_Fund). Purchased in 1990 by Comer S. Cottrell, the campus is now used by [Paul Quinn College](/source/Paul_Quinn_College).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.georgetowncollege.edu/bishop/history-of-bishop-college/ |title=History of Bishop College |work=georgetowncollege.edu |access-date=May 28, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130110090730/http://www.georgetowncollege.edu/bishop/history-of-bishop-college/ |archive-date=January 10, 2013 }}</ref>

In 2006, the president of [Georgetown College](/source/Georgetown_College_(Kentucky)) in [Georgetown, Kentucky](/source/Georgetown%2C_Kentucky) proposed a plan to Bishop College alumni to make Georgetown their adopted ''[alma mater](/source/alma_mater)''. Georgetown offers scholarships to children or grandchildren of Bishop alumni or students nominated by Bishop alumni. Upon graduation, these students receive diplomas with the name and insignia of Bishop College. Georgetown president William H. Crouch Jr. hopes the program will help the college reach its goal of increasing minority enrollment to 25% by 2012.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Moser |first=Kate |title=A Home for Alumni of a Defunct College |journal=The Chronicle of Higher Education |volume=54 |issue=39 |page=A6 |date=2008-06-06 |url=http://chronicle.com/weekly/v54/i39/39a00603.htm |access-date=2008-06-03}}</ref>

==Athletics==
The Bishop athletic teams were called the Tigers. The college was a member of the [National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics](/source/National_Association_of_Intercollegiate_Athletics) (NAIA), primarily competing as an [NAIA Independent](/source/NAIA_independent_schools) from 1965–66 to the school's closure in 1987–88. The Tigers previously competed in the [Gulf Coast Athletic Conference](/source/Gulf_Coast_Athletic_Conference_(1958%E2%80%931965)) (GCAC) from 1958–59 to 1964–65, and the [South Central Athletic Conference](/source/South_Central_Athletic_Conference) from 1956–57 to 1957–58. They were also a founding member of the [Southwestern Athletic Conference](/source/Southwestern_Athletic_Conference) (SWAC) from 1920–21 to 1955–56, which is currently an [NCAA Division I](/source/NCAA_Division_I) [FCS](/source/NCAA_Division_I_Football_Championship_Subdivision) athletic conference.

==Notable alumni==
Listed below is a list of select notable alumni, listed in alphabetical order by last name.

{{AlumniStart}}
{{Alum|name=[David Abner Jr.](/source/David_Abner_Jr.)|year=|nota=First African American to graduate from a college in Texas, president of [Guadalupe College](/source/Guadalupe_College) and Conroe College|ref=}}
{{Alum|name=[TeCora Ballom](/source/TeCora_Ballom)|year=1978|nota=United States Assistant Surgeon General, U.S. Public Health Service, Rear Admiral US Public Health Service|ref=<ref>{{cite web|url= https://thedo.osteopathic.org/2017/01/assistant-surgeon-general-tecora-ballom-do-is-ready-to-safeguard-public-health/ |title= Assistant Surgeon General TeCora Ballom, DO, is ready to safeguard public health |date= 20 January 2017 }}</ref>}}
{{Alum|name=[Harry Blake](/source/Harry_Blake_(pastor))|year=|nota=pastor and civil rights leader in Shreveport, Louisiana<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/2020/04/08/civil-rights-icon-shreveport-pastor-harry-blake-dies-85/5120205002/ | title='He was an instrument of change': Civil Rights icon Dr. Harry Blake has died at 85 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/coronavirus/rev-harry-blake-louisiana-civil-rights-icon-from-shreveport-dies-at-85-he-was-a/article_a327feb6-7b6d-11ea-8111-4f441e4407e0.html|title=Rev. Harry Blake, Louisiana civil rights icon from Shreveport, dies at 85: 'He was a giant' &#124; Coronavirus &#124; theadvocate.com|website=www.theadvocate.com}}</ref>}}
{{Alum|name=[R. H. Boyd](/source/R._H._Boyd)|year=|nota=Founder and head of the National Baptist Publishing Board|ref=<ref>Joe Early, Jr., [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0NXG/is_3_42/ai_n24225782/?tag=content;col1 Richard Henry Boyd: Shaper of Black Baptist Identity], ''Baptist History and Heritage'', Summer-Fall, 2007</ref>}}
{{Alum|name=[Ella J. Bradley-Hughley](/source/Ella_J._Bradley-Hughley)|year=1907|nota=choir director, and a soprano soloist, popular from 1911 until 1918 in Los Angeles, California|ref=<ref>{{Cite book|last=Beasley|first=Delilah Leontium|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ESsWAAAAYAAJ|title=The Negro Trail Blazers of California: A Compilation of Records from the California Archives in the Bancroft Library at the University of California in Berkeley and from the Diaries, Old Papers and Conversations of Old Pioneers in the State of California.|publisher=Times Mirror Print. and Binding House|year=1919|pages=216–217|language=en}}</ref>}}
{{Alum|name=[Bobby Brooks](/source/Bobby_Brooks_(defensive_back))|year= |nota=NFL Player, New York Giants|ref=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.profootballarchives.com/broo01200.html |title=BOBBY BROOKS |publisher=profootballarchives.com |access-date=November 15, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129024832/http://www.profootballarchives.com/broo01200.html |archive-date=November 29, 2014 }}</ref>}}
{{Alum|name=[William Harris](/source/William_Harris_(American_football))|year=1987|nota=NFL player, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay Packers|ref=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nfl.com/player/williamharris/2515996/profile|title = William Harris Stats, News and Video - TE|website = [NFL.com](/source/NFL.com)}}</ref>}}
{{Alum|name=[Mae C. King](/source/Mae_C._King)|year=1960|nota=Notable political scientist, founder of several professional organizations, and first African American and first woman on the staff of the [American Political Science Association](/source/American_Political_Science_Association)|ref=<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Sherri L. Wallace |title=Chronicling Our Legacy of Leadership: The Task Force Historical Record on the Founders of the National Conference of Black Political Scientists |journal=National Review of Black Politics |volume=1 |issue=1 |date=January 2020 |pages=80⁠–131 |doi=10.1525/nrbp.2020.1.1.80|doi-access= }}</ref>}}
{{Alum|name=[Tony Martin](/source/Tony_Martin_(American_football))|year= |nota=Dropped out after his freshman year in 1983 and eventually transferred to Mesa State College in 1987. NFL Player, Miami Dolphins and San Diego Chargers|ref=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=MARTITON01 |title=Tony Martin Past Stats, Statistics, History, and Awards |website=Database Football |access-date=2014-01-26 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130408081523/http://databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=MARTITON01 |archive-date=2013-04-08 }}</ref>}}
{{Alum|name=[Tony McGee](/source/Tony_McGee_(defensive_lineman))|year=1971 |nota=NFL defensive end ([Chicago](/source/Chicago_Bears), [New England](/source/New_England_Patriots), [Washington](/source/Washington_Redskins)); transfer from [Wyoming](/source/1969_Wyoming_Cowboys_football_team)|ref=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nfl.com/player/tonymcgee/2520722/profile|title=Tony McGee Stats, News and Video - TE|website=[NFL.com](/source/NFL.com)}}</ref>}}
{{Alum|name=[Sybil Collins Mobley](/source/Sybil_Collins_Mobley)|year=|nota=Educator, founder of the [Florida A&M University](/source/Florida_A%26M_University) business school}}
{{Alum|name=[William Nickerson, Jr.](/source/William_Nickerson%2C_Jr.)|year=|nota=Founder of [Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Company](/source/Golden_State_Mutual_Life_Insurance_Company), at one time largest black-owned business in the West|ref=<ref name="Sentinel-14Feb2008">{{Cite news | last = Nickerson| first = Kim | title = Black history: Nickerson, a pioneer of black business in Los Angeles | newspaper = Los Angeles Sentinel  | location = Los Angeles, California | pages = C–3, C–4  | date = February 14, 2008}}</ref><ref name="Ebony-Mar1990">{{cite journal |last=Poinsett |first=Alex |date= March 1990 |title=Unsung black business giants:pioneer entrepreneurs laid foundations for today's enterprises |journal=Ebony |volume=45 |issue=5 |pages=96, 98, 100 |publisher=Johnson Publishing Company, Inc. |location=Chicago, Illinois }}</ref>}}
{{Alum|name=[Ike Thomas](/source/Ike_Thomas)|year=1970|nota=NFL Player, Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers and Buffalo Bills|ref=<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=p4tLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=KiQNAAAAIBAJ&pg=5947,648495&dq=isaac-thomas+bishop-college&hl=en|title=The Press-Courier - Google News Archive Search|website=news.google.com}}</ref>}}
{{Alum|name=[Emmitt Thomas](/source/Emmitt_Thomas)|year=1966|nota=Member of the NFL Pro Football Hall of Fame|ref=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.aspx?PLAYER_ID=270|title = Emmitt Thomas &#124; Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site}}</ref>}}
{{Alum|name=[Michael S. Williams](/source/Michael_S._Williams)|year=1976|nota=Pastor, St. James Missionary Baptist Church, San Francisco, CA. Former board member (1996-1999), National Baptist Convention U.S.A.,  Inc. |ref-}}
{{AlumniEnd}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Texas|United States}}
<!--Texas portal is for when it operated in Marshall-->

*{{Handbook of Texas|id=kbb11|name=Bishop College}}
* {{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20130121202701/http://www.dmagazine.com/Home/1987/08/01/BISHOP_COLLEGE_R,-d-,I,-d-,P.aspx BISHOP COLLEGE R.I.P.?]}}, D Magazine, Published 8.01.1987

{{HBCU}}
{{authority control}}

Category:Bishop College
Category:Historically black universities and colleges in Texas
Category:Universities and colleges established in 1881
Category:1881 establishments in Texas
Category:1988 disestablishments in Texas
Category:Educational institutions disestablished in 1988
Category:Defunct private universities and colleges in Texas

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Bishop College](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bishop_College) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bishop_College?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.