A Love Letter to Morris Brown College


The picture above is that of my Alma Mater, Morris Brown College. It stands there, strong, rich in history, beautiful and awaiting our doom. Here's a link for the latest meteor about to hit us: http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/foreclosure-looms-for-georgias-morris-brown-college-one-of-nations-oldest-black-colleges/2012/08/23/d83499ca-ed31-11e1-866f-60a00f604425_story.html . The sad thing is that since I was first introduced to Morris Brown in 1999, my poor school has been clouded with misfortune and devious characters. You name it and its happened to or at this school. I mean, its like a Lemony Snickett book come to life! But all in all, it does not make me love my school any less, if anything, it makes me prod to be a Brownite because we are the underdog, we are Rudy. The one you thought would fail, the one you counted out, the one you laughed at, only to see us rise like a phoenix from the ashes. Here is my story of Morris Brown College.

I have to admit that my college days were not that of joy. In fact, I was pretty miserable back then. Bad relationships, low self esteem, and just overall unhappiness was my life. But this isn't about me, its about the one place where I was happy, the place I looked forward to to escape...the classroom. When I moved to Atlanta, Georgia, the chocolate city of the South, from Williamsville, New York, the whitest place in America, I ran there with arms wide open. I had had enough of the behind the scenes racism and bigotry that I had endured in silence for the past 4 years and wanted to be anywhere but where I was. Morris Brown was my sanctuary. It has an energy that no other educational facility in Atlanta has. It is raw, primal, and covered in the spirits of those who lived before us. I remember being asked, numerous times, "you're too smart for Morris Brown. Why don't you transfer?" I would reply, "You obviously don't go there so you have no idea the intellect that is oozing from those walls. I love my school and I'm not going anywhere". Many looked at me like I was crazy, but every student who has attended or graduated from Morris Brown knows exactly what I'm talking about. We are a family and it goes deeper than the name on the building or who attended our school. Morris Brown College is a true Historically Black College/Universities in every sense of the term, yet it has NEVER been given its just due. Instead of other HBCUs schools standing with us, they talked about us, turned their backs and stabbed us in the heart. But that is ok becasue the word says "You reap what you sow". We will feast on those who would subdue us and take our rightful place. We will not waver, we will not fade. Take away our buildings, auction off our foundation, we will stand, we will fight and we will never cease to be because WE ARE MORRIS BROWN!

love M
xoxox


Comments

  1. Well written, but MBC has been plagued by bad management and also a lot of internal theft of money--esp. students' money for a long long time. It's sad that but this is what has happened to other HBCUs as well. My father works right next door to the main campus and knows some students and teachers there. Many of them complained about how the higher-uppers were screwing over their funds and getting away with no--or little- jail time. Several celebs tried to bail MBC out but nothing has helped. I really hope they can get this together, because it would be not only a waste but a darn shame to see such a good school go down the drain.

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  2. Great post Muffy. No one can ever take away what Morris Brown has given me or the love I have for my alma mater. Over in Trailer 3, The Legal Studies Department, my life's purpose began to stir. I thought I was studying to become a lawyer, but who would have known that time re-structuring the LSD Bar Association and leading it for two years as president-- organizing law school visitations, speakers, receptions, and tutorials would have prepared me to start my own nonprofit. I'm so thankful for the nurturing push from my LSD professors....offering encouraging words and support even now. Even if our buildings are taken away, Morris Brown College will live on. WE ARE MORRIS BROWN COLLEGE!

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