Author:MSUSGJ Staff Published: 02/5/2025 Morgan State University School of Global Journalism
The Visionary Founders 1864
The founding of what is now Morgan State University began as early as 1864, when African-American ministers in the newly-established Washington Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, most of them associated with Sharp Street Methodist Episcopal Church, developed a vision and plans for an institution for the training of free and newly-freed African Americans. They included: Rev. Benjamin Brown, Rev. Samuel Green, Sr. (shown above), Rev. Elijah Grissom, Rev. James Harper and Rev. James Peck. They shared their plans with, and sought the support of, white religious leaders in the Baltimore Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, to establish the school.
History of a National Treasure — Morgan State University
The following documentary, created by the School of Global Journalism and Communication’s Center for New Media & Strategic Initiatives, encapsulates and recounts Morgan State University’s rich 150-plus-year history.
MORGAN MADE • HIDDEN FIGURES
Leadership is in our DNA: We Are Black History
Celebrating notable figures across diverse industries and disciplines who exemplify leadership, innovation, integrity and excellence. Respected for their pioneering and history-making feats, these accomplished individuals share a connection rooted in alma mater, the illustrious Morgan State University. These individuals are a representative group of—that for some are—untold hidden figures within Morgan’s multitude of alumni who have impacted and are impacting their communities, professions, the nation and humanity the world over.
During this observance of Black History, the National Treasure casts a spotlight on the treasures who honed their skills, mastered their craft or discovered their purpose at the historic campus of Morgan State University.
William C. (“Bill”) Rhoden
An award-winning sportswriter now serving as columnist and editor-at-large for Andscape (formerly ESPN’s The Undefeated), William C. (“Bill”) Rhoden earned his Bachelor of Science in speech communication from Morgan in 1973. Rhoden worked for the Baltimore Afro-American, serving as the newspaper’s sports editor, followed by several years writing at the Baltimore Sun and as a columnist at Ebony Magazine. Rhoden cemented his career as a sportswriter while penning the widely popular column Sports of The Times for The New York Times, from which he retired in 2016. In 2006, he published his first book, “Forty Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete,” analyzing prejudice and intolerance in American professional sports.
