Florida's Historic Black Colleges and Universities: FAMU, BCU, EWC, and FMU

One of these universities is Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University a.k.a. FAMU iwhich is a public school. The other three are private schools: Bethune Cookman College, Edward Waters College, and Florida Memorial College. These three have smaller campuses than FAMU. The institutions offer educational opportunities in healthcare agriculture, environmental engineering, and the arts.

Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University was founded on October 3, 1887. It received it university status in 1953. Between the years of 1953 to 968, the school they created their schools of pharmacy, nutrition ,law m and graduate studies. In 84, the university was able to offer its first Doctor of Philosophy Degree. The school has experienced dome record breaking enrollment from 1986 to its present. Their enrollment in 1985 was 5100. Statistics show from 92-93 enrollment was a 9551 in total. The FAMU Marching "100" Band was invited by the French government to participate in the Bastille Day Parade as the official representation from the United States. This event was held in celebration of the Bicentennial of the French Revolution. The University's website is http://wwwfamu.edu

Bethune Cookman College was founded by Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune in 1904. It offers baccalaureate and master's degrees. The college is located at 640 Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard in Daytona Beach, Florida 32114. The web address is http://www.cookman.edu. The school became a four-year college in 1941 when the Florida Board of Education approved a 4-year baccalaureate program in Liberal Arts and Teacher Education. On February 14, 2007, its Board of Trustees approved the name Bethune-Cookman University after the institution established its first graduate program. US News & World Report has named Bethune-Cookman University one of the top Historically Black Colleges & Universities in the nation, according to rankings published in the 2010 edition of America's Best Colleges.

Edward Waters College was founded by the first AME (African Methodist Episcopal) pastor in the state of Florida in 1866. The Reverend William G. Steward originally named the school Brown Theological institute. The school suffered financial problems and closed in the 1870's. When it reopened in 1883, it obtained its name as Edward Waters College width an extended educational program. The school was destroyed by a fire in 1901. New land and work was started on the school in 1904. It became an accredited junior college in 1955 under leadership of the President William B. Stewart. Edward Waters was accredited as a four year college in 1979 by the Commissions on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and now is awarding bachelor's degrees. Their web address is http://www.ewc.edu. It is located at 1658 Kings Road, Jacksonville, Florida 32209. It is the oldest black college in Florida.

The Florida Memorial College is now known as the Florida Memorial University is located in Miami Gardens, Florida. There are about 40 undergraduate and graduate programs. It introduced graduate studies in 204. There programs are elementary education, special education, and also reading. This is the birthplace of the Negro National Anthem, Lift Every Voice And Sing which was composed by two brothers James Weldon Johnson and J. Rosamond Johnson. The web address to the school is http://www.fmuniv.edu.

source: http://www.blackcollegesearch.com/florida-colleges.htm, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Waters_College, http://www.answers.com/topic/florida-memorial-university ,http://www.famu.edu/index.cfm?a=history&p=aboutfamu