• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

SC Picture Project

The purpose of the South Carolina Picture Project is to celebrate the beauty of the Palmetto State while preserving some of its vanishing landscapes.

  • FIND A LANDMARK
    • BY CITY
    • BY COUNTY
    • BY CATEGORY
    • BYGONE LANDMARKS
  • ADD IMAGES
  • VOLUNTEER
  • SPONSORS
  • DONATE
  • Black History

Allen University

SC PICTURE PROJECT 2 Comments

SC Picture Project / Richland County / Allen University

Allen University in downtown Columbia was founded in 1870 by the Columbia District of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church. The AME denomination was organized in 1816 in Philadelphia by the Reverend Richard Allen. While the AME church grew in the North over the following decades, it was stifled in the South until after the Civil War due to slavery and laws that prevented even free blacks from worshiping without the oversight of whites. Following the war, the Columbia District strongly desired a school to educate former slaves. Led by the Right Reverend John Mifflin Brown, the district agreed to purchase 150 acres in Cokesbury (present-day Hodges) for a school. Despite opposition from white South Carolinians who feared the education of their African-American neighbors, the Payne Institute, named for AME Bishop Daniel Alexander Payne of South Carolina, was operating in Cokesbury by 1871.

Allen in Columbia SC

I.C. Go of Columbia, 2016 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

Payne Institute would soon relocate to Columbia at the behest of the Right Reverend William Fisher Dickerson, who envisioned greater growth in the state capital. In 1880 the school moved to its current site and changed its name to Allen University in honor of the Reverend Richard Allen, founder of the AME church. The moved proved to be fruitful, as the school grew exponentially within its first decade in Columbia. Initially, Allen University educated students of all ages, from elementary school through law school and theological school. As the school continued to attract students seeking baccalaureate degrees, Allen University decided to phase out its lower grades. The elementary school closed in the 1920s, and the high school ceased in 1933. Allen University then continued to expand not only its college campus but also its educational offerings, adding academic departments and buildings from the 1940s through 1950.

Allen University Postcard

Valentine and Sons Publishing Company, 1911 | Courtesy of Richland Library

Chappelle Hall, seen above, was completed in 1925. It was designed by African-American architect John Anderson Lankford, who also designed the Old Bethel Ame Church on Sumter Street. Chappelle Hall served as an administration building and assembly hall and was the site of many planning meetings during the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. Historic figures such as Mary McLeod Bethune, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Muhammad Ali have inspired audiences from its stage. Considered the gem of the campus, Chappelle Hall was restored in the spring of 2016. It continues to be used by the school and now also serves as a state-of-the-art concert hall and venue for local cultural events.

Allen University

Library of Congress, 1985, Prints & Photographs Division, HABS SC,40-COLUM,10A-

Allen University offers baccalaureate degrees in eight majors with 21 area of concentration. The accredited liberal arts college also has an active campus life, participates in its surrounding community, and continues to be a vibrant facet of the capital city.

Chappelle Hall and other buildings are listed in the National Register as part of the Allen University Historic District:

Among the many private schools and universities for African Americans founded during the post-bellum period, Allen University was probably the first founded and operated by African Americans in South Carolina. Established by the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Allen University was influenced by the denomination’s emphasis on education and a trained clergy. Named for Richard Allen, founder of the A.M.E. Church, Allen University was one of several universities established by the A.M.E. Church in the South following the Civil War. Begun four years after the University of South Carolina was closed to African Americans, Allen helped fill the pressing need for African American education in South Carolina. The university purchased its first property in Columbia in 1881. The first major building was erected and in use on the present site in 1888. The campus historic district contains four major buildings, ranging in date from 1891 to 1941, situated around a campus green. The architecture is typical of many university buildings around the country, characterized by red brick construction, white columns, and classical symmetry and detailing.

Plan Your Trip: Allen University

Where is Allen University located?
Address: 1530 Harden Street, Columbia, SC 29204
GPS Coordinates: 34.010944,-81.020873
Website: http://www.allenuniversity.edu/
What else should I see?
Rutherford House 0.5 mile
Preston C. Lorick House 0.6 mile
Woodrow Wilson Home 0.6 mile
Alston House 0.7 mile
Show me more like this!
  • See other South Carolina Colleges
  • Columbia Historic Sites
  • See other South Carolina National Register
    Allen University Map

    Please Help Us Stay Online

    We’d like thank everyone who generously supports the South Carolina Picture Project. You provide us with the inspiration and financial support we need to keep doing what we do. Every reader’s contribution, larger or small, is valuable. If you have enjoyed this website or found it helpful, please pitch in. Each donation helps – and it only takes a minute. Thank you!

    Support the SC Picture Project!

    $3,160 of $12,500
    105 Donations
    $ 50.00
    Select Payment Method
    Personal Info

    Credit Card Info
    This is a secure SSL encrypted payment.

    Donation Total: $50.00

    You may also like

    You may also like

    USC Horseshoe in ColumbiaUSC Horseshoe USC School of MedicineUSC School of Medicine Horry-Guignard HouseHorry-Guignard House Lieber BuildingLieber College Boyne-Pressley-Spigner HouseBoyne-Pressley-Spigner House

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Morgan Coleman says

      April 28, 2019 at 5:50 PM

      I am a 1960 graduate of Allen University. Since that time, I have received a Master of Public Administration degree from New York University. Also took additional studies at Adelphi University.

      Reply
    2. John Jones says

      May 4, 2017 at 8:31 AM

      I like it.

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Primary Sidebar

    FIND A LANDMARK

    Why This Site Matters

    Help Keep This Site Online

    We depend on the support of today’s readers to document South Carolina’s landmarks for future readers. Please help us continue this important work by making a donation below.

    $3,160 of $12,500
    105 Donations
    $ 50.00
    Select Payment Method
    Personal Info

    Credit Card Info
    This is a secure SSL encrypted payment.

    Donation Total: $50.00

    Recent Posts

    • H.L. Hunley
    • Strand Theater
    • Camden Depot
    • Charleston City Marina
    • Secession Hill

    Footer

    ABOUT US

    We are a federally-recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works to preserve the history of South Carolina’s historic, natural, and cultural landmarks before they are lost to time. This website serves as a permanent digital archive of over 2,300 South Carolina landmarks – and counting. Learn more about our work.

    CONTACT US

    We’d love to hear from you! Send us a quick email at share@scpictureproject.org.

    If you are looking for permission to use a photo, please reach out directly to the photographer listed in the image’s credit.

    JOIN US ON FACEBOOK

    The South Carolina Picture Project has two Facebook groups. One is dedicated to SC Historic Landmarks and Iconic Landscapes, and the other is dedicated to SC Nature and Wildlife.

    South Carolina Picture Project © 2022 · All Rights Reserved