Medgar Evers College

Medgar Evers College is a City University of New York (CUNY) institution, named after the Civil Rights Movement leader Medgar Evers. The college is located in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, near the Brooklyn Museum and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. It was established in 1970, with the goal of providing educational opportunities to the residents of Central Brooklyn, including the communities of Bedford-Stuyvesant and Flatbush. The college has a strong connection to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), organizations that played a significant role in the American Civil Rights Movement.

● History

The history of the college is closely tied to the legacy of Medgar Evers, a prominent figure in the Civil Rights Movement who was assassinated in 1963. The college was established in 1970, with the support of New York City Mayor John V. Lindsay and the New York State Legislature. The college's founding was also influenced by the Black Power movement and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), which sought to empower African American communities through education and social activism. The college has a strong connection to other Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), such as Howard University and Morehouse College, and has partnered with organizations like the National Urban League and the United Negro College Fund.

● Academics

The college offers a range of academic programs, including degrees in Business Administration and Computer Science, as well as programs in the Arts and Humanities, such as Music and Theater Arts. The college is also home to the Center for Puerto Rican, Dominican and Latino Studies, which focuses on the history and culture of Latin America and the Caribbean. The college has partnerships with institutions like the University of the West Indies and the Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo, and has a strong connection to the Hispanic Federation and the National Council of La Raza. The college's academic programs are accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs.

● Campus

The college's campus is located in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, near the Brooklyn Public Library and the Kings County Hospital Center. The campus features a range of facilities, including the Carlton Avenue building, which houses the college's School of Business and the School of Technology. The college also has a Child Development Center, which provides childcare services to students and community members, and a Health and Wellness Center, which offers medical and counseling services. The college has a strong connection to the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, and has partnered with organizations like the Brooklyn Arts Council and the Brooklyn Historical Society.

● Student Life

The college has a diverse student body, with students from a range of backgrounds, including African American, Latino, and Caribbean communities. The college offers a range of student organizations and clubs, including the Student Government Association and the National Society of Black Engineers. The college also has a strong connection to the NAACP Youth and College Division and the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), and has partnered with organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC). The college's students have also been involved in social justice movements, such as the Black Lives Matter movement and the Dream Act campaign.

● Notable Alumni

The college has a range of notable alumni, including Shirley Chisholm, the first African American woman to be elected to Congress, and Major Owens, a former U.S. Representative from New York. The college's alumni have also included leaders in the Civil Rights Movement, such as Constance Baker Motley and Robert F. Williams. The college has a strong connection to other notable institutions, such as Harvard University and Yale University, and has partnered with organizations like the Ford Foundation and the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The college's alumni have gone on to attend institutions like the University of California, Berkeley and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and have worked for organizations like the United Nations and the National Institutes of Health.