Edward Waters University#Centennial Hall

{{stack| float = left| File:Bishop Edward Waters.png }}

{{stack| float = left| File:John R Scott (1).jpg }}

The AME Church was the first independent black denomination in the United States and was founded in 1816 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After the Civil War, it sent numerous missionaries to the South to plant AME churches. The first African Methodist Episcopal pastor in the state, William G. Steward, originally named the college Brown Theological Institute. Charles H. Pearce was also involved in establishing an educational institution for the AME church in Jacksonville.

Struggling with some financial difficulties, the school closed for much of the 1870s. It reopened in 1883 as "East Florida Conference High School”, then changed to “East Florida Scientific and Divinity High School.” Over the next ten years, the curriculum was expanded. In 1892, the school was renamed for Edward Waters, the third bishop of the AME Church.Davis, Ennis: [http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2010-may-edward-waters-college "Edward Waters College"], Metro Jacksonville, May 17, 2010

A drawing of 1893 shows that the College President at that time was John R. Scott, Sr., first pastor of the St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church of Jacksonville, and a former member of the Florida Legislature.{{cite web

|title=President John R. Scott of Edward Waters College and students

|year=1893

|publisher=State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory

|url=https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/868

|access-date=20 February 2018}}

The original Edward Waters University campus was destroyed by the Great Fire of 1901. By 1904, the college obtained new land and work was started on the new facility. Edward Waters was accredited as a junior college in 1955 under President William B. Stewart and five years later had a restored four-year curriculum. Beginning in 1979, the school was accredited as a four-year institution by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and started awarding bachelor's degrees.

Edward Waters University offers bachelor's degrees in eight academic programs including the following: Bachelor of Arts in communications, Music, Psychology, or Criminal Justice; Bachelor of Science in biology, Elementary Education or Mathematics; and Bachelor of Business Administration.{{cite web|work=Edward Waters College|url=http://www.ewc.edu/index.php/academics/academic-programs|title=Academic Programs|access-date=24 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140213180943/http://www.ewc.edu/index.php/academics/academic-programs|archive-date=2014-02-13|url-status=dead}}

Beginning in 1979, Edward Waters University (EWU) was accredited as a four-year institution by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS-COC).

In 2004, Edward Waters University had submitted documents to SACS to support their request for reaccreditation. A Florida Times-Union investigation in October discovered that the EWU documents plagiarized sections of text and statistics from a similar Alabama A&M University document. The Commission on Colleges voted to drop EWU from membership in SACS, thus revoking the school's accreditation, but the school appealed.{{cite web|url=http://diverseeducation.com/article/4231/1.php |title=Edward Waters Loses Accreditation After Plagiarism Scandal |publisher=Associated Press |date=2004-12-30 }}{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} A hearing was held in Atlanta during February 2005, and the appeal by Edward Waters University was denied.

The school filed a lawsuit seeking an injunction during litigation, which a federal judge granted.{{cite web|url=http://diverseeducation.com/article/4412/1.php |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130208040016/http://diverseeducation.com/article/4412/1.php |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-02-08 |title=Edward Waters College Loses Accreditation Appeal, Files Lawsuit |publisher=Associated Press |date=2005-03-24 }} The judge ruled that the college could show they were denied due process, and appointed two mediators.{{cite web|url=http://ame-today.net/viewtopic.php?t=18&sid=55b981c879fec1a169db9cb7cc49958c|title=Edward Waters College gains a victory in court|publisher=Associated Press|date=2005-03-18}} In June, the college and SACS agreed to a settlement that allowed the school to remain accredited while re-filing their accreditation documentation.{{cite web |url=http://www.news4jax.com/entertainment/4566669/detail.html |title=Edward Waters Reaches Settlement To Keep Accreditation |work=News4Jax |date=2005-06-03 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090904215054/http://www.news4jax.com/entertainment/4566669/detail.html |archive-date=2009-09-04 }} The university's accreditation was reaffirmed in 2006.

====Centennial Hall====

{{Infobox NRHP

| name = Centennial Hall

| image = Jax FL Centennial Hall01.jpg

| caption =

| coordinates = {{coord|30.3450|-81.6844|region:US-FL_type:edu|format=dms|display=inline}}

| locmapin = Florida#USA

| location = 1658 Kings Rd., Jacksonville, Florida

| built = 1916

| architect = Howells & Stokes

| architecture =

| added = May 4, 1976

| area = less than one acre

| refnum = 76000589{{NRISref |refnum=76000589|version=2010a}}

}}

Centennial Hall, which contains the Obi-Scott-Umunna Collection of African Art, is the oldest building on campus. Built in 1916, it was added to the United States National Register of Historic Places on May 4, 1976. It was designed by Richard Lewis Brown, Jacksonville's first known black architect.{{cite journal|last1=Guthrie|first1=Ana|title=The History of Florida's Four FBCU (Historically Black Colleges & Universities) Libraries|journal=Florida Libraries|date=2012|volume=55|issue=2|page=38}}

The Centennial Hall building contains the Edward Waters University Library, which was relocated from the H. Y. Tookes Building in 1979. The library also contains art and artifacts from central and West Africa.{{cite journal |last1=Guthrie |first1=Ana |title=The History of Florida's Four FBCU (Historically Black Colleges & Universities) Libraries |journal=Florida Libraries |volume=55 |issue=2 |date=Fall 2012 |pages=38–42 }}

• Jimmy Jenkins, served as president from 1997 to 2005 and was credited with increasing enrollment and raising standards at the school.
• Oswald P. Bronson, former president of Bethune-Cookman University, served as interim president while a presidential search committee took two years to select a new leader.{{cite web|url=http://diverseeducation.com/article/4387/1.php |title=Oswald Bronson Named Interim President of Edward Waters College |publisher=Associated Press |date=2005-02-24 }}{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
• Claudette Williams became the first female president of Edward Waters in 2007. She resigned in February 2010 to assume a position as a vice president with the accreditation organization, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.{{cite web|url=http://www.hbcudigest.com/2010/02/dr-claudette-williams-resigns-as-president-of-edward-waters-college/ |title=Dr. Claudette Williams Resigns as President of Edward Waters College |work=HBCU Digest |date=2010-02-26 |access-date=2010-03-01 }}{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
• Nat Glover became EWU's 29th president on February 12, 2011.{{Cite web|last=Coleman|first=Matt|title=Nat Glover takes over as head of Edward Waters College|url=https://www.jacksonville.com/article/20100519/NEWS/801251991|access-date=2021-06-28|website=The Florida Times-Union|language=en|archive-date=June 28, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210628095753/https://www.jacksonville.com/article/20100519/NEWS/801251991|url-status=dead}} He retired in May 2018.
• A. Zachary Faison, Jr. is the 30th President of Edward Waters University and took office in July 2018.{{Cite web|last=Amos|first=Denise|title=Edward Waters College picks new president|url=https://www.jacksonville.com/news/20180410/edward-waters-college-picks-new-president|access-date=2021-06-28|website=The Florida Times-Union|language=en}}

{{See also|1964 Edward Waters Tigers football team}}

File:Edward waters univ athletics logo.png

The Edward Waters (EWU) athletic teams are called the Tigers and the Lady Tigers. The university is a member of the Division II ranks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), primarily competing in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) as a provisional member since the 2021–22 academic year; which they were a member on a previous stint from 1930–31 to 1934–35.{{cite news |last1=Freeman |first1=Clayton |title=Edward Waters plans to join NCAA Division II |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/ncaafb/edward-waters-plans-to-join-ncaa-division-ii/ar-AAE5dwX |access-date=12 February 2020 |work=The Florida Times-Union |publisher=MSN |date=July 9, 2019}}

Prior joining the NCAA, The Tigers previously competed in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC) of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) from 2010–11 to 2020–21 (with an associate transitional membership period for competing in conference championships during the 2021–22 school year); and in the Sun Conference (formerly known as the Florida Sun Conference (FSC) until after the 2007–08 school year) from 2006–07 to 2009–10. For football only, Edward Waters participated in The Sun Conference for the 2014 and 2015 fall seasons, and would later join the Mid-South Conference's Sun Division from the 2017 to 2020 fall seasons.{{cite news|last1=Wilson|first1=Michael|title=Local teams officially join Mid-South football conference|url=http://www.theledger.com/article/20160225/SPORTS19/160229601|access-date=27 February 2016|publisher=The Lakeland Ledger|date=25 February 2016}}

EWU competes in 16 intercollegiate varsity sports teams: baseball, basketball, cross country, football, track & field (indoor and outdoor) and volleyball; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, track & field (indoor and outdoor) and volleyball; and co-ed sports include competitive cheerleading.

In 2019, the university received a membership invitation to join the SIAC, a historic HBCU athletic conference playing at the NCAA Division II level.{{cite news |last1=St. Cyr |first1=Jamal |title=Edward Waters College invited to join SIAC |url=https://www.news4jax.com/sports/2019/07/09/edward-waters-college-invited-to-join-siac/ |access-date=13 February 2020 |publisher=News4Jax |date=July 9, 2019}} Although still holding active membership in the NAIA, EWU has a scheduling agreement with the SIAC to play SIAC opponents in non-conference competition. Following the invitation, the college plans to apply for NCAA Division II membership and begin the multi-year transition process to become a full postseason-eligible member of the NCAA and the SIAC.

The university broke ground on a permanent on-campus football facility in February 2020. The team previously played at local high schools. The new facility is planned to meet NCAA specifications as part of the athletic development process associated with the move to Division II.{{cite news |last1=Freeman |first1=Clayton |title=Edward Waters to break ground on new field Feb. 5 |url=https://www.jacksonville.com/sports/20200127/edward-waters-to-break-ground-on-new-field-feb-5 |access-date=13 February 2020 |publisher=The Florida Times-Union |date=January 27, 2020}}

Edward Waters' marching band is officially known as the "Triple Threat Marching Band." The band was established in 2001 and has twice received an invitation to the Honda Battle of the Bands in 2009 and 2013. The marching band has also been invited to perform at halftime for the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars.{{Cite web |url=http://www.ewc.edu/index.php/about-us |title=About Us |access-date=2015-12-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151227082051/http://www.ewc.edu/index.php/about-us |archive-date=2015-12-27 |url-status=dead }}

• Dock J. Jordan - Former President of Edward Waters College and Kittrell College, lawyer, civil rights leader
• Leonard F. Morse - Alumnus of the Theology Department, Former President of Edward Waters College, Founder of Phi Beta Sigma fraternity{{Cite web|url= https://phibetasigma1914.org/about/founders/|title= The Founders}}
• Reggie Brown - Jacksonville City Council Representative{{Cite web|url=https://www.jacksonville.com/article/20150303/OPINION/801240515|title=Meet the candidate: Reggie Brown|website=The Florida Times-Union|access-date=Oct 15, 2020}}
• Jim "Cannonball" Butler - former NFL running back
• Samuel Charles - Professional American football wide receiver
• Nat Glover - former president of Edward Waters and former Sheriff of Jacksonville
• Betty Holzendorf - former Florida State Representative from Jacksonville
• Frederick Douglas Harper - author and scholar{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=a5DTDwAAQBAJ&q=Frederick+Douglas+Harper+ewc&pg=PT334|title=The Stories|first=Frederick Douglas|last=Harper|date=Feb 24, 2020|publisher=Xlibris Corporation|isbn=9781796089431|access-date=Oct 15, 2020|via=Google Books}}
• Buck O'Neil - former Negro league baseball player
• Rahman Johnson - TV personality, actor and former Duval County Commissioner
• A. Philip Randolph - Civil rights activist and founder of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters

{{Portal|Florida}}

• Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida

{{reflist}}

• {{cite journal |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=LQ1KAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA43|title= Edward Waters College |journal=Negro College Quarterly |year=1947 |publisher=Wilberforce University |location=Ohio |oclc=8127564 }}

{{ccat}}

• {{Official website}}
• [https://ewutigerpride.com/ Athletics website]
• [http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/FL/Duval/state.html Duval County listings] at [http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com National Register of Historic Places]
• [http://www.flheritage.com www.flheritage.com] Florida's Office of Cultural and Historical Programs
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070216141414/http://www.flheritage.com/facts/reports/places/index.cfm?fuseaction=ListAreas&county=Duval Duval County listings]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070930152503/http://www.flheritage.com/services/sites/fht/record_t.cfm?ID=249&type=c&index=16 Centennial Hall at Edward Waters College]

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