1st President of Paine College
During the summer of 1882, the Methodist Episcopal Church, South decided to establish a school for Black students in Augusta, Georgia. A Board of Trustees was appointed, and the Board elected Dr. Morgan Callaway as the institution’s first president.
Dr. Callaway, a Methodist minister, had previously served as president of three Georgia Methodist colleges. However, he had earned his reputation as a distinguished educator, often called the “star teacher,” at Emory College in Oxford, Georgia.
His dedication to the new school was evident in his farewell sermon, “Our Man Macedonia,” delivered at the old church in Oxford and later published in the Wesleyan Christian Advocate.
Despite this commitment, strong opposition to the establishment of the school created significant challenges. Facing mounting resistance, Dr. Callaway ultimately resigned on November 27, 1884.