Medical District in Memphis in Shelby County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

Owen College

1954-1968

Photographed by Steve Masler, August 25, 2017

1. Owen College Marker

Inscription. In 1946, the Tennessee Baptist Missionary and Educational Convention, a negro religious group, purchased twelve acres of ground and buildings at Vance Avenue and Orleans Street for $375,000 to begin a school. In 1954, Owen College, a two year institution named in honor of Samuel Augustus Owen, Sr. opened with Dr. Levi Watkins as president. The college served 2,326 students at this site before it merged in 1968 with LeMoyne College to become LeMoyne-Owen College. In 1970 the property was sold by LeMoyne-Owen College to Memphis City Schools for a public school site.

Erected 2012.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Arts, Letters, Music • Civil Rights • Education. In addition, it is included in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1946.

Location. 35° 8.046′ N, 90° 2.369′ W. Marker is in Memphis, Tennessee, in Shelby County. It is in the Medical District. It is at the intersection of Vance Avenue and Orleans, on the right when traveling east on Vance Avenue. Located on the grounds

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of Vance Middle School. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 673 Vance Avenue, Memphis TN 38126, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in West Tennessee.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Deep South,

in the Upper South,

in the Mississippi Delta,

and in the Great River Road Region.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: St. John Baptist Church (within shouting distance of this marker); The Mount Nebo Baptist Church (approx. ¼ mile away); Memphis Municiple Employees Federal Credit Union (approx. ¼ mile away); First Baptist Church / Mt. Olive CME Church (approx. 0.3 miles away); Blair T. Hunt, Sr. / Blair T. Hunt, Jr. (approx. 0.3 miles away); Elvis Presley and Sun Records / Sun Records (approx. 0.4 miles away); The Commercial Appeal / Publishing Locations

Owen College Marker dedication image. Click for full size.

Http://historic-memphis.com

2. Owen College Marker dedication

(approx. 0.4 miles away); The First Railroad in West Tennessee (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Memphis.

Also see . . . Historic Memphis: LeMoyne Owen College. (Submitted on August 25, 2017, by Steve Masler of Memphis, Tennessee.)

Photographed by Steve Masler, August 25, 2017

3. Owen College Marker

Owen College Administrative Building image. Click for full size.

Historic Memphis.com

4. Owen College Administrative Building

Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 25, 2017, by Steve Masler of Memphis, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 842 times since then and 35 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on August 25, 2017, by Steve Masler of Memphis, Tennessee. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.