Wiley College

Wiley College is a four-year, private, historically black, Jr., James L. Farmer, Jr. helped organize the rst sit-ins
liberal arts college located on the west side of Marshall, and Freedom Rides in the United States.[6][7]
Texas. Founded in 1873 by the Methodist Episcopal
Church's Bishop Isaac Wiley and certied in 1882 by the
Freedmans Aid Society, it is notable as one of the old3 Debate team
est predominantly black colleges west of the Mississippi
River.[2][3]
Tony Schermans article about the Wiley College deIn 20052006, on-campus enrollment approached 450,
bate team for the 1997 Spring issue of American Legacy
while an o-campus program in Shreveport, Louisiana,
sparked a renewed interest in its history.[8] The sucfor students with some prior college credits who seek to
cess of the 1935 Wiley College debate team, coached
nish a degree, enrolled about 250. As of the fall of 2006,
by professor and poet Melvin Tolson, was the subject
total enrollment was about 750. By fall of 2013, total
of a 2005 AMS Pictures documentary, The Great Deenrollment was approximately 1,400.
baters, The Real Great Debaters of Wiley College, which
Wiley is an open admissions college and about 96 percent received heavy play around Texas, followed by 2007 draof students receive some nancial aid.[4]
matic movie, The Great Debaters, directed by and starring
The Wiley sta learned that over a 15-year period, Denzel Washington. In 1935, the Wiley College debate
Melvin B. Tolsons debate teams lost only one of 75 de- team defeated the reigning national debate champion, the
bates. The Wiley Forensic Society competed against his- University of Southern California (depicted as Harvard
torically black colleges, but earned national attention with University in The Great Debaters).
its debates against the University of Southern California In 2007, Denzel Washington announced a donation
and Harvard University.[2]
of US$1 million to Wiley so the team could be reestablished.[9][10]
The Wiley College Debate Team, now also known as
the Melvin B. Tolson/Denzel Washington Forensics Society of Wiley College, is under the direction of ChristoWiley College oer bachelors degrees through four aca- pher Medina. The purpose of The Wiley College Debate
Team is not only to compete at a national and regional
demic divisions.[5]
level, but also to instill a strong work ethic, a drive for
academic excellence, and a spirit of ethical competition
Division of Education
in its student leaders.[11]

Academics

Division of Social Sciences & Humanities

The Wiley College debate team of 2014 earned the mantle, The Great Debaters, the name was bestowed on the
Division of Business & Technology
team by director-actor Denzel Washington in a movie by
the same name which premiered in 2008. The 23-person
Division of Sciences
team met the best speakers and debaters from 80 colleges and universities sent by 26 states to the Pi Kappa
Delta Comprehensive National Tournament staged in In2 Civil Rights movement
dianapolis, Indiana. This was the largest Pi Kappa Delta
Tournament in their 101-year history. The Great DeWiley, along with Bishop College, was instrumental in baters came away in rst place. When the winning totals
the Civil Rights Movement in Texas. Wiley and Bishop from the debates and individual events 2000 entries in
students launched the rst sit-ins in Texas in the rotunda all Wiley College was named champion.
of the Old Harrison County Courthouse to protest segre- The victory holds special meaning for the Historically
gation in public facilities.
Black College. Not only was it the rst national speech
James L. Farmer, Jr., son of James L. Farmer, Sr., graduated from Wiley and became one of the Big Four of
the Civil Rights Movement. Together with Roy Wilkins,
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and Whitney M. Young

and debate title won by an HBCU, another moral victory

was won. During Melvin B. Tolsons tenure, Wiley College had not been permitted to join the national forensics
fraternity, Pi Kappa Delta, or to participate in its national
1

REFERENCES

convention or national championship.

Athletics

Wiley College teams, nicknamed the Wildcats, are part

of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC). Mens sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, soccer, and track & eld.
Womens sports include basketball, cross country, soccer, track & eld, volleyball, and cheerleading. Wiley
the Wildcat is the mascot.

Gallery
Thirkield Hall at Wiley College in Marshall, Texas
Thomas Cole Winston, Sr., Library at Wiley College
Julius S. Scott, Sr. Chapel at Wiley College
Aaron Baker Science Building at Wiley College
H.B. Pemberton Heritage Center at Wiley College
The Fred Thomas Long Student Union building at
Wiley College
James L. Farmer, Jr.

Notable faculty
[11] Forensic Society Debaters of Wiley College

Notable alumni

[12] Marshall Texas Directory. 1946. Retrieved October 19,

2009.

References

[13] The Decatur Review Long obituary March 24, 1966 page
13

[1] Members of CIC: Texas. [Link].

[2] Wiley College (1873- ) - The Black Past: Remembered
and Reclaimed. Retrieved March 21, 2016.
[3] [Link]
[4]
[5] [Link]
[6]
[7] James Farmer Memorial Page. Retrieved March 21,
2016.
[8] [Link] American Legacy Magazine's Story:
The Great Debaters, Turns from Pages to the Big Screen
Directed By and Starring Denzel Washington and Produced By Oprah Winfrey
[9] Wiley College. Retrieved March 21, 2016.
[10] Wiley College A Place Where Every Student Can Succeed, Dallas News

[14] The Chicago Defender Wiley Coach Drops Dead in Football Classic December 15, 1945 pages 1 & 5 and The
Chicago Defender Harry Long Joins Wiley Grid Sta
July 13, 1929 page 9
[15] Wiley Graduate of 1899 to be Honored with Citation.
The Wiley Reporter. Marshall, Texas: Wiley College.
May 1953. p. 1. Dr. Brown, the oldest living graduate
of Wiley, entered the institution on his sixteenth birthday
and nished in the class of 1899 at the age of twenty-four.
[16] Dogan Teycer, Lucile (May 1953). Lois Towles in Wiley
Concert. The Wiley Reporter. Marshall, Texas: Wiley
College. p. 1. Students and friends of Wiley were thrilled
by the superb concert of the internationally famous pianist,
Lois Towles.
[17] Martin, Douglas (March 12, 2008). Henrietta Bell Wells
female member of Wiley College debate team. The New
York Times. Retrieved January 24, 2011.
[18] Mary T. Henry, Dewitty, Thelma (19121977), HistoryLink, November 10, 1998. Accessed online September
30, 2008.

[19] James Farmer Biography: Greensboro Voices. Retrieved January 4, 2008.

[20] Conrad O. Johnson: Hall of Fame prole. Retrieved
January 4, 2008.
[21] Oliver Randolph. The New York Times. 1951-09-03. p.
13. Retrieved 2016-09-21.
[22] One mans mission. [Link]. Retrieved March 21,
2016.
[23] James Wheaton at the Internet Movie Database
[24] C. O. Simpkins, Sr.: Civil Rights Champion. [Link]. Retrieved September 1, 2015.

External links

Media related to Wiley College at Wikimedia Commons

Ocial website
Ocial athletics website
Ocial Facebook page
T.W. Cole Library ocial website
T.W. Cole Library ocial Facebook page
Coordinates: 323212N 942245W / 32.53665N
94.37919W

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Wiley College Source: [Link] Contributors: Mike Linksvayer, Corixidae, JCarriker, WhisperToMe, Maximus Rex, Thue, RadicalBender, Oobopshark, J. 'mach' wust, Nutmegger, MementoVivere, Swid, Chiacomo,
Rapscallion, Mcmillin24, Bellhalla, Cbustapeck, Mandarax, Ccson, Naraht, PainMan, Wavelength, GLaDOS, Stephenb, Grafen, ONEder
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Cjs2111, Hwgray, WN8KCY, Lawikitejana, Magioladitis, Jllm06, The Anomebot2, Absolon, Johnluisocasio, Shawn in Montreal, Aboutmovies, Steventity, Squids and Chips, True Dat, Baseball Bugs, Aspects, Drmies, [Link], Parkwells, PMDrive1061, Brewcrewer,
Devajeaco07, Charcat2, Smarkea, Tarquilu, Jonxwood, Cmr08, MystBot, Addbot, Oenbach, Leszek Jaczuk, Yobot, Broadmoor,
AnomieBOT, QaBobAllah, Xjjwiix, Primaler, Niceone2000, RjwilmsiBot, Acsian88, DASHBot, Dewritech, Lsjustice, Niceone44, ClueBot NG, Brauden, BG19bot, Wer900, Anonymous22student, WileyCoyote54, Mogism, Corkythehornetfan, NoMatterTryAgain, WoodyinNYC and Anonymous: 58

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