*The founding of Arkansas Baptist College (ABC) is celebrated on this date in 1884.
Arkansas Baptist College is a private, historically Black liberal arts college (HBCU) in Little Rock, Arkansas. Founded as the Minister's Institute, ABC was initially funded by the Colored Baptists of the State of Arkansas. It is the only historically Black Baptist school west of the Mississippi River. The cornerstone of the Main Building on its campus, built in 1893, is one of the oldest surviving academic buildings in the state and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
The Higher Learning Commission accredited Arkansas Baptist College in 1987. In February 2014, the Commission notified the college that it was at risk of being out of compliance with its accreditation criteria. In August 2015, the commission gave the college a "Show-Cause" order to present a case that its accreditation should not be withdrawn. The order was withdrawn in November 2016. The commission placed the college on probation in 2019 for failing to meet the accreditation criterion that requires the institution to have adequate resources. Notable alumni include musician Louis Jordan.
