Morgan State University Named A National Treasure

BALTIMORE, MD – A Baltimore university has been named a national treasure.

Morgan State University, founded in 1867 and the largest historically black college in Maryland, is officially designated as a "national treasure" by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the organization announced Tuesday.

"The National Trust believes Historically Black Colleges and Universities tell an important and often overlooked American story,” National Trust for Historic Preservation President/CEO Stephanie Meeks said. "We are proud to partner with Morgan State University—a nationally recognized innovator and education leader—to demonstrate how the preservation of their remarkable older buildings can be a springboard for growth, rejuvenation, and revitalization.”

Morgan State is home to 20 structures eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

Designating a place as a "national treasure" is a way that the nonprofit National Trust builds campaigns around places it considers endangered sites of national significance, working to raise funds for their preservation.

Morgan State enrolls approximately 7,700 students annually from bachelor's to doctoral candidates. According to Morgan State, it awards more baccalaureate degrees to African-American students than any other university in Maryland.

“We are very excited and honored by this designation from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. In many ways, it is recognition of the value we have placed on caring for and preserving the history of the great Morgan State University,” Morgan State University President David Wilson said. “We have known of Morgan’s significance on the higher education stage for many years and now, as we prepare to celebrate our 150th anniversary, the world will know that, in fact, this university is a national treasure."

Photo Credit: Morgan State University.