Paine College began with a rare partnership. In 1882 leaders of a Black Methodist church and a white Methodist church sat on one board to found a school for freed people and their children. Its first graduate became the first Black archaeologist, its students led Augusta's 1960 sit-ins, and its alumni include novelist Frank Yerby and civil rights leader Joseph Lowery. Today it is a small liberal arts HBCU near downtown Augusta.
About this site
Paine College is a college & university in Augusta, Richmond County. It is one of 2 colleges & universities documented in Richmond County, among 249 historic sites cataloged across the county on Georgia Roam.
The site sits at 33.4700, -81.9950 near Augusta. The nearest cataloged historic site is Paine College (historical marker), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include John Wesley Gilbert, Mary S. Byrd Gallery of ART, and The Medical College of Georgia.
This record is drawn from Georgia Roam. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.
What makes Paine College different
From its first meeting in 1882, Paine's board brought Black and white Methodist leaders together, an unusual arrangement in the post-Reconstruction South. georgiaencyclopedia.org
Its founding money was two thousand dollars from a white minister and sixteen dollars raised by Bishop Holsey from Black congregations, most of whose members had recently been enslaved. paine.edu
John Wesley Gilbert, Paine's first graduate and first Black professor, is recognized as the first African American archaeologist. en.wikipedia.org
Paine ran a high school department until 1945, because Augusta had no public high school for Black students before then. paine.edu
A mysterious 1968 fire gutted Haygood Hall and destroyed a rare collection of African artifacts. The rebuilt building is Haygood-Holsey Hall. georgiaencyclopedia.org
Novelist Frank Yerby earned his English degree at Paine in 1937. His 'The Foxes of Harrow' (1946) became a bestseller and was made into a Hollywood film. en.wikipedia.org
In July 2026 the college forgave all unpaid balances that former students owed it and invited them back to finish their degrees. paine.edu
The idea came from Bishop Lucius Henry Holsey of the Colored (now Christian) Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1869 he asked the white Methodist Episcopal Church, South, to help build a school to train Black teachers and ministers. The college's board, with three members from each church, first met on November 1, 1882. It named the school for Bishop Robert Paine. The start-up money was a gift of two thousand dollars from Atticus G. Haygood of the MECS and sixteen dollars that Holsey had raised from Black congregations. Classes began in 1884 in rented rooms on Broad Street, and in 1886 the school moved to its present site on Fifteenth Street.
Paine's first student and first graduate, John Wesley Gilbert, joined the faculty in 1888 as its first Black professor. He went on to become the first African American archaeologist. The school added college-level work and took the name The Paine College in 1903. It ran a high school until 1945, because Augusta had no public high school for Black students before then. In 1960 Paine students organized the sit-ins, marches and pray-ins that challenged segregation in Augusta. In 1971 Lucius H. Pitts became the college's first Black president and first alumnus in the post.
The college lost its regional accreditation in 2016 over financial standards. It then earned accreditation from the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS), which reaffirmed it in 2026 through 2031. Lester A. McCorn became the 18th president in January 2025. The historic campus has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 2012.
Paine is a small liberal arts college that offers bachelor's degrees in the sciences, business and the humanities. Classes are small: NCES reports a student-to-faculty ratio of 11 to 1. The list below shows the degree programs on the college's school pages in September 2026. Check the academic catalog for concentrations and the latest offerings.
Known for
Biology
A B.S. taught a few blocks from Augusta's medical district, home of the Medical College of Georgia and its hospitals.
Known for
Business Administration
Paine's business school, the School of Business and Professional Advancement, offers this B.S. degree.
Known for
Mass Communications
A B.A. taught by the School of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Education, whose chair also teaches media studies.
Known for
History
Taught on a National Register campus whose own story runs from Reconstruction through the civil rights movement.
All degree programs at Paine College (8)
School of Applied, Natural, and Health Sciences
Biology · B.S.
Health Sciences · B.S.
Mathematics · B.S.
School of Business and Professional Advancement
Business Administration · B.S.
School of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Education
John Wesley Gilbert — first African American archaeologist and Methodist missionary to the Congo (Paine's first graduate, 1886) en.wikipedia.org
Channing H. Tobias — civil rights leader, 1948 Spingarn Medalist and member of President Truman's Committee on Civil Rights (B.A., 1902) en.wikipedia.org
Frank Yerby — best-selling novelist of 'The Foxes of Harrow' (B.A. in English, 1937) en.wikipedia.org
Joseph Lowery — co-founder and longtime president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (Paine graduate) en.wikipedia.org
Louis Lomax — journalist and author, the first African American television journalist (attended two years) en.wikipedia.org
Woodie W. White — United Methodist bishop, elected in 1984 (1958 graduate) en.wikipedia.org
Emma Gresham — mayor of Keysville, Georgia, from 1985 to 2005 (1953 honor graduate) en.wikipedia.org
Michael Thurmond — Georgia labor commissioner and later DeKalb County CEO (B.A. in philosophy and religion) en.wikipedia.org
Jim Dent — PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions golfer from Augusta (attended on a football scholarship, 1959) en.wikipedia.org
Athletics: Paine Lions
NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association), Division I · NCCAA South Region
Paine College | HBCU Spotlight · Tabernacle Baptist Church AugustaPaine College president shares vision for growth and stability · WJBFPaine College President talks future of school at investiture ceremony · AugustaChronicleTVPaine College gets major donation from estate of alum, touts fundraiser · WJBF
Yes. Paine is a private, historically Black liberal arts college founded in Augusta in 1882. It is affiliated with the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church and the United Methodist Church.
Is Paine College accredited?
Yes. Paine is accredited by the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS). In April 2026 TRACS reaffirmed its accreditation for July 2026 through June 2031. The college lost its earlier SACSCOC accreditation in 2016.
How many students attend Paine College?
390 undergraduates in Fall 2024, according to the U.S. Department of Education. The student-to-faculty ratio is 11 to 1.
What sports does Paine College have?
The Paine Lions compete in the NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) in baseball, basketball, golf, softball, track & field and volleyball. They left NCAA Division II and the SIAC in 2021.
Who founded Paine College?
Leaders of the Colored (now Christian) Methodist Episcopal Church and the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Bishop Lucius H. Holsey first proposed the school in 1869, and it was named for Bishop Robert Paine.
Who is the president of Paine College?
Dr. Lester A. McCorn, the college's 18th president, who took office on January 1, 2025.
Can you visit Paine College?
Yes. The admissions office leads campus tours Monday through Thursday at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tours must be confirmed in advance through paine.edu/visit.
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