Tennessee HBCU Faces New Setback As Fire Engulfs Iconic Campus Building Amid Accreditation Struggle

One of Tennessee’s historically Black colleges, Knoxville College, has recently faced a number of challenges over the years. But, the college is now picking up the pieces following their latest issue.

On Monday night, a fire mysteriously broke out in Elnathan Hall, a vacant but historically significant building on the campus. While the Knoxville Fire Department responded to the flames as quick as possible, but the flames were already taking over the building upon their arrival.

“It‘s a sad day for the Knoxville community,” Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon told a local news outlet. “This is not city property. We have had to go in to address fire situations many times in recent years, and it can be very dangerous.”

🚨 #BREAKING . Fire at Knoxville College Campus, Tennessee.

The Fire Department reports a large structural fire.

More details to come.

VIA . @KnoxvilleFire
VIDEO . @grumpycat197 pic.twitter.com/KHpBm8uL6M

— United Alerts (@unitedalerts) November 5, 2024

Founded in the post-Civil War era, Knoxville College was created to educate formerly enslaved individuals. Being the institution’s administration building, Elnathan Hall holds high value to the campus. However, this is not the first time Elnathan Hall has caught on fire. In 1869, the building was used as a four-story dormitory, until a fire destroyed it. It was rebuilt two years later, standing as a symbol of strength and resilience for the student body.

Unfortunately, the latest hiccup is just another added problem added to the college’s list. Since the 70s, Knoxville College has struggled with enrollment that eventually led to the lost of state accreditation. By 2015, the school’s enrollment decreased to only 11 students, resulting in a temporary suspension in enrollment. Later on, Knoxville College was granted permission to reopen but at limited capacity, offering online classes only.

Despite gaining enrollment, getting their accreditation back has been a longstanding battle. For starters, finances have come into play with the application costing $10,000, which is a expensive for a college facing money problems. According to the college’s most recent Form 990, the school is reportedly in $1.8 million debt and owes the city over $28,000 in unpaid property taxes. Despite promising to complete the application for two years, Knoxville College has not been able to follow through, leaving the school’s future in an uncertain place.