LOUISVILLE, KY - This past Monday Simmons College of Kentucky was designated as 107th Historical Black College and University. Simmons College now joins Kentucky State University as the second HBCU in Kentucky.

Simmons was established in 1879 by members of black baptist churches in Kentucky who organized a state convention of Colored Baptist Churches. In November of 1879, trustees of the Convention of Colored Baptist Church purchased 4 acres of land on the corner of 7th & Kentucky Street in Louisville that immediately served as the campus for the school.

In 2005, Dr. Kevin W. Cosby who is the senior pastor at St. Stephen Church became the 13th president and subsequently changed the name of the school to Simmons College of Kentucky whose once name(s) were: Simmons University, State University, Louisville Municipal College, and Simmons Bible College.

The name change to Simmons College of Kentucky was to reflect the school's mission to prepare Christians for ministry, while reinstating its initial mission of general education. In 1930, The Great Depression came across the campus and forced the institution to sell it property due to foreclosure on the mortgage. But in 2006, the institution was fortunate to buy its original campus and move back.

In March 2015, the institution received its accreditation and just this past Monday the institution received its recognition as an HBCU.

The D.J's Music Site HBCU Campaign Fund president and founder, Mr. Demetrius Johnson, Jr. released a statement on behalf of the organization welcoming the institution to our list of serving HBCUs.

"As President and Founder of the D.J's Music Site HBCU Campaign, its my pleasure to welcome an historic piece of ours to the joined list of HBCUs of who the HBCU Campaign serves and serve our mission to support the excellence and campaign to provide assistance to HBCUs as well as recruit and format initiative projects to bring awareness involvement for HBCU students and alumni's of their perspective HBCUs." said Founder Demetrius Johnson, Jr., "We at HBCU Campaign would like to welcome Simmons College of Kentucky to the list as the 107th Historically Black College and University. Simmons is now the second HBCU in Kentucky along with Kentucky State University. Please stand to welcome Simmons College of Kentucky to the HBCU Family! "I Love My H in front of my B, my B in for my C, my C in front of my U.... I love my H-B-C-U."