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 Many years ago Ellen White said there should be a school for American black students. Black persons were badly discriminated against in the United States during much of the 19th century. They had few educational opportunities. Ellen White advised the search committee that the property for the new school should be located in the country near Nashville, Tennessee, or in northern Alabama. However, a search of properties in Tennessee brought nothing that seemed suitable.
Anna Knight, our first African American missionary to India, remembers the committee members gathering for prayer before they set out for northern Alabama to look for property. This was no “ordinary” prayer session! The group knelt together in the living room of Mr. and Mrs. Chambers’ home, and with tears pleaded with God to help them find the place He had chosen for the school.
After prayer, the committee members went to the railway station, took the train to Huntsville, and were directed out to a farm that was for sale.
As they entered the grounds, the committee members were certain they at last had found the place the Lord had chosen for the new school.
After careful investigation, the committee members put down a deposit to hold the farm until they could report their findings to the General Conference officers. A special offering was planned to raise a fund to establish the new school for African Americans. Everyone was asked to give a dollar. But in order to have a dollar to give, many persons chose to sacrifice one meal a day. They were happy to do without food in order to have money for that special offering.
Ultimately
the money was raised and the purchase of the Huntsville
property was made.
Several years after the school had been in operation, Ellen White visited the campus. At an assembly, she said, “This is the place that was shown to me by God.”
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