Payne Theological Seminary

The first Bachelor of Divinity graduates were: E. T. Demby, Charles Henry Johnson, and William Polk, Jr.; C. H. Colemen was awarded an English Theological certificate.

Discussing the necessity for Payne Seminary, the Catalogue of 1893–94 states: The growing demands of the Church, the imperative requirements and demands of the age for trained and tried [persons] to be the moral and spiritual leaders, were weighed by the committee, who came to the unanimous conclusion that unless the Church put forth some organized effort to perpetuate an intelligent ministry, it would have to go to the rear of the procession of progress, and eventually lose its place as the leader of the advanced guard of race redeemers.

"[5] As a part of its “peculiar arrangement” with Wilberforce University, Payne Seminary’s dean assumed institutional leadership.

Dougal Ormonde B. Walker became the interim-dean in 1944, and despite his short tenure, began Payne's development towards becoming an accredited institution.

During the 1951 to 1956 tenure of Dean Rembert E. Stokes, enrollment increased, the administration building was completed, and the stained glass windows of The Chapel of the Living Savior were installed.

Dean Charles S. Spivey, Jr. served from 1957 to 1967, when he raised funds to furnish the academic building and the Chapel of the Living Savior.