Historic Black college (1865–1925) that pioneered medical and professional education for African Americans in the South.
Walden University was founded in 1865 by missionaries from the Northern Methodist Episcopal Church to provide education to freedmen following the Civil War. Initially organized as a community school, it was formally chartered as Central Tennessee College in 1867 with support from the Freedmen's Bureau. The institution expanded significantly in the late 19th century, adding departments in teacher education, agriculture, science, theology, law, pharmacy, dentistry, and nursing—many of which were firsts for African Americans in the South.
In 1876, the Medical Department of Central Tennessee College was established as the first medical school in the South for African Americans, founded and supported by Samuel Meharry and his brothers. The pharmacy department, added in the 1880s, was also the first in the South for Black students. In 1915, the medical department received a separate charter and became Meharry Medical College, which continues to operate independently in Nashville today. The college also pioneered nursing education for women beginning in 1892.
After Tennessee State University was established in Nashville in 1912, Walden University faced increasing competition for students. The Great Migration of African Americans to northern cities further reduced enrollment. In 1922, the institution was renamed Walden College and reorganized as a junior college offering pre-medical and pre-law programs. Persistent financial difficulties led to its closure in 1925. The 12-acre campus was subsequently leased to Trevecca Nazarene University in 1935 and purchased by that institution in 1937.
Walden University produced influential African American leaders, including Noah W. Parden (first Black attorney to argue before the U.S. Supreme Court), George L. Vaughn (who successfully argued to eliminate racial covenants), and numerous educators, physicians, and civic leaders. The institution's most enduring legacy is Meharry Medical College, which remains a major historically black medical school in Nashville.