The American Baptist Theological Seminary was originally a training facility for African American Baptist ministers. The men in the photograph are standing in front of Griggs Hall, the first building erected on the campus. Griggs Hall was built at 1800 Whites Creek Pike in 1923. The building housed dormitory rooms, a dining hall, a library, and classrooms. The school opened on September 14, 1924. Its first curriculum contained both degree programs for high school graduates and a non-degree program for training those who had not completed high school. Its student body was highly influential during the civil rights movement.
