Liberian President Charles Taylor Planned To Visit
Morehouse College During U.S. Trip
A Statement Issued By
Elisher M. Ferrell
Director of Public Relations

Liberian President Charles Taylor, whose visit to the United States has been postponed, will not visit Morehouse College on Friday, Sept. 24, as had been planned.

While at Morehouse, President Taylor was to address a group of students and faculty. As an institution of higher learning, the College is committed to the principle of academic freedom, and fosters a climate of free inquiry and expression in order to serve its students, staff, faculty, other institutions and society. As a result, Morehouse encourages open discourse and the exchange of ideas on a wide range of topics, even those that maybe viewed as controversial.

Several newspapers recently reported that Morehouse College was planning to confer an honorary degree on President Taylor during his visit. This information is incorrect. Morehouse College had no plans to confer an honorary degree on President Taylor. The College's policy on conferring honorary degrees dictates that, during its semi-annual meetings in November and April, the Morehouse College Board of Trustees considers honorary degree candidates submitted on the recommendation of the faculty. The faculty has not recommended President Taylor for an honorary degree.

Founded in 1867, Morehouse College is the nation's only historically black, private liberal arts college for men. The College enrolls approximately 3,000 students and confers bachelor's degrees on more black men than any other institution in the world.

Prominent alumni include Martin Luther King Jr., Nobel Peace Prize laureate and civil rights leader; Julius Coles, director of the Andrew Young Center for International Affairs, and former U.S. ambassador to Senegal; George W. Haley, U.S. ambassador to Gambia, and former U.S. postal rate commissioner; and Howard F. Jeter, former U.S. ambassador to Botswana.