President Kevin James of Morris Brown College ousted by board without ‘substantive explanation’

Morris Brown has tapped board member Nzinga Shaw to replace James as interim president after his termination yesterday.

Morris Brown College President Dr. Kevin James has been fired by the school’s board, both he and the institution confirmed yesterday (January 12). According to a statement from James on LinkedIn, the news was delivered to him without “specific cause or substantive explanation,” and he cited overreaching from the board as an issue.

“This action is deeply concerning,” he said in the statement. “Research and my lived experience demonstrate that many HBCUs have struggled with board overreach and interference. Unfortunately, those dynamics are evident in this situation.”

James added, “I recently completed a successful annual evaluation and have received consistently strong performance reviews throughout my seven years of service. Morris Brown College has literally made history under my leadership as President.”

Morris Brown has also released its statement on James termination:

“Dr. James has played a meaningful role in guiding the institution through critical seasons of growth, resilience, and transformation. The Board thanks him for his dedication to the students, faculty, staff, and alumni, and the broader Morris Brown College Community, and wishes him well in his next chapter.”

James led Morris Brown College as its 19th president after assuming the role in 2019, and is credited with earning the school’s accreditation back after it lost the certification in 2002. When he achieved this in 2021, the college had undergone a shakeup of its board and executive team. He told theGrio at the time, “we have wiped the slate clean.”

According to James, the news comes weeks before Morris Brown will be reevaluated for its accreditation.

Morris Brown confirmed in its statement that it is replacing James with an interim president, Nzinga Shaw, a longtime member of the Board of Trustees. Shaw received her Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Morris Brown in 2023 and was the commencement speaker for the college that year. A graduate of Spelman College and the University of Pennsylvania, she served on the board at Fisk University from 2020-2024.

The college called Shaw an “integral and respected member of Morris Brown College’s governing body,” and said she will work with the executive leadership team to “ensure continuity, stability, and continued progress toward the institution’s mission.”

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James wrote in his statement that since his presidential contract was extended until 2029, he intends “to pursue all rights and remedies afforded to me under that agreement.”

“While I am deeply disappointed by the Board’s decision, I am grateful for the overwhelming support I have received from alumni, faculty, staff, students, and community partners,” he said.