On New Year’s Day, David A. Thomas begins his tenure as president of Morehouse College.

The famed Historically Black College & University, near downtown Atlanta, had a tumultuous 2017. Here’s a timeline:

Jan. 15 - Morehouse announces it will not renew the contract of its president, John S. Wilson Jr., when it expires at the end of June. Several student leaders sue, arguing the college's board of trustees violated its bylaws by not permitting them in the decision-making process.

February - Morehouse kicks off its 150th anniversary celebration.

Feb. 14 - A Fulton County judge rules Morehouse College's board chairman acted legally in January when he excluded student trustees from its vote not to renew Wilson's contract.

April 7 - Morehouse's Board of Trustees announces it has removed Wilson, embattled board chairman Robert Davidson and board leadership, effective immediately. William Taggart is named interim president.

June 8 - Taggart dies. Board member Harold L. Martin Jr. is named interim president.

Oct. 15 - The board hires Thomas, former dean of Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business, to become its president.

VIDEO: Previous coverage on this issue

The president will be the first in decades to not be an alum.

About the Author

Keep Reading

A student at Thurgood Marshall Elementary in Morrow works on a math problem. Math scores improved overall on this year's Milestones Assessment. (Natrice Miller/AJC 2022)

Credit: Natrice Miller / Natrice.Miller@ajc.com

Featured

Six soldiers were honored, each receiving Meritorious Service Medals, Thursday for heroic actions responding to the shooting at Fort Stewart. “One of the things I can say unequivocally is that the fast action of these soldiers — under stress and under trauma and under fire — absolutely saved lives from being lost,” U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll told reporters as the six soldiers stood near him Thursday. “They are everything that is good about this nation.” (Hyosub Shin/AJC)

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC