Allen University
Reference reviewed October 12, 2026
Institutional history
Founding reference: 1870.
Allen’s history includes its beginnings as Payne Institute and its relocation to Columbia in 1880. The university’s name honors Bishop Richard Allen of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
Read the school’s history or official reference ↗
Conference membership: SIAC. Official conference membership list ↗
Using this profile
Use the school’s official information for degree requirements, admissions, campus visits and student services. Enrollment and program availability can change; an institutional history is not a current admissions or accreditation determination.