Derrick Jackson to Lead American Baptist College as Historic HBCU’s New President

American Baptist College (ABC) has appointed Rev. Derrick Jackson as its 11th president, elevating him from interim leader to permanent president of the historic HBCU.

Jackson, who assumed the interim role in July, succeeds Dr. Forrest Harris, Sr., who retired after 26 years of transformative leadership. A key figure in the Civil Rights Movement, ABC has long been a beacon of faith-based education and social justice advocacy.

“Nashville needs ABC, and so does the country and the world,” Jackson said in a statement on August 20. “I’m grateful for President Harris’s legacy and am committed to building on the momentum we’ve already achieved.”

A seasoned religious publishing executive, Jackson currently serves as executive director of the Sunday School Publishing Board – the official publishing arm of the National Baptist Convention, USA, the largest Black Protestant denomination in the country. He will continue in that role while leading ABC.

He is also the lead pastor of First Baptist Church in Gallatin, Tennessee.

The college’s board of trustees highlighted Jackson’s strategic leadership and business expertise as decisive factors in his selection, standing out among 25 candidates during a national search.

Founded in 1924, American Baptist College is one of Nashville’s four historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Its formal HBCU designation in 2013 unlocked critical federal grant funding, helping the institution reduce reliance on tuition revenue amid declining enrollment.

Under Harris, ABC expanded community partnerships and diversified funding sources – a trajectory Jackson plans to advance.

As ABC adapts to evolving educational demands, Jackson aims to strengthen its mission of integrating faith, justice, and academic excellence while expanding access for nontraditional learners.