Paul Quinn College (PQC) is a private historically black Methodist college in Dallas, Texas. The college is affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME). It is the oldest historically black college west of the Mississippi River and the nation's first urban work college. Paul Quinn is also home to the WE over ME Farm, which was created through a partnership with PepsiCo to bring healthy food to the food desert of Dallas. History The college was founded by a small group of African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church preachers in Austin, Texas on April 4, 1872, as the Connectional School for the Education of Negro Youth. Originally, its classes were held in churches and people's homes, but in 1877 the school moved into its own building in Waco, Texas. The college was renamed Waco College. Classes were held in a modest one-building trade school; freedmen were taught the skills of blacksmithing, carpentry, tanning, and saddle work, common occupations for the era, especially in the increasingly segregated state. This was the model established by the Tuskegee Institute. Later, under the direction of Bishop William Paul Quinn (1788–1873), A.M.E. districts were developed throughout the South and tasked with raising funds to improve the college. During this period, more than twenty acres of additional land was purchased and the curriculum was expanded to include the classical subjects of Latin, mathematics, music, theology, English, plus vocational skills in carpentry, sewing, and household, kitchen, and dining room work. In May 1881, the college was chartered by the State of Texas and changed its name to Paul Quinn College to commemorate the contributions of Bishop William Paul Quinn. In 1898 the school had seven faculty, including four women. Expansion The campus was expanded, with new buildings constructed with capital raised from interested patrons. In 1950, the college began significant physical expansion. A campus church, student union building, gymnasium and administration building were erected between 1950 and 1954. Two new dormitories, a modern two-story classroom building, a fully equipped science department, and a new library were added to the campus. In spring of 1954, the Waco Chamber of Commerce successfully completed a campaign which raised $100,000 for a new women's dormitory to replace one destroyed by a fire. Bishop O.L. Sherman was assigned to supervise the work of the A.M.E. Church in Texas in 1962. His first official act was to have the Charter of the college