1930s
1940s
1950s

Black Mountain College
1933-57

Black Mountain College was as many places as there were people who taught and studied there. Unrestrained by conventional structures and rigid guidelines, it changed year by year, reflecting the dreams, the ideals, the ambitions, the personalities and the abilities of those in the community. That is not to say that it could not become "set in its ways," committed to its own ideologies, resistant to new ideas. The founders knew they were not creating a utopia, and personality and ideological conflicts often culminated in schisms. Still, in its essence, the college remained throughout its history, a unique experiment in American education with an uncommon vitality and responsiveness.

The brief history simply lays out some basic facts for those unacquainted with the college. It tells the reader where the college was located, introduces a few ideas, and lists some who where there.