Paul Quinn College is a private, historically black college (HBCU) located on 144 acres just south of downtown Dallas, Texas, United States. The college is affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME). Paul Quinn College is the oldest historically black college west of the Mississippi River. HBCU Digest named Paul Quinn "2011 HBCU of the Year" and voted the college "the 5th most underrated HBCU in the nation". The college was founded in 1872 in Austin, Texas by a small group of African Methodist Episcopal preachers at Metropolitan A.M.E. Church. Originally, the college was called the Connectional High School and Institute.