7 Decades of Tidwell

For 70 years, virtually every Baylor undergraduate student has taken religion and/or history courses in Tidwell Bible Building. 

The structure familiar to so many was named for Josiah Blake Tidwell, who served as head of Baylor’s Bible department (and later the religion department) from 1910-46. Tidwell’s students were so strongly influenced by his work that, in 1936, 125 of them met at the Baptist General Convention of Texas to discuss plans to erect a building bearing his name on Baylor’s campus.

Enrollment had been increasing, and the University realized the practical need for more classroom space and for the religion department to have a home. Fundraising began immediately and continued for nearly 18 years. 

The final design for the building featured 68 exterior limestone panels showing scenes from the Old and New Testaments. The building was formally dedicated at Homecoming on Oct. 22, 1954.

When Tidwell opened, it was home to the departments of religion, history, sociology, philosophy, sacred music and German, as well as offices for the School of Nursing. Today, the building houses Baylor’s religion, history and sociology departments. Following a 15-month renovation in 2020-21 fueled by generous gifts from the Sunderland Foundation, the late Babs Baugh and the Eula May & John Baugh Foundation, Tidwell offers expanded and enhanced areas for academic instruction, faculty offices and spaces for building community.

 Statues of Baylor’s first Black graduates, Rev. Robert Gilbert, B.A. ’67, and Barbara Walker, B.A. ’67, (a history and sociology major, respectively), were added near the building’s entrance in 2023.

As Tidwell enters its eighth decade serving Baylor students, it continues to tower over campus as a physical reminder of the University’s Christian foundation and commitment to Christian education.