Morehouse College President Robert Franklin plans to step down after a five-year term as head of the prestigious, historically black men's college.

During his tenure, Franklin launched a new capital campaign and new public perception of Morehouse. He said he plans to take a sabbatical as a scholar in residence at Stanford University's Martin Luther King Jr. Institute and will return to Morehouse to teach.

Franklin will become President Emeritus and Distinguished Professor. If a successor is not found by July 1, Franklin will remain until either a new president is chosen or the end of the year.

Franklin is a 1975 alumnus. Other prominent graduates include King, former U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher, filmmaker Spike Lee, and actor Samuel L. Jackson.

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