Making Black America
The Building of Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Since 1837, more than 100 HBCUs have been founded in the United States.
Standing Against Racism: Fostering Unity Through Dialogue
Historically Black Colleges and Universities
About HBCUs
- Most historically Black colleges and universities were established after 1865.
- Today there are 101 HBCUs.
- HBCUs comprise 9% of four-year institutions.
- HBCUs enroll, on average, 24% of all black undergraduates pursuing a bachelor’s degree.
- HBCUs award, on average, 26% of all black bachelor’s degrees.
- HBCUs award, on average, 32% of STEM degrees earned by black students.
- HBCUs graduate 46% of black women who earned degrees in STEM disciplines between 1995 – 2004.
- 14 HBCU engineering schools confer most engineering degrees awarded annually to African American students.
About Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF)
- Founded in 1987.
- Awarded more than $300 million in such assistance to its students and member schools.
- TMCF is the nation’s largest organization exclusively representing the Black college community.
- TMCF member schools include the publicly supported historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and predominantly Black institutions (PBIs).
- Publicly supported HBCUs enroll more than 80% of all students attending HBCUs.
In the News
- The Washington Post: Bloomberg gives record $600 million to HBCU medical schools
- The Baltimore Banner: Morgan State lands $1 million crypto research grant
- Associated Press: $100 million gift from Lilly Endowment to United Negro College Fund will support HBCU endowments
- Richmond County Daily Journal: HBCU fraternities, sororities raise money for Chosen Warrior
- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Northwestern Mutual program helps Milwaukee students go to historically black colleges and universities
- The Washington Post: The historic MacKenzie Scott gifts to historically Black colleges and others: Which schools got how much
- PBS NewsHour: Historically black colleges see a spike in enrollment from racial unrest
- Brookings: If black lives matter, so do historically black colleges and universities
- Diverse Issues in Higher Education: Building for Tomorrow: Congress To Consider Significant Investments in HBCUs
- Roll Call: Supporting historically Black colleges and universities can help America ensure an equitable recovery
- The Hill: Updating the aging infrastructure in Historically Black Colleges and Universities
- Inside Higher Ed: Biden's HBCU Agenda
- The Baltimore Sun: Morgan president: No Black institutions are among the top research universities; here’s why that must change | COMMENTARY
- The Wall Street Journal: Historically Black Colleges Become Focus of Biden, Trump Outreach
- The Baltimore Sun: Maryland HBCU settlement: historic, warranted and overdue | COMMENTARY
About UNCF
- Since its founding in 1944, UNCF has raised more than $5 billion and helped more than 500,000 students attend college, graduate and become leaders.
- Each year UNCF enables more than 60,000 students to attend its 37 member historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
- UNCF awards more than 10,000 scholarships worth $100 million.
HBCU Digital Extras
Say It Loud
Should You Go To an HBCU?
Our hosts discuss the history of HBCUs and present a myriad of reasons why prospective students should consider attending them.