Legacy of HBCUs

North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, North Carolina is the largest HBCU, with more than 12,000 students. Florida A&M University and Howard University are the next largest schools. While a large school can certainly have an impressive legacy, all HBCUs have contributed to important and notable accomplishments and graduated well-known alumni. Shaw University is considered the mother of HBCUs in the South, and North Carolina has the largest number of HBCUs.

HBCUs have established an impressive legacy. HBCU alumni include many famous public figures:

  • W.E.B. Du Bois, Fisk University
  • Ralph Ellison, Tuskegee University
  • Martin Luther King Jr., Morehouse College
  • Thurgood Marshall, Howard University
  • Ruth Simmons, Dillard University
  • Oprah Winfrey, Tennessee State University
  • Mo’Nique, Morgan State University
  • Lionel Richie, Tuskegee University
  • Spike Lee, Morehouse College
  • Jennifer Hudson, Langston University
  • Ella Baker, Shaw University  
  • Jesse Jackson, North Carolina A&T University

What Makes a College an HBCU? 

The Higher Education Act of 1965 defines an HBCU as “any historically Black college or university that was established before 1964, whose principal mission was, and is, the education of Black [people], and that is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association determined by the Secretary.” Are all Black colleges HBCUs? Not necessarily, depending on when they were established. Newly founded colleges don’t fit this definition of an HBCU.

On January 3, 2019, North Carolina Representative Alma Adams spoke out in support of HBCUs, saying that despite only educating 10% of Black college students, HBCUs support:

  • 27% of all Black STEM graduates
  • 40% of all Black engineers
  • 50% of all Black lawyers
  • 50% of all Black public school teachers
  • 80% of all Black judges 

What is a Minority Serving Institution (MSI)? 

MSIs are institutions of higher education that serve minority populations. They are unique both in their missions and in their day-to-day operations. Some of these colleges and universities are in remote regions of the country, whereas others serve urban neighborhoods. Some are only a few decades old, whereas others have been striving for more than a century to give their constituents the social and educational skills needed to overcome racial discrimination and limited economic opportunities. You can find more information about MSIs from the U.S. Office of Civil Rights.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, MSIs are federally recognized Title IV colleges and Universities that enroll high concentrations of minority students. These schools refer to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), and Asian American, Native American and Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs). MSIs support many minority students, low-income students, and first-generation college graduates. To learn more, visit the Rutgers and U.S. Department of Energy websites.