Tobias Brown, 2025 Morehouse graduate
“I have my entire life to be a minority… so why not go to an institution where I'll be molded and shaped into excellence and greatness?”
Video Runtime:
0:15 HBCU success soundbites
HBCU graduates and leaders reflect on the value of colleges designed for Black success in these short excerpts from the full video.
Jessica Rowland Williams, 2008 Spelman graduate
“My HBCU changed my life entirely. I didn't know who I was… until I was in that environment.”
Video Runtime:
0:15 Victor Blackwell, 2003 Howard graduate
“While most people are looking at the house fire, turn around and look at the people.”
Video Runtime:
0:30 Julian Thompson, 2007 Morehouse grad
“HBCU's are the most innovative product in the history of higher education.”
Video Runtime:
0:15 Featured Content
At HBCUs, student parents have long been part of the family
Winston-Salem State University student Lisa Matthews went back to the college nearly three decades after dropping out as a first-year student in 1985. This time, it stuck. She earned her bachelor’s degree in 2018 and plans to pursue her master’s.
Dillard University students rise to the challenge
NEW ORLEANS — A group of 19 students gathered on Zoom one Wednesday afternoon in late March, eager to discuss the use of the n-word: Who could say it, who couldn’t? Were there some instances where it was OK, and others when it wasn’t? Does it matter if it ended in an -a or a hard -er?
Howard University leads amid the crisis
In 1926, nearly six decades after its founding as a private college in 1867, Howard University was awarded special status. That year, Congress authorized permanent federal funding for the university in a bid to address what it called “the Negro problem” — in effect, approving a type of reparations for slavery and decades of social injustice.
Morgan State gets personal to battle the pandemic
Morgan State University, founded in 1867 to train Black Methodist Episcopal ministers, has grown far beyond its religious roots. Today, Morgan State awards bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in dozens of fields and is making a concerted push to establish itself as a premier urban research institution.
Student support, always a focus, now takes center stage
Step shows. Greek life. Bands and dance teams. For many outside the HBCU community, these are the things that define the nation’s historically Black colleges and universities, the things that grab attention and prompt conversation about these storied institutions.
Morgan State nourishes students every way it can
Deja Jones was hungry. In December 2017, midway through her second year at Morgan State University, she had run out of money and almost out of food.
Affordability
Lower cost and less debt
According to the UNCF Fact Sheet, the average cost of attending an HBCU is 28% less than a comparable predominantly white institution (PWI).
Need to know
Why are enrollments surging at HBCUs?
University administrator Walter Kimbrough explains on All Things Considered | Aug. 13, 2022
A research brief from the Center for Minority-Serving Institutions explores a correlation with the so-called “Missouri Effect.”
Map of HBCUs by state
There are 102 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in 19 states. Find HBCUs by state with this Map of Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Video
Tell them we are rising
The rich history of America’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) began before the end of slavery, flourished in the 20th century, and profoundly influenced the nation’s course for over 150 years—yet remains largely unknown.
Support materials for teachers | Official site
Stream full documentary on
Amazon Prime or AppleTV
In the news
HBCU Brilliance Fund gets support from Lumina Impact Ventures | Reinvestment Fund | Feb. 23, 2022
Charlotte’s racial-equity fundraiser nets more than $80 million for the HBCU | Charlotte Observer | Sept. 1, 2022
MSIs Have Key Role to Play as Infrastructure Bill Rolls Out | Diverse: Issues In Higher Education | Aug. 23, 2022
HBCUs Are More Relevant than Ever | Diverse: Issues In Higher Education | Aug. 18, 2022
HBCUs are building a new prison-to-college pipeline | NPR | Aug. 17, 2022
High-profile grads and a yearning for respite have helped boost HBCU applications | NPR | Aug. 13, 2022
Reports
The HBCU Effect® Research Series—By the Numbers | UNCF | June 15, 2020
Greater Funding, Greater Needs: A Report on Funding for HBCUs | UNCF | July 8, 2022
HBCUs Transforming Generations: Social Mobility Outcomes for HBCU Alumni | UNCF | Nov. 17, 2021
Achieving Financial Equity and Justice for HBCUs | The Century Foundation | Sept. 14, 2021
How HBCUs Can Accelerate Black Economic Mobility | McKinsey & Company | July 28, 2021
A Pledge of Allegiance to America’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities | Center for the Study of HBCUs at Virginia Union University | Jan. 22, 2021
HBCUs and Prior Learning Assessments | WICHE | Oct. 15, 2020
HBCUs Make America Strong: The Positive Economic Impact of Historically Black Colleges and Universities | UNCF | July 26, 2017
“I knew it was my ticket to get what I wanted … to be successful.”
Monique Crowell
Senior Accounting Officer
Video Runtime:
0:30 Student Parent Success Stories from Winston-Salem State University
Lisa Matthews is more than a Winston-Salem State alum. She’s also employed by the university as a student success coach.
Video Runtime:
8:50 “Being there, I felt safe. I felt seen.”
Shyvon Lacy
Grants Management Officer
Video Runtime:
0:30 Being a Student While Being a Parent
Hear the inspiring story of Ariel Ventura-Lazo—a student parent raising two children. His dedication to his children inspired him to succeed despite the odds against him.
Video Runtime:
8:35 HBCU Adult Learner Initiative Kickoff Webinar
Lumina Foundation is partnering with five HBCUs in North Carolina to implement changes to remove institutional policy barriers and launch new or expand existing efforts to better support Black adult learners.
Video Runtime:
2:41:55 HBCU Perspectives: Leadership Perspectives and Priorities
National webinar from June 25, 2020 features 3 HBCU presidents who have led their institutions to improve student retention and completion rates.
Video Runtime:
58:34 Why Should You Go to a Black College?
Historically Black Colleges and Universities consistently outperform non-HBCUs in terms of the student experience, affordability, and after-college preparedness for Black students.
Hear from students who chose an HBCU and what they loved about their experiences.
