Historically Black land-grant colleges and universities, established by the Agricultural College Act of 1890 (the Second Morrill Act of 1890), have educated students and nourished the nation since their inception. Despite a legacy of limited support, HBCU land-grant institutions make rich research contributions in crop production, soil sciences, food engineering, biotechnology, and other areas, and they are applying that scientific knowledge to tackle social, health, environmental and other challenges in rural, distressed, and high-risk communities in their states, says this report from The Century Foundation.
The 19 institutions also contribute $5.5 billion in economic impact, demonstrating the critical role they play in supporting local, state, and national economies. In addition, they generate more than $52 billion in lifetime earnings for each graduating class.
As Congress looks to renew the Farm Bill, which provides federal resources to support all land-grant universities, the report calls on moving equity and justice for Black land-grant colleges and universities to the center of the policy conversation.