What is an HBCU?
Historically Black Colleges and Universities are accredited institutions founded primarily before the 1964 Civil Rights Act to educate Black Americans. There are 107 HBCUs across 19 states, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
HBCU Hub
HBCU legacy lives here.
Explore the history, traditions, culture, leadership, and future of Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
The story, in nine parts
HBCU History
From Cheyney University (1837) and Lincoln University (1854) through the post-Reconstruction founding wave, HBCUs grew out of churches, philanthropic societies, and Black community organizing.
Campus Traditions
Step shows, plot strolling, the Yard, AUC Greek life, gospel chapel, Founders Day — HBCU traditions are an unbroken cultural inheritance.
Homecoming Culture
Homecoming is a generational pilgrimage of alumni, parades, marching bands, gospel services, and shared pride. Many call it the most important week of the year.
HBCU Bands
FAMU's Marching 100, NC A&T's Blue & Gold Marching Machine, and Southern's Human Jukebox redefined halftime culture and American music.
Divine Nine
The nine NPHC sororities and fraternities — founded between 1906 and 1963 — produced the leadership backbone of civil rights and Black professional life.
Alumni Impact
HBCU alumni include a sitting U.S. Vice President, Nobel laureates, Supreme Court justices, Pulitzer winners, Olympic champions, and countless teachers and doctors.
Scholarships
UNCF and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund channel hundreds of millions of dollars annually to HBCU students.
Student Stories
From first-gen freshmen to fifth-year PhDs, HBCU campuses are home to some of the most ambitious and culturally grounded young people in America.
Ten HBCU profiles
A starter collection. Hundreds more deserve a page — submit one if it's missing.
Washington, D.C. · Est. 1867
Howard University
Often called 'The Mecca,' Howard has produced Nobel laureates, justices, and a U.S. Vice President.
Georgia · Est. 1881
Spelman College
The premier liberal arts college for Black women, consistently ranked among the nation's top HBCUs.
Georgia · Est. 1867
Morehouse College
The only historically Black all-male liberal arts college; produced Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
North Carolina · Est. 1891
North Carolina A&T
The largest HBCU in the country and home of the 1960 Greensboro Four sit-in.
Florida · Est. 1887
Florida A&M University
Home of the Marching 100, one of the most influential bands in American music history.
Virginia · Est. 1868
Hampton University
The 'Home by the Sea' produced Booker T. Washington and remains a leader in research and business.
Alabama · Est. 1881
Tuskegee University
Founded by Booker T. Washington; home of the Tuskegee Airmen and George Washington Carver's research.
Maryland · Est. 1867
Morgan State University
Maryland's preeminent public urban research university and a Carnegie R2 institution.
Maryland · Est. 1865
Bowie State University
The oldest HBCU in Maryland with a growing footprint in cybersecurity and STEM.
Texas · Est. 1876
Prairie View A&M
Texas's second-oldest public institution and an HBCU powerhouse in engineering and nursing.
HBCU Resource Links
Trusted external organizations that support HBCU students, alumni, and scholarship.