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The history behind Black colleges and universities known as HBCU’s

HBCU’s played crucial role in establishing educational needs for Black Americans

Editor’s Note: This story was first published in 2021.

Prior to the Civil War, there was not a structured higher education system for Black students. Public policy and certain provisions prohibited the education of Blacks in various parts of the nation, which is why historically Black colleges and universities were so important.

The first higher education institution for Blacks called The Institute For Colored Youth was founded in Cheyney, Pennsylvania in 1837, making it the first historically Black college and university. It was followed by two other Black institutions -- Lincoln University in Pennsylvania in 1854 and Wilberforce University in Ohio in 1856.

Although these were called universities or institutes from their founding, According to the U.S. Department of Education, a major part of their mission in the early years was to provide elementary and secondary schooling for students who had no previous education. It was not until the early 1900s that HBCU’s began to offer courses and programs at the postsecondary level.

HBCU’s have played a historical role in enhancing equal educational opportunity for all students. By 1953, more than 32,000 students were enrolled in well known HBCU’s like Fisk University, Hampton Institute, Howard University and Morehouse College.

Today, there are 107 HBCU’s, with nine in Texas. St. Philip’s College is the only HBCU in San Antonio.


About the Author
Sarah Acosta headshot

Sarah Acosta is a weekend Good Morning San Antonio anchor and a general assignments reporter at KSAT12. She joined the news team in April 2018 as a morning reporter for GMSA and is a native South Texan.

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