Following the Civil War, historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) were founded to provide educational access for African American students who were regularly denied admission to long-standing institutions of higher education. The nation’s first HBCU, Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, was established February 25, 1837, and it laid the groundwork for a system of institutions created to educate newly freed and formerly enslaved people.
Today, there are more than 100 HBCUs across the United States. These institutions are not only centers of academic excellence, but also pillars of the community, producing a significant share of Black professionals, including 80% of Black judges and 50% of Black doctors and lawyers, among high-ranking numbers in other professions.