What Is an HBCU? A Complete List of Schools

In the wake of the Civil War, African American students had few opportunities when it came to pursuing an education. With many colleges and universities denying admission to persons of color, the government passed the second Morrill Act of 1890, which mandated that states offer land grants to academic institutions serving African Americans. The result was the creation of HBCUs, or historically black colleges and universities. According to President George Bush, these institutions “offered the best, and often the only, opportunity for a higher education” to persons of color.

Which Schools Are Considered HBCUs?

Once the primary educational facilities of African Americans, including newly freed slaves after the Civil War, HBCUs now refer to any historically black colleges established prior to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, when school segregation became illegal. According to the Higher Education Act of 1965, an HBCU must be accredited by a nationally recognized agency and dedicated to the education of black Americans. However, today’s HBCUs accept students of all races and ethnicities; in fact, 24% of students who attend HBCUs are non-black.

While HBCUs offer exceptional academic opportunities for students of all races, research shows that they provide particular benefits for students of color. According to a recent Gallup poll, African American students who attended HBCUs enjoyed a better support system than those at traditional institutions. Additionally, they reported experiencing a higher level of financial well-being after graduation and benefited from the school’s rich alumni network.

Another reason that students may opt to attend an HBCU over another educational institution is that the cost of attendance is significantly lower. According to the United Negro College Fund, in 2014 tuition at HBCUs was 26% percent lower than at other four-year colleges.

Complete List of HBCUs

Thinking of attending an historically black college or university? Below is a complete list of HBCUs:

Alabama A&M University

Alabama State University

Albany State University

Alcorn State University

Allen University

American Baptist College

Arkansas Baptist College

Barber-Scotia College

Benedict College

Bennett College

Bethune-Cookman University

Bishop State Community College

Bluefield State College

Bowie State University

C.A. Fredd Campus of Shelton State Community College

Central State University

Cheyney University of Pennsylvania

Claflin University

Clark Atlanta University

Clinton Junior College

Coahoma Community College

Coppin State University

Delaware State University

Denmark Technical College

Dillard University

Edward Waters College

Elizabeth City State University

Fayetteville State University

Fisk University

Florida A&M University

Florida Memorial University

Fort Valley State University

Gadsden State Community College

Grambling State University

Hampton University

Harris-Stowe State University

Hinds Community College

Howard University

Huston-Tillotson University

Interdenominational Theological Center

F. Drake Technical College

Jackson State University

Jarvis Christian College

Johnson C. Smith University

Kentucky State University

Knoxville College

Lane College

Langston University

Lawson State Community College

LeMoyne-Owen College

Lincoln University

Lincoln University of Missouri

Livingstone College

Meharry Medical College

Miles College

Mississippi Valley State University

Morehouse College

Morehouse School of Medicine

Morgan State University

Morris Brown College

Morris College

Norfolk State University

North Carolina A&T State University

North Carolina Central University

Oakwood College

Paine College

Paul Quinn College

Philander Smith College

Prairie View A&M University

Rust College

Saint Philip’s College

Savannah State University

Selma University

Shaw University

Shorter College

South Carolina State University

Southern University and A&M College

Southern University at New Orleans

Southern University at Shreveport

Southwestern Christian College

Spelman College

St. Augustine’s College

Stillman College

Talladega College

Tennessee State University

Texas College

Texas Southern University

Tougaloo College

Trenholm State Technical College

Tuskegee University

University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff

University of Maryland, Eastern Shore

University of the District of Columbia

University of the Virgin Islands

Virginia State University

Virginia Union University

Virginia University of Lynchburg

Voorhees College

West Virginia State University

Wilberforce University

Wiley College

Winston Salem State University

Xavier University of Louisiana

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