Hbcu's Role In Education

For almost two hundred years, HBCU's have played a central role in the education of African American people. They were put into effect to educate the black mind and eliminate the ignorance. Most HBCU's were established after the American Civil War, often with the assistance of northern United States religious missionary organizations. In the years after the Civil War, there were millions of newly freed Black children and adults who emerged from slavery worn but eager and determined to get something they never had; a chance to learn how to read a Bible. This was a big change for them.

Cheyney university of Pennsylvania is the oldest HBCU in the US. It was founded in 1837. It was followed by two other black institutions; Lincoln University in Pennsylvania (1854),and Wilberforce University in Ohio(1856). By 1953, more than 32,000 students were enrolled in such well known private black institutions such as Hampton Institute, Howard University, Morehouse college, Spelman college, and Tuskegee Institute. HBCU's are very important and significant in the education of black
America’s colleges and universities are in fierce competition for resources with several major institutions running billion-dollar campaigns. Black colleges and universities must find ways to increase financial support from middle class and upper income African-Americans, including alumni.

The nation’s historically black colleges and universities, public and private, cannot achieve their potential and achieve sustain-ability as strong, competitive institutions of higher education without focusing greater attention on leadership and governance. For HBCUs in particular, there is often little or no room for error when institutions are on the brink of financial disaster. securing outstanding leadership in the presidency and on governing boards is vital to their continued existence and