Historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with the intention of primarily serving the African-American community. The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, defines an HBCU as: “…any historically black college or university that was established prior to 1964, whose principal mission was, and is, the education of black Americans, and that is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association determined by the Secretary [of Education] to be a reliable authority as to the quality of training offered or is, according to such an agency or association, making reasonable progress toward accreditation.” There are over 100 HBCUs but I want to share the history behind these fine institutions.

Cheyney University of Pennsylvania

Cheyney University of Pennsylvania (which was originally called the Institute for Colored Youth) was founded in 1837 and was the first HBCU. It was founded by Richard Humphreys, a Quaker philanthropist, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1764. He knew that African-Americans needed trade schools that would prepare them for the job market, so he dedicated one-tenth of his estate to the creation of a new kind of institution. It is currently recognized as the oldest HBCU in the United States.

Lincoln University of Pennsylvania

In 1854 Rev. John Miller Dickey, a Presbyterian minister, and his wife, Sarah Emlen Cresson, a Quaker, founded Ashmun Institute. In 1866,after the assasinaton of President Abraham Lincoln. it was later re-named Lincoln University. This university is known for being the first degree-granting HBCU in the United States.

Wilberforce University

Wilberforce University was founded in 1856 by a unique collaboration between the Cincinnati, Ohio Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church and the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME) to provide classical education and teacher training for black youth. Among its many distinctions, Wilberforce was the first HBCU to be owned and run by African Americans.

Harris-Stowe State University

Harris-Stowe State University, founded in 1857, was originally a teaching school for white students. It was named in honor of William Torrey Harris, a United States Education Commissioner and Superintendent of the St. Louis Public School District. In 1890, the St. Louis school system established Sumner Normal School to train black teachers. In 1929, its name was changed to Stowe Teachers College, after author Harriet Beecher Stowe, who wrote Uncle Tom’s Cabin. The U.S. Supreme Court’s 1954 decision in Brown v. Board of Education mandated integration of public-school systems. In response to this, Harris and Stowe Colleges were merged into one institution this becoming Harris-Stowe College. HSU is known for being the first public institute of teacher education. 

HBCU List

Research articles:
https://sites.ed.gov/whhbcu/one-hundred-and-five-historically-black-colleges-and-universities/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historically_black_colleges_and_universities
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_University_(Pennsylvania)