Billie Dee Tate

Historically Black Colleges and Universities Billie Dee Tate

In this book, we provide profiles of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the United States. Each institution's basic facts, alma mater, and brief history are presented. These are followed by references. There are more than 100 HBCUs in the United States today. Since their beginning in 1837, when their main responsibility was to educate freed enslaved Africans to read and write, these institutions of higher learning have evolved. Feasibly one of the greatest struggles faced by African Americans in the Unites States has been the struggle to become educated. This struggle has been led by the philosophies of Black scholars who believed that without education and the struggle for it, there would be no progress since it is the passport to the future. Education is currently, and always has been, a crucial weapon as it is a primary source in the fight against a segregated society, racism, illiteracy, and poverty. With the dawn of the 21st Century, HBCUs offer African American students a place to earn a sense of identity, heritage, and community. The ambition of the African American population to be educated influenced the advancement of HBCUS, which have in turn contributed to the progression of the Black community.