By Alaina Coats
Updated November 6, 2025
“Earning a degree from an HBCU is more than an accomplishment — it’s an honor steeped in legacy.”
Most historically Black college and university (HBCU) alumni will tell you that earning a degree from their alma mater is a sacred honor.
HBCUs were founded to educate Black students at a time when white institutions barred their admission. Affluent philanthropists, free Black citizens, and churches became the visionaries, funders, and builders who secured the future of Black education.
Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, established in 1837 through a $10,000 land endowment from Quaker philanthropist Richard Humphreys, was the first HBCU. Originally known as the African Institute, it was created to train Black teachers to educate Black students.
Before the U.S. Supreme Court declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional in Brown v. Board of Education (1954), nearly all Black students in the United States attended HBCUs.
This era marked the rise of the term “Black excellence,” a reflection of academic achievement, leadership, and cultural pride. Today’s HBCU scholars continue that legacy through their intellect, eloquence, confidence, and sense of style.
The vibrant traditions that began centuries ago are still celebrated with passion across HBCU campuses. From cookouts in the plaza and Greek yard shows on the quad to homecoming parades, concerts, and dances, the HBCU experience is one that can never be duplicated.
These customs are deeply woven into the fabric of Black culture, community, and identity — a living legacy of resilience and unity.
Can students of other ethnicities attend HBCUs? Absolutely. In fact, thousands of non-Black students already do.
According to HBCUfirst.com, one in four HBCU students is non-Black. Thirteen percent are white, three percent are Latinx, and one percent are Asian. Still, Black students make up the majority of HBCU enrollment.
There are, however, a few exceptions — such as West Virginia State University, Bluefield State College (both in West Virginia), and Gadsden State Community College in Alabama — where white students form the majority.
According to U.S. News & World Report:
Bluefield State’s student body is 85% white and 10% Black.
WVSU’s campus is 61% white and 12% Black.
Gadsden State’s enrollment is 72% white and 18% Black.
These schools, which once served primarily low-income Black students, now educate low-income students of various races. This shift began after Brown v. Board of Education, when Black students gained broader access to predominantly white institutions across the country.
In the South, some non-Black students hesitate to apply to HBCUs, often assuming that these institutions are exclusive to Black students because of their name. However, that’s a misconception.
In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Higher Education Act, defining an HBCU as:
“Any historically Black college or university established prior to 1964, whose principal mission was, and is, the education of Black Americans.”
Importantly, this definition does not restrict attendance by race — HBCUs welcome all students who wish to apply.
If you are thinking about attending an HBCU upon graduation, consider one of the South’s top five:
1. Spelman College, Atlanta, GA
2. Howard University, Washington, D.C.
3. Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL
4. Morehouse College, Atlanta, GA
5. North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Greensboro, North Carolina
One in four students enrolled in Historically Black Colleges and Universities is non-Black
