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How Many HBCUs Are There?
The number of HBCUs in the U.S. may surprise you. Currently, there are approximately 100 HBCUs in 19 states across the country that serve approximately 228,000 students. In the last few centuries, Americans from underserved and underrepresented communities, especially Black Americans, were denied access to higher education opportunities. In response, HBCUs were established to provide Black Americans with a safe place to learn to help improve their economic standing.
The first HBCU was Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, which was established in 1837. Cheyney University of Pennsylvania was initially named the African Institute, but the name was later changed to the Institute for Colored Youth. It was founded by Quaker philanthropist Richard Humphreys, who donated $10,000 to create a school just for Black Americans. The school was originally located in Philadelphia and was later moved to its current location in Cheyney, Pennsylvania, in 1902.
Examples of Famous HBCU Graduates
Since the founding of Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, more than 100 HBCUs have been created and have helped to establish incredible intellectuals and leaders. Booker T. Washington graduated from Hampton University, formerly known as Hampton Institute, in Virginia. Washington used his intellectual influence and relationships with political elites to advocate for the economic advancement of Black Americans. He eventually went on to establish his own HBCU, Tuskegee Institute, now known as Tuskegee University, in Alabama. Washington prioritized vocational training at his institute and went on to help shape the direction of many HBCUs.
Similarly, W.E.B Du Bois, a Fisk University graduate and a preeminent intellectual of his time, became the first Black American to obtain a Ph.D. Du Bois penned important literature and was a founding member of the National Association of the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). While Washington and Du Bois differed in their philosophies around education, they both spent their careers working to advance the standing of Black Americans, including in education.
HBCUs List
Alabama
- Alabama A&M University is a 4-year institution in Huntsville that was founded in 1875.
- Alabama State University is a public university in Montgomery.
- Bishop State Community College is a two-year HBCU in Mobile.
- Gadsden State College is a public community college in Gadsden that was founded in 1925.
- J.F. Drake State Technical College is a public HBCU in Huntsville that was founded in 1961.
- Lawson State Community College is a public HBCU in Birmingham and was founded in 1949.
- Miles College is a private HBCU in Fairfield.
- Miles School of Law is a law school in Birmingham and is independent of Miles College in Fairfield. Miles Law was founded in 1974.
- Oakwood University is a private HBCU in Huntsville. It was founded in 1896 in Oakwood.
- Selma University is a private HBCU in Selma that was founded in 1878.
- Shelton State Community College is a two-year program in Tuscaloosa founded in 1952.
- Stillman College in Tuscaloosa is a private, four-year HBCU. It was founded in 1876.
- Talladega College is a private, four-year HBCU that was founded in 1867.
- Tuskegee University in Tuskegee is a private, four-year HBCU. It was founded in 1881 by Booker T. Washington.
- H. Councill Trenholm State Community College is a public HBCU in Montgomery. It was founded in 1963.
Arkansas
- The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff was founded in 1873.
- Arkansas Baptist College in Little Rock was founded in 1884.
- Philander Smith College in Little Rock was founded in 1877.
- Shorter College in North Little Rock was founded in 1886.
Delaware
- Delaware State University in Dover was founded in 1891.
District of Columbia
- The University of the District of Columbia was founded in 1851 as Miner Normal School.
- Howard University was founded in 1867. It has a wide range of notable alumni, including Toni Morrison, Thurgood Marshall, Taraji P. Henson and Kamala Harris.
Florida
- Bethune Cookman University in Daytona Beach was founded in 1904.
- Edward Waters University in Jacksonville was founded in 1866.
- Florida A&M University in Tallahassee was founded in 1887.
- Florida Memorial University in Miami Gardens was founded in 1879.
Georgia
- Albany State University in Albany was founded in 1903.
- Carver College in Atlanta was established in 1943.
- Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta was founded in 1988.
- Fort Valley State University in Fort Valley was founded in 1867.
- Morehouse College in Atlanta is an all-men HBCU that was founded in 1867. Morehouse boasts a list of well-known alumni like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Samuel L. Jackson, Jeh Johnson and Spike Lee.
- Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta became independent of Morehouse College in 1978.
- Morris Brown College in Atlanta was founded in 1881.
- Paine College in Augusta was founded in 1882.
- Savannah State University in Savannah was founded in 1890.
- Spelman College in Atlanta is an all-women HBCU and the sister school to Morehouse, with each university often collaborating for campus-wide events, such as the annual homecoming celebration and festivities. Founded in 1881, Spelman has a variety of notable alumni, including Clara Stanton Jones, Rosalind Jones and Stacey Abrams.



Kentucky
- Kentucky State University in Frankfort was founded in 1886.
- Simmons College of Kentucky in Louisville was founded in 1879.
Louisiana
- Dillard University in New Orleans was founded in 1869.
- Grambling State University in Grambling was founded in 1901.
- Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge was founded in 1880.
- Southern University New Orleans in New Orleans was founded in 1956.
- Southern University-Shreveport in Shreveport was founded in 1967.
- Xavier University in New Orleans was founded in 1925 and was the first Catholic HBCU.
Maryland
- Bowie State University in Bowie was founded in 1865.
- Coppin State University in Baltimore was founded in 1900.
- University of Maryland-Eastern Shore in Princess Anne was founded in 1886.
- Morgan State University in Baltimore was founded in 1867.
Mississippi
- Alcorn State University in Lorman was founded in 1871.
- Coahoma Community College is a public community college in Clarksdale founded in 1949.
- Hinds County Community College is a public community college in Utica founded in 1917.
- Jackson State University is a public university in Jackson founded in 1877.
- Mississippi Valley State University is a public university in Itta Bena founded in 1950.
- Rust College is a private college in Holly Springs founded in 1866.
- Tougaloo College is a private college in Tougaloo founded in 1854.
Missouri
- Harris-Stowe State University is a public university in St. Louis.
- Lincoln University is a public university in Jefferson City founded in 1866.
North Carolina
- Bennett College is a private college in Greensboro founded in 1873.
- Elizabeth City State University is a public university in Elizabeth City founded in 1891.
- Fayetteville State University is a public university in Fayetteville founded in 1867.
- Johnson C. Smith University is a private university in Charlotte founded in 1867.
- Livingstone College is a private college in Salisbury founded in 1879.
- North Carolina Central University is a public university in Durham founded in 1910.
- North Carolina A&T State University is a public university in Greensboro founded in 1891.
- Shaw University is a private university in Raleigh founded in 1865.
- St. Augustine’s University is a private university in Raleigh founded in 1867.
Ohio
- Central State University is a public university in Wilberforce founded in 1887.
- Wilberforce University is a private university in Wilberforce founded in 1856.
Oklahoma
- Langston University is a public university in Langston founded in 1897.
Pennsylvania
- Cheyney University of Pennsylvania is a public university in Cheyney founded in 1837.
- Lincoln University is a public university in Lincoln founded in 1854.
South Carolina
- Allen University is a private university in Columbia founded in 1870.
- Benedict College is a private college in Columbia founded in 1870.
- Claflin University is a private university in Orangeburg founded in 1869.
- Clinton College is a private college in Rock Hill founded in 1894.
- Denmark Technical College is a public community college in Denmark founded in 1947.
- Morris College is a private college in Sumter founded in 1908.
- South Carolina State University is a public university in Orangeburg founded in 1896.
- Voorhees University is a private university in Denmark founded in 1897.
Tennessee
- American Baptist University is a private university in Nashville founded in 1924.
- Fisk University is a private university in Nashville founded in 1886.
- Lane College was founded in Jackson as a private HBCU in 1882.
- LeMoyne Owen College was founded in 1862 in Memphis as a private HBCU.
- Meharry Medical College was founded in Nashville in 1876 as a private institution.
- Tennessee State University was founded in Nashville as a public HBCU in 1912.
Texas
- Huston-Tillotson University in Austin is a private HBCU with its roots dating back to 1875.
- Jarvis Christian College in Hawkins is a private HBCU founded in 1912.
- Paul Quinn College in Dallas is a private HBCU founded in 1872.
- Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View is a public university founded in 1876.
- Southwestern Christian College in Terrell is a private college founded in 1948.
- St. Philip’s College in San Antonio is a public community college founded in 1898.
- Texas College in Tyler is a private college founded in 1894.
- Texas Southern University in Houston is a public university founded in 1927.
- Wiley College in Marshall is a private college founded in 1873.
US Virgin Islands
- The University of the Virgin Islands in St. Thomas and St. Croix is a public university founded in 1962.
Virginia
- Hampton University in Hampton is a private university founded in 1868.
- Norfolk State University in Norfolk is a public university founded in 1935.
- Virginia State University in Petersburg is a public university founded in 1882.
- Virginia Union University in Richmond is a private university founded in 1865.
- Virginia University of Lynchburg is a private university founded in 1886.
West Virginia
- Bluefield State College in Bluefield is a public college founded in 1895.
- West Virginia State University in Institute is a public university founded in 1891.
Robert F. Smith’s Work With HBCUs
Robert F. Smith, the Founder, Chairman and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, is a staunch advocate for HBCUs. Several years ago, Smith made headlines when he donated $34 million to Morehouse College in Atlanta to cover the student loan debt of the 2019 graduating class. Under Smith’s guidance, Student Freedom Initiative partnered with Prudential Financial to provide $1.8 billion in microgrants to HBCU students. The funding will boost paid internships, pro bono services and financial literacy programs for HBCU students and families.
Learn more about Smith’s support for HBCUs by following him on LinkedIn.