eHBCU is a first-of-its-kind digital portal connecting students everywhere to the legacy, pride, and power of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. http://www.ehbcu.edu/
And they should be proud. HCBUs provided opportunities for students who would not otherwise have them. They also provide(d) learning environments more fair and equal. Similarly, I once had a graduate from a women's college working for me. I asked her about the experience and what advantages there might have been. She felt there was an advantage to not having to compete with men for everything. It gave women a chance to become themselves. I rather liked that.
Just curious, what is the purpose of HBCUs in the modern day? I feel that it sounds like segregation, though any student is allowed to apply to historically black colleges and universities. However, I don't hear a lot of HBCUs being top-ranking colleges & universities except Howard University and Spelman College.
Here's what ChatGPT has to say about your comment. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) were established in the United States during a time when Black students were largely barred from attending predominantly white institutions (PWIs) due to segregation and systemic racism. Their purpose was to provide access to higher education for African Americans when no other options existed. In the modern day, HBCUs continue to serve a vital role—not as tools of segregation, but as institutions that affirm Black identity, foster academic success, and address the educational disparities that still exist. They provide supportive environments that often lead to better outcomes for Black students, particularly in STEM, medicine, education, and law. For example, while HBCUs represent only about 3% of all U.S. colleges and universities, they produce nearly 20% of all African American graduates and a significant percentage of Black professionals in many fields. As for rankings, it's important to understand that traditional college ranking systems often emphasize factors that disadvantage smaller or underfunded institutions—like endowment size or alumni giving—while overlooking the real social impact HBCUs make. Schools like Howard, Spelman, Morehouse, and North Carolina A&T are just a few of many HBCUs with strong academic reputations and influential alumni. But even lesser-known HBCUs are life-changing for their students and communities. So rather than representing segregation, HBCUs embody resilience, excellence, and opportunity. Their existence remains relevant and necessary in a society where racial equity in education is still a work in progress.
Haha, fair enough. AI is everywhere lately. I just thought it offered a good summary, but totally get that it's not everyone’s cup of tea. (That was also AI)
Allow me to take an alternate view on this... I am (formerly, I haven't paid dues in many years) a freemason under the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of New York. There exists also the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge - State of New York. If you are unfamiliar, Prince Hall lodges were founded to allow for black men to join. While there was no official provision in (some) grand lodges against men of color joining the reality is that the people who led these institutions were still pretty racist and refused to admit them. Originally, the cause was that the ritual requirements of being "a man, free born" would not be met by someone who was born into slavery. So, a separate system of lodges emerged. Today, white men can (and do) join Prince Hall lodges and black men can (and do) the GLFAM. So, why do both exist? It would seem like they should have merged or one just absorbed, no? Well, they still exist because they each have their own history and don't want to lose that history and identity. It wouldn't be right for GLFAM to say "Hey, you only formed because we were racist and now we're a lot less racist so just go ahead and stop existing as your own entity!" And I think the HBCU history is the same sort of thing. Why should they have to suppress that historical legacy just because circumstances around them changed? Especially when that is an admirable history.
