A lot of our Las Vegas Students are getting ready for graduation and the next chapter in their lives. Some will go to the military and some will attend a 4 year University.
If your child is undecided on what college he/she should attend perhaps the experience of an HBCU (Historically Black College and University) would be a thought.
Historically Black colleges and universities, more commonly known as HBCUs, are institutions of higher education founded to educate Black students. In the 19th century, when many colleges and universities refused to admit Black applicants, HBCUs offered them a route to higher education.
Most HBCUs are in the South. Some of the most well-known HBCUs include Howard University, Spelman College, Fisk University, and Tuskegee University.
Not all HBCUs are private schools, though many are. Florida A&M University, a public institution in Tallahassee, and North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro hold the spots for the best public HBCUs in U.S. News & World Report’s 2021 rankings.
In total, the National Center for Education Statistics counts just over 100 HBCUs in the U.S., split nearly equally between public and private schools.
Many HBCUs rank among the most elite educational institutions in the country. For example, the so-called “Black Ivy League” includes colleges like Howard University, Morehouse College, Spelman College, Tuskegee University, and Hampton University. These Black Ivies educate exceptional students at both the undergraduate and graduate level.
While HBCUs were initially established to educate Black students, today HBCUs enroll diverse student bodies. In 2018, non-Black students made up about a quarter of the student population at HBCUs. They also offer more diverse faculty and staff than other colleges and universities.
according to usnews.com HBCUs are some of the country’s top producers of Black doctors, scientists and engineers.
Local Pastor, Kelcey West of Nehemiah Ministries says “he will be holding his 26th Annual HBCU tour with over 2,500 students that have attended and 154students will attend this year. If you would like your child to take advantage of this tour visit www.32ndst.us for more information.
Here’s a list of the top 10 HBCU’s in the country.
7. Morgan State
Designated by the state as Maryland’s preeminent public urban research university, Morgan State University – founded in 1867 – has more than 140 academic programs. MSU’s campus, which is centered in northeast Baltimore but spans more than 185 acres, was named a National Treasure in 2016 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, according to its website.
6. North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
Founded in the 1890s, the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is a national university that is among the top producers of Black engineers, according to the university’s website. Well-known alumni include civil rights activist Rev. Jesse Jackson and Michael Regan, who was nominated by President Joe Biden to be the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
5. Florida A&M
Classes began at the State Normal College for Colored Students with just 15 students and two instructors when the school was founded in 1887, according to the university’s website. Now known as Florida A&M University, it has been recognized for its pharmacy school and is known as a leading institution in awarding bachelor’s and doctoral degrees to Black students. Well-known alumni include Wimbledon champ Althea Gibson, Olympic gold medalist Robert “Bullet Bob” Hayes and Fox Sports reporter Pam Oliver.
4. Morehouse College
Founded in the basement of a Baptist church in Augusta, Georgia, in 1867 and later moved to Atlanta, Morehouse College is the only all-male HBCU in the country. Martin Luther King, Jr. graduated from the institution in 1948. Morehouse has also produced five Rhodes scholars.
3. Hampton University
Hampton University was founded in 1868 as the Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute. In addition to its mission to educate Black students, Hampton also welcomed 70 previously incarcerated Native Americans in 1878, sparking an educational program that served the American Indian population for more than 40 years. Notable alumni include Booker T. Washington, a renowned educator, speaker and author who founded and presided at Tuskegee University in Alabama until his death in 1915.
2. Xavier University of Louisiana
Xavier University of Louisiana is a top producer of Black medical school applicants, according to data from the Association of American Medical Colleges. Founded as a high school in 1915, the New Orleans university is the nation’s only Catholic HBCU and annually produces more Black graduates who go on to medical school than any other university in the nation, according to the school’s website. Xavier counts former U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin among its graduates.
1. Howard University
Founded in 1867, Howard University spans more than 250 urban acres in the nation’s capital and Maryland. The university has 13 schools and colleges and is home to the country’s first Black-owned public television station, WHUT, according to the school’s website. WHUR, the campus FM radio station, is among the few commercial radio stations owned by a university, per the school’s website. Howard’s many notable alumni include U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, late Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and actress Taraji P. Henson.
