NATIONAL HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES WEEK
The second week in September, each year is marked as National Historically Black Colleges and Universities Week. It celebrates a group of colleges and universities that are classified by the U.S. Government as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The week pays tribute to their legacy of promoting equal opportunities for high-quality education.
The week includes an annual conference in Washington DC where HBCUs are celebrated and acknowledged. The conference also recognizes select scholars and alumni from the HBCU community.
Since 1837, higher education institutions have been educating black students in a broad variety of fields. The first, Institute for Colored Youth, was founded in Cheyney, PA. Since then other universities came to prominence included Howard University, Tuskegee University and Morehouse College to name a few.
Today, more than 100 HBCUs in 19 States, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands educate nearly 300,000 enrolled students.
HOW TO OBSERVE #HCBUWeek
Learn more by visiting the official website.
Follow Historically Black Colleges and Universities by using #HBCU on social media.
HISTORY
In 1980, President Jimmy Carter designated the second week of September as National HBCU Week.
Following the launch of the program, every single president since then has signed an executive order altering and extending the previous one, while maintaining the basic principles. The designation also determines the week the observance is celebrated, usually the second or third week in September.
