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List of historically black colleges and universities facts for kids

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This list of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) includes institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before 1964 with the intention of primarily serving the black community.

Alabama leads the nation with the number of HBCUs, followed by North Carolina, then Georgia. Most are located in the Southern United States, where state laws generally required educational segregation until the 1950s and 1960s.

The list of closed colleges includes many that, because of state laws, were racially segregated. In other words, those colleges are not just "historically" black, they were entirely black for as long as they existed.

Current institutions

Institution City State/
territory
Founded Type Comment Regionally
accredited
Alabama A&M University Normal Alabama 1875 Public Founded as "Colored Normal School at Huntsville" Yes
Alabama State University Montgomery Alabama 1867 Public Founded as "Lincoln Normal School of Marion" Yes
Albany State University Albany Georgia 1903 Public Founded as "Albany Bible and Manual Training Institute" Yes
Alcorn State University Lorman Mississippi 1871 Public Founded as "Alcorn University", in honor of James L. Alcorn Yes
Allen University Columbia South Carolina 1870 Private Founded as "Payne Institute" Yes
American Baptist College Nashville Tennessee 1924 Private Federal designation as a historically Black college or university was awarded on March 20, 2013 by the U.S. Education Department. Yes
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Pine Bluff Arkansas 1873 Public Founded as "Branch Normal College" Yes
Arkansas Baptist College Little Rock Arkansas 1884 Private Founded as "Minister’s Institute" Yes
Barber–Scotia College Concord North Carolina 1867 Private Founded as two institutions, Scotia Seminary and Barber Memorial College No
Benedict College Columbia South Carolina 1870 Private Founded as "Benedict Institute" Yes
Bennett College Greensboro North Carolina 1873 Private Founded as "Bennett Seminary" Yes
Bethune–Cookman University Daytona Beach Florida 1904 Private Founded as "Daytona Educational and Industrial Training School for Negro Girls" Yes
Bishop State Community College Mobile Alabama 1927 Public Originally a branch of Alabama State College Yes
Bluefield State University Bluefield West Virginia 1895 Public Founded as "Bluefield Colored Institute" Yes
Bowie State University Bowie Maryland 1865 Public Founded as "Baltimore Normal School" Yes
Central State University Wilberforce Ohio 1887 Public Originally a department at Wilberforce University Yes
Cheyney University of Pennsylvania Cheyney Pennsylvania 1837 Public The oldest HBCU. Founded by Quaker philanthropist Richard Humphreys as "Institute for Colored Youth" Yes
Claflin University Orangeburg South Carolina 1869 Private Yes
Clark Atlanta University Atlanta Georgia 1865 Private Originally two institutions, Clark College and Atlanta University Yes
Clinton College Rock Hill South Carolina 1894 Private Founded as "Clinton Institute" Yes
Coahoma Community College Coahoma County Mississippi 1924 Public Founded as "Coahoma County Agricultural High School" Yes
Coppin State University Baltimore Maryland 1900 Public Founded as "Colored High School" Yes
Delaware State University Dover Delaware 1891 Public Founded as "The Delaware College for Colored Students" Yes
Denmark Technical College Denmark South Carolina 1947 Public Founded as "Denmark Area Trade School" Yes
Dillard University New Orleans Louisiana 1869 Private Founding predecessor institutions: "Straight University" and "New Orleans University" Yes
University of the District of Columbia Washington District of Columbia 1851 Public Founded as "Miner Normal School" Yes
Edward Waters University Jacksonville Florida 1866 Private Founded as "Brown Theological Institute" Yes
Elizabeth City State University Elizabeth City North Carolina 1891 Public Founded as "State Colored Normal School at Elizabeth City" Yes
Fayetteville State University Fayetteville North Carolina 1867 Public Founded as "Howard School" Yes
Fisk University Nashville Tennessee 1866 Private Named for Clinton Bowen Fisk Yes
Florida A&M University Tallahassee Florida 1887 Public Founded as "State Normal College for Colored Students" Yes
Florida Memorial University Miami Gardens Florida 1879 Private Founded as "Florida Baptist Institute in Live Oak" Yes
Fort Valley State University Fort Valley Georgia 1895 Public Founded as "Fort Valley High and Industrial School" Yes
Gadsden State Community College Gadsden Alabama 1925 Public Founded as "Alabama School of Trades" Yes
Grambling State University Grambling Louisiana 1901 Public Founded as "Colored Industrial and Agricultural School" Yes
Hampton University Hampton Virginia 1868 Private Founded as "Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute" Yes
Harris–Stowe State University St. Louis Missouri 1857 Public Founded as "St. Louis Normal School" for whites in 1857, with Stowe Teachers College begun in 1890 for blacks; merged in 1954 Yes
Hinds Community College at Utica Utica Mississippi 1903 Public Founded as "Utica Junior College" Yes
Howard University Washington District of Columbia 1867 Private Named for General Oliver Otis Howard, head of the Freedmen's Bureau Yes
Huston–Tillotson University Austin Texas 1875 Private
U.C.C.
Founded as "Tillotson Collegiate and Normal Institute" Yes
Interdenominational Theological Center Atlanta Georgia 1958 Private Yes
J. F. Drake State Technical College Huntsville Alabama 1961 Public Founded as "Huntsville State Vocational Technical School" Yes
Jackson State University Jackson Mississippi 1877 Public Founded as "Natchez Seminary" by the American Baptist Home Mission Society, became public in 1942 Yes
Jarvis Christian University Hawkins Texas 1912 Private Yes
Johnson C. Smith University Charlotte North Carolina 1867 Private Founded as "Biddle Memorial Institute" Yes
Kentucky State University Frankfort Kentucky 1886 Public Founded as "State Normal School for Colored Persons" Yes
Knoxville College Knoxville (Mechanicsville) Tennessee 1875 Private No
Lane College Jackson Tennessee 1882 Private Founded as "Colored Methodist Episcopal High School" Yes
Langston University Langston Oklahoma 1897 Public Founded as "Oklahoma Colored Agricultural and Normal University" Yes
Lawson State Community College Bessemer Alabama 1949 Public Yes
LeMoyne–Owen College Memphis Tennessee 1862 Private Founded as "LeMoyne Normal and Commercial School" (elementary school until 1870) Yes
Lincoln University Chester County Pennsylvania 1854 Public The first degree-granting HBCU. Founded as "Ashmun Institute" Yes
Lincoln University of Missouri Jefferson City Missouri 1866 Public Founded as "Lincoln Institute" Yes
Livingstone College Salisbury North Carolina 1879 Private Founded as "Zion Wesley Institute" Yes
University of Maryland Eastern Shore Princess Anne Maryland 1886 Public Founded as "Delaware Conference Academy" Yes
Meharry Medical College Nashville Tennessee 1876 Private Founded as the Medical Department of Central Tennessee College Yes
Miles College Fairfield Alabama 1898 Private Known until 1941 as "Miles Memorial College"; named after Bishop William H. Miles Yes
Mississippi Valley State University Itta Bena Mississippi 1950 Public Founded as "Mississippi Vocational College" Yes
Morehouse College Atlanta Georgia 1867 Private Founded as "Augusta Institute" Yes
Morehouse School of Medicine Atlanta Georgia 1975 Private Founded as a part of Morehouse College Yes
Morgan State University Baltimore Maryland 1867 Public Founded as "Centenary Biblical Institute" Yes
Morris Brown College Atlanta Georgia 1881 Private Named after the second Bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church Yes
Morris College Sumter South Carolina 1908 Private Yes
Norfolk State University Norfolk Virginia 1935 Public Founded as "Norfolk Unit of Virginia State University" Yes
North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University Greensboro North Carolina 1891 Public Founded as "The Agricultural & Mechanical College for the Colored Race" Yes
North Carolina Central University Durham North Carolina 1910 Public Founded as "National Religious Training School and Chautauqua" Yes
Oakwood University Huntsville Alabama 1896 Private Founded as "Oakwood Industrial School" Yes
Paine College Augusta Georgia 1882 Private Founded as "Paine Institute" Yes
Paul Quinn College Dallas Texas 1872 Private Named for William Paul Quinn Yes
Payne Theological Seminary Wilberforce Ohio 1856 Private Named for Bishop Daniel Payne. Founded as a seminary with Wilberforce University in 1856. Later became Payne Theological Seminary in 1894. Yes
Philander Smith University Little Rock Arkansas 1877 Private Founded as "Walden Seminary" Yes
Prairie View A&M University Prairie View Texas 1876 Public Founded as "Alta Vista Agriculture & Mechanical College for Colored Youth" Yes
Rust College Holly Springs Mississippi 1866 Private Known as "Shaw University" until 1882 Yes
Savannah State University Savannah Georgia 1890 Public Founded as "Georgia State Industrial College for Colored Youth" Yes
Selma University Selma Alabama 1878 Private Founded as "Alabama Baptist Normal and Theological School" Yes
Shaw University Raleigh North Carolina 1865 Private Founded as "Raleigh Institute" Yes
Shorter College North Little Rock Arkansas 1886 Private Two-year college; founded as "Bethel University" Yes
Shelton State Community College Tuscaloosa Alabama 1952 Public Founded as "J.P. Shelton Trade School" Yes
Simmons College Louisville Kentucky 1869 Private Founded as Kentucky Normal Technological Institute Yes
South Carolina State University Orangeburg South Carolina 1896 Public Founded as "Colored, Normal, Industrial, Agricultural, and Mechanical College of South Carolina" Yes
Southern University at New Orleans New Orleans Louisiana 1956 Public Founded as a branch unit of Southern University in Baton Rouge Yes
Southern University at Shreveport Shreveport Louisiana 1967 Public Part of the Southern University System Yes
Southern University and A&M College Baton Rouge Louisiana 1880 Public Conceptualized by P. B. S. Pinchback, T. T. Allain, and Henry Demas Yes
Southwestern Christian College Terrell Texas 1948 Private Founded as "Southern Bible Institute" Yes
Spelman College Atlanta Georgia 1881 Private Founded as "Atlanta Baptist Female Seminary" Yes
St. Augustine's University Raleigh North Carolina 1867 Private No
St. Philip's College San Antonio Texas 1898 Public Founded as "St. Philip's Sewing Class for Girls" Yes
Stillman College Tuscaloosa Alabama 1876 Private Founded as Tuscaloosa Institute, the College was a concept of Reverend Dr. Charles Allen Stillman, pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Tuscaloosa Yes
Talladega College Talladega Alabama 1867 Private Known as "Swayne School" until 1869 Yes
Tennessee State University Nashville Tennessee 1912 Public Founded as "Agricultural and Industrial State Normal School" Yes
Texas College Tyler Texas 1894 Private Yes
Texas Southern University Houston Texas 1927 Public Founded as "Texas State University for Negroes" Yes
Tougaloo College Hinds County Mississippi 1869 Private Founded as "Tougaloo University" Yes
Trenholm State Community College Montgomery Alabama 1947 Public Founded as "John M. Patterson Technical School" Yes
Tuskegee University Tuskegee Alabama 1881 Private Founded as Tuskegee Institute, Now a National Historic Site Yes
University of the Virgin Islands St. Croix & St. Thomas United States Virgin Islands 1962 Public Founded as "College of the Virgin Islands" Yes
Virginia State University Petersburg Virginia 1882 Public Founded as "Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute at Petersburg" Yes
Virginia Union University Richmond Virginia 1865 Private Founded as "Wayland Seminary," and merged with Richmond Institute (1865) in 1889 Yes
Virginia University of Lynchburg Lynchburg Virginia 1886 Private Founded as "Lynchburg Baptist Seminary" Yes
Voorhees University Denmark South Carolina 1897 Private Founded as "Denmark Industrial School" Yes
West Virginia State University Institute West Virginia 1891 Public Founded as "West Virginia Colored Institute" Yes
Wilberforce University Wilberforce Ohio 1856 Private Named for William Wilberforce. Oldest HBCU to retain its original name, and the first college to be owned and operated by African Americans. Yes
Wiley University Marshall Texas 1873 Private Named for Isaac William Wiley; was Wiley College 1929–2023 Yes
Winston-Salem State University Winston-Salem North Carolina 1892 Public Founded as "Slater Industrial and State Normal School" Yes
Xavier University of Louisiana New Orleans Louisiana 1915 Private Founded as Xavier Preparatory High School Yes
Notes

Defunct institutions

Institution City State Founded Closed Type Comment
Avery College Pittsburgh Pennsylvania 1849 1873 Private Though the records are scant, it appears that Avery College suspended operations in 1873, the year of a great nationwide financial panic. Trustees considered selling the school property to the marker University of Western Pennsylvania (University of Pittsburgh), which had reluctantly accepted Avery's donation to assist in educating a handful of African-American students. Nothing came of the negotiations, however, and Avery College never reopened. As late as 1908, the trustees were debating whether to establish a manual training school or a hospital and nursing school facility on the property. Years later the original three-story building was demolished to make way for a new highway project.
Bishop College Dallas Texas 1881 1988 Private Founded in Marshall, Texas; later moved to Dallas.
Bishop Payne Divinity School Petersburg Virginia 1878 1949 Private Before gaining the right to award bachelor's degrees in 1910, it was the Bishop Payne Divinity and Industrial School. When first founded it was a "normal and industrial" school.
Booker T. Washington Junior College Pensacola Florida 1949 1965 Public The first of twelve black junior colleges created in Florida, it closed after passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Nominally merged with Pensacola Junior College.
J. P. Campbell College Started in Vicksburg, moved to Jackson in 1898 Mississippi 1890 1964 Private Located across the street from Jackson College, now Jackson State University, J. P. Campbell College famously admitted students expelled from high school for participating in the Civil Rights Movement. Then, amidst a failed plan to relocate to Mound Bayou, Mississippi, a black town, it collapsed financially.
Carver Junior College Cocoa Florida 1960 1963 Public One of eleven black junior colleges founded in Florida after the Brown v. Board of Education decision, in an attempt to show that separate but equal higher education facilities existed in Florida. All were abruptly closed after passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
Collier-Blocker Junior College Palatka Florida 1960 1964 Public One of eleven black junior colleges founded in Florida after the Brown v. Board of Education decision, in an attempt to show that separate but equal higher education facilities existed in Florida. All were abruptly closed after passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
Concordia College Alabama Selma Alabama 1922 2018 Private Known as "Alabama Lutheran Academy and Junior College" until 1981; It was the only historically black college among the ten colleges and universities in the Concordia University System. The college ceased operations at the completion of the Spring 2018 semester, citing years of financial distress and declining enrollment.
Daniel Payne College Birmingham Alabama 1889 1979 Private
Friendship College Rock Hill South Carolina 1891 1981 Private
George R. Smith College Sedalia Missouri 1894 1925 Private It burned down April 26, 1925, after which its assets were merged (in 1933) with the Philander Smith College
Georgia Baptist College Macon Georgia 1899 1956 Private Originally known as Central City College, renamed in 1938.
Gibbs Junior College St. Petersburg Florida 1957 1966 Public Regionally accredited. Founded to show that separate but equal educational institutions for African Americans were viable, and that racial integration, mandated by Brown v. Board of Education, was unnecessary. Closed shortly after passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; nominally merged with St. Petersburg Junior College (today St. Petersburg College).
Guadalupe College Seguin Texas 1884 1936 Private Ceased operations after a fire destroyed the main building in 1936.
Hampton Junior College Ocala Florida 1958 1966 Public One of eleven black junior colleges founded in Florida after the Brown v. Board of Education decision, in an attempt to show that separate but equal higher education facilities existed in Florida. All were abruptly closed after passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
Immanuel Lutheran College Greensboro North Carolina 1903 1961 Private The college was closed in 1961 when the Synodical Conference decided that the training of Blacks should be integrated into the educational institutions of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod, the largest member of the conference. The state of North Carolina purchased the campus for $239,000 and it eventually became the East Campus of North Carolina A&T State University.
Jackson Junior College Marianna Florida 1961 1966 Public One of eleven black junior colleges founded in Florida after the Brown v. Board of Education decision, in an attempt to show that separate but equal higher education facilities existed in Florida. All were abruptly closed after passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
Johnson Junior College Leesburg Florida 1960 1966 Public One of eleven black junior colleges founded in Florida after the Brown v. Board of Education decision, in an attempt to show that separate but equal higher education facilities existed in Florida. All were abruptly closed after passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
Kittrell College Kittrell North Carolina 1886 1975 Private
Leland University New Orleans Louisiana 1870 1960 Private Founded as a grade school in New Orleans, Leland was a Baker, Louisiana-based Baptist University when it closed.
Lewis College of Business Detroit Michigan 1928 2013 Private Founded as "Lewis Business College", in the process of being reopened under a new name.
Lincoln Junior College Fort Pierce Florida 1960 1966 Public One of eleven black junior colleges founded in Florida after the Brown v. Board of Education decision, in an attempt to show that separate but equal higher education facilities existed in Florida. All were abruptly closed after passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
Luther College New Orleans Louisiana 1903 1925 Private
Mary Holmes College West Point Mississippi 1892 2005 Private
Mississippi Industrial College Holly Springs Mississippi 1905 1982 Private
Morristown College Morristown Tennessee 1881 1994 Private Founded as a seminary and normal school in the late 1870s, became Knoxville College's satellite campus in 1989, and closed for good in 1994.
Mount Hermon Female Seminary Clinton Mississippi 1875 1924 Private
Natchez College Natchez Mississippi 1885 1993 Private
Payne College Cuthbert Georgia 1879 1912 Private On June 5, 1912, it became part of Morris Brown University
Roger Williams University Nashville Tennessee 1864 1929 Private Two suspicious fires destroyed its main building in 1905. Financial problems led to its closure in 1929; combined with other institutions to form LeMoyne–Owen College.
Roosevelt Junior College West Palm Beach Florida 1958 1965 Public Regionally accredited. One of eleven black junior colleges founded in Florida after the Brown v. Board of Education decision, in an attempt to show that separate but equal higher education facilities existed in Florida. All were abruptly closed after passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
Rosenwald Junior College Panama City Florida 1958 1966 Public One of eleven black junior colleges founded in Florida after the Brown v. Board of Education decision, in an attempt to show that separate but equal higher education facilities existed in Florida. All were abruptly closed after passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
Saint Paul's College Lawrenceville Virginia 1888 2013 Private Founded as "Saint Paul Normal and Industrial School". Closed June 2013.
Saints College Lexington Mississippi 1918 2006 Private Originated as Saints Junior College and Academy
Southern Christian Institute Edwards Mississippi 1908? 1954 Private Merged into Tougaloo College. For a time thereafter its campus, renamed Mt. Beulah, was used by the Delta Ministry, CDGM, and other civil rights organizations.
Storer College Harpers Ferry West Virginia 1865 1955 Public Not regionally accredited. Its endowment was transferred to Virginia Union, where its alumni have been recognized, and its physical assets were given to Alderson-Broaddus College to create scholarships for black students. Its former campus is now part of the Harpers Ferry National Historical Park.
Suwannee River Junior College Madison Florida 1959 1966 Public One of eleven black junior colleges founded in Florida after the Brown v. Board of Education decision, in an attempt to show that separate but equal higher education facilities existed in Florida. All were abruptly closed after passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
Volusia County Junior College Daytona Beach Florida 1958 1965 Public One of eleven black junior colleges founded in Florida after the Brown v. Board of Education decision, in an attempt to show that separate but equal higher education facilities existed in Florida. All were abruptly closed after passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
Western University (Kansas) Quindaro, Kansas City Kansas 1865 1943 Private Had the first statue of abolitionist John Brown, which is all that survives of the campus.
Notes
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