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List of historically black colleges and universities facts for kids

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This article is about historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). These are special colleges and universities in the United States that were started before 1964. Their main goal was to provide higher education for the Black community.

Many HBCUs are in the Southern United States. This is because, for a long time, state laws in these areas required schools to be separated by race. This meant Black students often couldn't attend other colleges.

Alabama has the most HBCUs, followed by North Carolina and then Georgia. Some colleges on this list were not just "historically" Black; they were only for Black students as long as they existed due to these laws.

Current HBCU Institutions

This section lists HBCUs that are still open today. They continue to provide education and opportunities for students.


Institution City State/
territory		 Founded Type Accredited?
Alabama A&M University Normal Alabama 1875 Public Yes
Alabama State University Montgomery Alabama 1867 Public Yes
Albany State University Albany Georgia 1903 Public Yes
Alcorn State University Lorman Mississippi 1871 Public Yes
Allen University Columbia South Carolina 1870 Private Yes
American Baptist College Nashville Tennessee 1924 Private Yes
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Pine Bluff Arkansas 1873 Public Yes
Arkansas Baptist College Little Rock Arkansas 1884 Private Yes
Barber–Scotia College Concord North Carolina 1867 Private No
Benedict College Columbia South Carolina 1870 Private Yes
Bennett College Greensboro North Carolina 1873 Private Yes
Bethune–Cookman University Daytona Beach Florida 1904 Private Yes
Bishop State Community College Mobile Alabama 1927 Public Yes
Bluefield State University Bluefield West Virginia 1895 Public Yes
Bowie State University Bowie Maryland 1865 Public Yes
Central State University Wilberforce Ohio 1887 Public Yes
Cheyney University of Pennsylvania Cheyney Pennsylvania 1837 Public Yes
Claflin University Orangeburg South Carolina 1869 Private Yes
Clark Atlanta University Atlanta Georgia 1865 Private Yes
Clinton College Rock Hill South Carolina 1894 Private Yes
Coahoma Community College Coahoma County Mississippi 1924 Public Yes
Coppin State University Baltimore Maryland 1900 Public Yes
Delaware State University Dover Delaware 1891 Public Yes
Denmark Technical College Denmark South Carolina 1947 Public Yes
Dillard University New Orleans Louisiana 1869 Private Yes
University of the District of Columbia Washington District of Columbia 1851 Public Yes
Edward Waters University Jacksonville Florida 1866 Private Yes
Elizabeth City State University Elizabeth City North Carolina 1891 Public Yes
Fayetteville State University Fayetteville North Carolina 1867 Public Yes
Fisk University Nashville Tennessee 1866 Private Yes
Florida A&M University Tallahassee Florida 1887 Public Yes
Florida Memorial University Miami Gardens Florida 1879 Private Yes
Fort Valley State University Fort Valley Georgia 1895 Public Yes
Gadsden State Community College Gadsden Alabama 1925 Public Yes
Grambling State University Grambling Louisiana 1901 Public Yes
Hampton University Hampton Virginia 1868 Private Yes
Harris–Stowe State University St. Louis Missouri 1857 Public Yes
Hinds Community College at Utica Utica Mississippi 1903 Public Yes
Howard University Washington District of Columbia 1867 Private Yes
Huston–Tillotson University Austin Texas 1875 Private
U.C.C.		 Yes
Interdenominational Theological Center Atlanta Georgia 1958 Private Yes
J. F. Drake State Technical College Huntsville Alabama 1961 Public Yes
Jackson State University Jackson Mississippi 1877 Public Yes
Jarvis Christian University Hawkins Texas 1912 Private Yes
Johnson C. Smith University Charlotte North Carolina 1867 Private Yes
Kentucky State University Frankfort Kentucky 1886 Public Yes
Knoxville College Knoxville (Mechanicsville) Tennessee 1875 Private No
Lane College Jackson Tennessee 1882 Private Yes
Langston University Langston Oklahoma 1897 Public Yes
Lawson State Community College Bessemer Alabama 1949 Public Yes
LeMoyne–Owen College Memphis Tennessee 1862 Private Yes
Lincoln University Chester County Pennsylvania 1854 Public Yes
Lincoln University of Missouri Jefferson City Missouri 1866 Public Yes
Livingstone College Salisbury North Carolina 1879 Private Yes
University of Maryland Eastern Shore Princess Anne Maryland 1886 Public Yes
Meharry Medical College Nashville Tennessee 1876 Private Yes
Miles College Fairfield Alabama 1898 Private Yes
Mississippi Valley State University Itta Bena Mississippi 1950 Public Yes
Morehouse College Atlanta Georgia 1867 Private Yes
Morehouse School of Medicine Atlanta Georgia 1975 Private Yes
Morgan State University Baltimore Maryland 1867 Public Yes
Morris Brown College Atlanta Georgia 1881 Private Yes
Morris College Sumter South Carolina 1908 Private Yes
Norfolk State University Norfolk Virginia 1935 Public Yes
North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University Greensboro North Carolina 1891 Public Yes
North Carolina Central University Durham North Carolina 1910 Public Yes
Oakwood University Huntsville Alabama 1896 Private Yes
Paine College Augusta Georgia 1882 Private Yes
Paul Quinn College Dallas Texas 1872 Private Yes
Payne Theological Seminary Wilberforce Ohio 1856 Private Yes
Philander Smith University Little Rock Arkansas 1877 Private Yes
Prairie View A&M University Prairie View Texas 1876 Public Yes
Rust College Holly Springs Mississippi 1866 Private Yes
Savannah State University Savannah Georgia 1890 Public Yes
Selma University Selma Alabama 1878 Private Yes
Shaw University Raleigh North Carolina 1865 Private Yes
Shorter College North Little Rock Arkansas 1886 Private Yes
Shelton State Community College Tuscaloosa Alabama 1952 Public Yes
Simmons College Louisville Kentucky 1869 Private Yes
South Carolina State University Orangeburg South Carolina 1896 Public Yes
Southern University at New Orleans New Orleans Louisiana 1956 Public Yes
Southern University at Shreveport Shreveport Louisiana 1967 Public Yes
Southern University and A&M College Baton Rouge Louisiana 1880 Public Yes
Southwestern Christian College Terrell Texas 1948 Private Yes
Spelman College Atlanta Georgia 1881 Private Yes
St. Augustine's University Raleigh North Carolina 1867 Private No
St. Philip's College San Antonio Texas 1898 Public Yes
Stillman College Tuscaloosa Alabama 1876 Private Yes
Talladega College Talladega Alabama 1867 Private Yes
Tennessee State University Nashville Tennessee 1912 Public Yes
Texas College Tyler Texas 1894 Private Yes
Texas Southern University Houston Texas 1927 Public Yes
Tougaloo College Hinds County Mississippi 1869 Private Yes
Trenholm State Community College Montgomery Alabama 1947 Public Yes
Tuskegee University Tuskegee Alabama 1881 Private Yes
University of the Virgin Islands St. Croix & St. Thomas United States Virgin Islands 1962 Public Yes
Virginia State University Petersburg Virginia 1882 Public Yes
Virginia Union University Richmond Virginia 1865 Private Yes
Virginia University of Lynchburg Lynchburg Virginia 1886 Private Yes
Voorhees University Denmark South Carolina 1897 Private Yes
West Virginia State University Institute West Virginia 1891 Public Yes
Wilberforce University Wilberforce Ohio 1856 Private Yes
Wiley University Marshall Texas 1873 Private Yes
Winston-Salem State University Winston-Salem North Carolina 1892 Public Yes
Xavier University of Louisiana New Orleans Louisiana 1915 Private Yes

Closed HBCU Institutions

This section lists HBCUs that are no longer open. Many of these colleges closed after the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This law made it illegal to separate schools by race.

Institution City State Founded Closed Type Comment
Avery College Pittsburgh Pennsylvania 1849 1873 Private Closed due to financial problems.
Bishop College Dallas Texas 1881 1988 Private Started in Marshall, Texas, then moved to Dallas.
Bishop Payne Divinity School Petersburg Virginia 1878 1949 Private First a "normal and industrial" school.
Booker T. Washington Junior College Pensacola Florida 1949 1965 Public Closed after the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
J. P. Campbell College Started in Vicksburg, moved to Jackson in 1898 Mississippi 1890 1964 Private Admitted students who were expelled for civil rights activities.
Carver Junior College Cocoa Florida 1960 1963 Public One of many Black junior colleges in Florida that closed after the Civil Rights Act.
Collier-Blocker Junior College Palatka Florida 1960 1964 Public One of many Black junior colleges in Florida that closed after the Civil Rights Act.
Concordia College Alabama Selma Alabama 1922 2018 Private Closed due to money problems and fewer students.
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 Burned down in 1925.
Georgia Baptist College Macon Georgia 1899 1956 Private
Gibbs Junior College St. Petersburg Florida 1957 1966 Public Closed after the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Guadalupe College Seguin Texas 1884 1936 Private Closed after a fire destroyed its main building.
Hampton Junior College Ocala Florida 1958 1966 Public One of many Black junior colleges in Florida that closed after the Civil Rights Act.
Immanuel Lutheran College Greensboro North Carolina 1903 1961 Private Closed when training for Black students became integrated into other schools.
Jackson Junior College Marianna Florida 1961 1966 Public One of many Black junior colleges in Florida that closed after the Civil Rights Act.
Johnson Junior College Leesburg Florida 1960 1966 Public One of many Black junior colleges in Florida that closed after the Civil Rights Act.
Kittrell College Kittrell North Carolina 1886 1975 Private
Leland University New Orleans Louisiana 1870 1960 Private
Lewis College of Business Detroit Michigan 1928 2013 Private
Lincoln Junior College Fort Pierce Florida 1960 1966 Public One of many Black junior colleges in Florida that closed after the 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
Mount Hermon Female Seminary Clinton Mississippi 1875 1924 Private
Natchez College Natchez Mississippi 1885 1993 Private
Payne College Cuthbert Georgia 1879 1912 Private Became part of Morris Brown University.
Roger Williams University Nashville Tennessee 1864 1929 Private Closed due to financial problems.
Roosevelt Junior College West Palm Beach Florida 1958 1965 Public One of many Black junior colleges in Florida that closed after the Civil Rights Act.
Rosenwald Junior College Panama City Florida 1958 1966 Public One of many Black junior colleges in Florida that closed after the Civil Rights Act.
Saint Paul's College Lawrenceville Virginia 1888 2013 Private Closed in June 2013.
Saints College Lexington Mississippi 1918 2006 Private
Southern Christian Institute Edwards Mississippi 1908? 1954 Private Merged into Tougaloo College.
Storer College Harpers Ferry West Virginia 1865 1955 Public Its campus is now part of a national park.
Suwannee River Junior College Madison Florida 1959 1966 Public One of many Black junior colleges in Florida that closed after the Civil Rights Act.
Volusia County Junior College Daytona Beach Florida 1958 1965 Public One of many Black junior colleges in Florida that closed after the Civil Rights Act.
Western University (Kansas) Quindaro, Kansas City Kansas 1865 1943 Private Only a statue of John Brown remains from its campus.
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