HBCUs and black education in America
Published: February 03, 2012
The acronym HBCUs is deeply rooted in American history and represents an almost endless wealth of stories encapsulated in the full title of Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Institutions of higher learning dedicated to the education of primarily black students in America established a presence long before the abolition of slavery and subsequent legislation of accompanying rights granted by the 13th, 14th and 15th Constitutional amendments.
Cheyney University in Pennsylvania, considered the oldest educational facility for blacks, was founded originally as a lower school in 1837 by Richard Humphreys, a Quaker from Philadelphia.
The Commonwealth of Virginia is currently host to six HBCUs including one of the top ten oldest in the country.
Prior to Emancipation made legal by the December 1865 ratification of the 13th Amendment, several additional institutions were established including University of the District of Columbia, 1851; Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, 1854; Wilberforce University (Ohio), 1856; Harris-Stowe State College (St. Louis, Mo.), 1857; LeMoyne-Owen College (Memphis, Tenn.), 1862; Virginia Union University (Richmond), 1864;
