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  • Higher Learning and Historically Black Colleges in America
    • Main contributor: Dara Tolbert Brooks
    The oldest HBCU in the United States, Cheyney University of Pennsylvania was established as the Institute for Colored Youth in 1837.

    The term Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU)[1] is new as compared to the rich history of institutions for higher learning established for the free Negro during the period of slavery[2] in America and later for freedmen. These institutes for higher learning grew out of the American reality that non-white people were systematically denied access to education at predominantly white institutions in the United States. These new institutions emerged to provide the Negro the most basic of human rights, access to a full education. This important part of American history is often overlooked in classrooms and underrepresented in mainstream media.

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    When Did the Term Become PopularWhen Did the Term Become Popular

    The term was formally coined and defined in 1965 as part of the Higher Education Act, and specifically under Title III.[3] According to this legislation, an HBCU is an accredited institution of higher education established before 1964, with the principal mission of strengthening and supporting institutions that serve historically underserved populations, particularly those with limited financial resources.

    Oldest HBCUs in AmericaOldest HBCUs in America

    Despite racism and limited resources, four institutions of higher learning were established before the American Civil War.[4]

    Cheyney University in Cheyney, PennsylvaniaCheyney University in Cheyney, Pennsylvania

    • Established in 1837[5]
    • Originally called the Institute for Colored Youth
    • It got its start through the vision and philanthropy of Richard Humphreys[6], a Quaker[7], who was also a West Indies plantation owner

    The University of the District of Columbia (UDC)The University of the District of Columbia (UDC)

    • Established in 1851, for Negro females[8]
    • Traces its beginnings to Myrtilla Miner and the Normal School for Colored Girls[9]
    • Also known as the Miner Normal School
    • Part of the District of Columbia School District, after the Brown v. Board of Education[10] decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, the school merged with an all-white female institution to take on its current name

    Lincoln University of Chester County, PennsylvaniaLincoln University of Chester County, Pennsylvania

    • Building at Lincoln University.
      Building at Lincoln University.
      Chartered in April 1854 as Ashmun Institute for males of African descent[11]
    • Founded by John Miller Dickey, and his wife, Sarah Emlen Cresson
    • The Miller and Dickey families had a long history of helping the poor, supporting education and the temperance movement based in their strong Presbyterian religion
    • In 1866 renamed Lincoln University for President Abraham Lincoln
    • In 1952 it became coed

    Wilberforce UniversityWilberforce University

    • Established in 1856[12]
    • Named for abolitionist, William Wilberforce[13]
    • History tied to Daniel A. Payne[14] a bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal church[15]

    In SummaryIn Summary

    With the help of those who believed education should be accessible to all, these early institutions can be traced to free Negroes, philanthropists and religious organizations. Today, there are over 100 HBCUs across the U.S., each with its own legacy of excellence and resilience. Some of them fall under the category of land grant colleges and universities[16]. Though these institutions of higher learning were established for Black people, they do not discriminate, and anyone may register and attend.

    See alsoSee also

    Explore more about Higher Learning and Historically Black Colleges in AmericaExplore more about Higher Learning and Historically Black Colleges in America

    References

    1. ↑ https://www.ed.gov/grants-and-programs/grants-higher-education/historically-black-colleges-and-universities-hbcus-and-predominantly-black-institutions-pbis/title-iii-part-b-strengthening-0
    2. ↑ https://www.history.com/articles/slavery
    3. ↑ https://www.investopedia.com/terms/h/higher-education-act-of-1965-hea.asp
    4. ↑ https://www.britannica.com/event/American-Civil-War
    5. ↑ https://cheyneyfoundation.org/about-cheyney-university/
    6. ↑ https://cheyney.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/RichardHumphreys_QuakerPhilanthropist.pdf
    7. ↑ https://quaker.org/
    8. ↑ https://blackpast.org/african-american-history/university-district-columbia-1851/
    9. ↑ https://historicsites.dcpreservation.org/items/show/386
    10. ↑ https://blackpast.org/african-american-history/brown-v-board-education-1954/
    11. ↑ History | Lincoln University
    12. ↑ Wilberforce University | African American, Historically Black & Ohio | Britannica
    13. ↑ William Wilberforce | Biography, Achievements, & Facts | Britannica
    14. ↑ Daniel Payne, Bishop, and Historian born - African American Registry
    15. ↑ Overview of the African Methodist Episcopal Church
    16. ↑ The Global Reach of America’s Land-Grant Universities - AgNet West


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    Dara Tolbert Brooks. (2025, December 10). *Higher Learning and Historically Black Colleges in America*. MyHeritage Wiki. https://www.myheritage.com/wiki/Higher_Learning_and_Historically_Black_Colleges_in_America