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Five HBCUs Leading the Charge in Creating Black Excellence

WORD IN BLACK — The 2022 proclamation from President Biden for National Historically Black Colleges and Universities Week pointed out their incredible contributions to society: “HBCUs have produced 40 percent of all Black engineers and 50 percent of all Black lawyers in America. Seventy percent of Black doctors in our country attended an HBCU, and 80 percent of Black judges are alumni of these schools.”

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3 months ago

November 19, 2024

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They’ve shaped generations of Black professionals. Now HBCUs are working to educate students K-12, particularly in STEM fields.

By Aziah Siid, Word In Black

What do Martin Luther King Jr., Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, and Vice President Kamala Harris have in common? They’re all graduates of Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

The schools saw a surge in applications from high school seniors after the murder of George Floyd. And along with increasingly being seen by Black high school students and families as havens of safety — both physically and culturally — HBCUs produce nearly 13% of all Black graduates, according to the National Center for Educational Statistics.

I’m a Morgan State graduate, so I know first-hand these schools aren’t just academic institutions. They’re a testament to the determination of Black Americans to create spaces of excellence, empowerment, and cultural affirmation in the face of racism. And in the nearly 187 years since the first HBCU — the African Institute, later renamed Cheyney University of Pennsylvania — opened its doors, they’ve become incubators of Black intellectuals, activists, and professionals.

The 2022 proclamation from President Biden for National Historically Black Colleges and Universities Week pointed out their incredible contributions to society: “HBCUs have produced 40 percent of all Black engineers and 50 percent of all Black lawyers in America. Seventy percent of Black doctors in our country attended an HBCU, and 80 percent of Black judges are alumni of these schools.”

The institutions also play a prominent role in maintaining the Black teacher pipeline. They produce 50% of Black teachers, thus boosting the number of Black men entering classrooms and introducing students to the love of learning.

So, this Black History Month, let’s look at the contributions five HBCUs have made, and how their current impact on K-12 education makes a difference.

1. Howard University

Kamala Harris takes selfie with students at Howard University in 2019. Office of Kamala Harris, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Listen, when the school is the alma mater of Carter G. Woodson, the creator of Black History Month, you know it has to be No. 1 on the list. Founded 150 years ago by Army General Oliver Otis Howard, Howard University has also long been a pioneer in educating Black women at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Our first black vice president, Kamala Harris, graduated in 1986. Charlotte Ray, the nation’s first Black woman lawyer — and the first woman admitted to the Washington D.C. bar — graduated from Howard’s law school in 1872.

HU continues to make modern-day strides as it competes directly with schools in underserved communities through its dual enrollment courses.

2. Spelman College

Graduates of Spelman Seminary, Class of 1908. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Voted as the #1 HBCU in the country for 17 consecutive years by U.S News & World Report, Spelman College has earned its distinction for more reasons than one. Founded in 1881 as Atlanta Baptist Female Seminary, the all-women’s campus has been a beacon of education and hope for Black women nationwide. Spelman College was home to visionaries like Martin Luther King Jr’s daughter, peace advocate and CEO of the King Center, Dr Bernice King, politician and activist Stacey Abrams, and the legendary novelist Alice Walker. Walker’s Pulitzer Prize novel, “The Color Purple,” is one of the most frequently banned books in the United States and continues to serve as a staple in Black history and culture.

Spelman continues to serve the greater Black education community through partnerships like their initiative with the National Education Equity Lab, a nonprofit that works to boost economic and social mobility for high school students. The program provides free college-level courses to low-income high school students to make them confident they can succeed in college and prepare them for higher education. In addition, alumnae of the college are working to make attending the institution more affordable for incoming freshmen and current students.

3. Florida A&M University

By Dre4lyfe200509 – Own work by the original uploader, Public Domain

Through rhythm and song, FAMU alumni, like musical artist Common, have spoken life into the Black community. In 2018, Common helped launch Art in Motion Charter School in his hometown as a way to, as he told Ebony magazine last year, “bring academics but also artistic expression and holistic living to children that are from Chicago.”

As for Common’s alma mater, the 140-year-old university — which began with only 15 students and two instructors — is currently ranked as the No. 1 HBCU for research and development by the National Science Foundation. The university continues to make immense strides in law, pharmaceutical sciences, and more.

To encourage more young people to pursue STEM, FAMU hosts an annual STEM Day for students in grades 6-12. The event features academic speakers, hands-on activities, and science demonstrations to give participants a realistic look at what the future holds.

Additionally, the university holds a “Women and Girls in STEM Mentoring Event” each year, introducing nearly 200 K-12 girls to female engineers, scientists, and academics. In 2022, FAMU expanded its STEM Day to include third, fourth, and fifth graders, broadening the event traditionally aimed at girls in grades 6-12.

4. Morgan State University

Susie H. Carr, the first female graduate of Centenary Biblical Institute, now Morgan State University, in 1878. Public domain.

Morgan State University President David K. Wilson recently became the first HBCU president to win the national Harold W. McGraw Jr. Prize in Education, presented by the McGraw Family Foundation and the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education. His efforts to improve retention, graduation rates, and support for degree completion for Black students underscore MSU’s commitment to advancing Black leadership and success.

The university is committed to increasing representation in fields such as STEM and communications by recruiting students as early as their junior year of high school. Since 2021, Morgan has had a partnership with NASA designed to foster interest and retention in STEM among K-12 students. They also have a summer program for rising high school seniors and incoming freshmen interested in actuarial and mathematical sciences. The free, six-week program allows students to take pre-calculus, go on field trips, and participate in professional development seminars.

5. Prairie View A&M University

Photograph of Prairie View A&M University, 1876. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

One thing Prairie View A&M University has said is her name. Sandra Bland. As a 2009 graduate, member of the Sigma Gamma Rho sorority, civil rights activist, and summer school counselor, Bland’s name echoed throughout the university and the Black Lives Matter movement after her death in 2015.

Founded in 1876 as the Alta Vista Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, the second public institution of higher learning in the state initially admitted only men. Recognizing the need for all Black people to be educated, it soon welcomed women.

PVAMU carries the legacy of inclusivity into its STEM Mobile Road Show. On-board technology allows Prairie View to bring hands-on demonstrations to high schools across the state and enable students to engage in activities.

Leaders of the program hope the mobile show will “play a role in exciting and engaging young minds, in particular under-represented minorities, in STEM education.”

The university also has a shadowing program where secondary students can sign up to follow a College of Engineering student around for a day to get a feel for what the school’s STEM programs are like.

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#NNPA BlackPress

Target Takes a Hit: $12.4 Billion Wiped Out as Boycotts Grow

Target Corporation’s stock plummeted by approximately $27.27 per share by the end of February, erasing about $12.4 billion in market value. The drop came on February 28, the designated economic blackout day, and coincided with mounting backlash over the retailer’s decision to abandon its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) commitments. The National Newspaper Publishers Association […]

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1 day ago

March 2, 2025

Stacy Brown

The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) has taken action through its Public Education and Selective Buying Campaign. NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. said, “Black consumers helped build Target into a retail giant, and now they are making their voices heard. If corporations believe they can roll back diversity commitments without consequence, they are mistaken.”

Reverend Jamal Bryant, pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Georgia, has led calls for a “40-Day Target Fast,” urging Black consumers to withhold their spending at the retailer. “Black people spend $12 million a day at Target,” Bryant said. “If we withhold our dollars, we can make a statement that cannot be ignored.”

The NAACP also issued a Black Consumer Advisory in response to Target’s DEI rollback, warning Black consumers about corporate retreat from diversity initiatives. The advisory urges them to support businesses that remain committed to investing in Black communities.

Target is also facing legal battles. Shareholders have filed lawsuits challenging the company’s DEI policies, arguing that the commitments hurt financial performance. Meanwhile, conservative groups have sued over Target’s diversity efforts, claiming they discriminated against white employees and other groups.

“Consumers have the power to demand change, and Target is learning that lesson the hard way,” Chavis said.

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BREAKING Groundbreaking Singer Angie Stone Dies in Car Accident at 63

By Stacy M. Brown BlackPressUSA Senior National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia The music and entertainment world reacted in shock and sorrow after the tragic death of Angie Stone, the pioneering singer-songwriter and hip-hop trailblazer who was killed in a car accident early Saturday morning in Montgomery, Alabama. She was 63. Stone’s publicist, Deborah R. Champagne, confirmed the […]

Published

2 days ago

March 1, 2025

Stacy Brown

By Stacy M. Brown

BlackPressUSA Senior National Correspondent

@StacyBrownMedia

The music and entertainment world reacted in shock and sorrow after the tragic death of Angie Stone, the pioneering singer-songwriter and hip-hop trailblazer who was killed in a car accident early Saturday morning in Montgomery, Alabama. She was 63.

Stone’s publicist, Deborah R. Champagne, confirmed the devastating news, stating that her family is heartbroken. “A number of her loved ones had just spoken to her last night,” Champagne told TMZ.

Born Angela Brown, Stone first rose to prominence as a member of The Sequence, hip-hop’s first all-female rap group. Their 1979 hit Funk You Up became one of the earliest rap records to break into the mainstream, later sampled in Bruno Mars’ Uptown Funk and Dr. Dre’s Keep Their Heads Ringin’. After her years with The Sequence, Stone launched a solo career in the late 1990s, earning Grammy nominations and releasing celebrated R&B hits like Brotha, No More Rain, and Wish I Didn’t Miss You.

Stone’s career spanned decades, seamlessly blending hip-hop, soul, and R&B. Her debut solo album, Black Diamond, achieved gold status. She earned multiple Grammy nominations, including Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for U-Haul and Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Joe for More Than a Woman and with Betty Wright for Baby.

Several of Stone’s peers offered tributes following the devastating news.

Chuck D, the legendary Public Enemy frontman and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, called Stone a foundational figure. “Angie Stone [was] a powerful pioneer whenever I thought of her,” he told Black Press USA. “A foundation of modern soul and hip-hop and women empowerment that she’s still uncredited for. A terrible loss.”

Rocky Bucano, executive director of the Hip Hop Museum, described Stone as a groundbreaking force. “As a member of The Sequence, Angie B helped pave the way for generations of women in hip-hop,” Bucano said in an email to Black Press USA. “Her impact on hip-hop culture is immeasurable, and her presence will be deeply missed. Rest in power, Angie Stone. Your voice and influence will never fade.”

DJ Ralph McDaniels also told Black Press USA that Stone’s artistry mainly was unmatched. “Peaceful journey to our sister Angie Stone,” he said. “Her voice was unique and direct from hip-hop’s female group Sequence to her solo soul songs.”

Dr. Mario Dickens of Mario Dickens Ministries also offered condolences. “We are saddened to hear of the passing of one of this era’s greatest memorable voices,” he said. “We pray for her loved ones and fans,” said Dickens, who extended his company’s memorial printing services to Stone’s family at no cost.

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NAACP Legend and Freedom Fighter Hazel Dukes Passes

“She was a warrior in the truest sense of the word and activist extraordinaire.” Those words are from Reverend Al Sharpton who is celebrating the life and activism of the iconic Dr. Hazel Nell Dukes, civil rights activist and leader within the ranks of the New York and National Board of the NAACP. Dukes 92 […]

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2 days ago

March 1, 2025

Oakland Post

Just two weeks ago, Dukes was wheelchair bound and present to perform her duty as NAACP Election Supervisory Chair certifying the elections of the rights groups’ board members.

Dr. Ben Chavis, elected in 1993, was the 7th Executive Director and CEO of the NAACP and spoke on the life of Dukes saying, “The transformative leadership legacy of freedom fighter Hazel Dukes will now be enshrined with the greatest honor and respect as a leader of the NAACP in America and throughout the world.”

This morning the Chair of the Board of the NAACP Leon W. Russell told Black Press USA that Dr. Dukes led the NAACP New York Conference for 50 years acknowledging, “Her work has helped ensure that the 116-year-old NAACP could remain relevant and continue its work throughout the years. She has been consistent in her work and her support as a member and a leader.”

Sharpton says she has known her for almost 50 years since he was a teen. “There never was an issue that she was not out front. We’ve gone to jail together and the White House together.”

Sharpton expects to offer comments at Duke’s funeral service. He recalls she was “authentic, committed, and concerned,” The rights leader and TV host also says, “We will never have another Hazel Dukes. But thank God we had this one.”

The NAACP Board was notified of the passing of Dr. Dukes through the following correspondence this morning:

Passing of a Loved One. To God Be The Glory!

Colleagues, it is with a heavy heart and a profound sense of sadness that I inform you of that our sister, Momma Dukes, went to be with the ancestors at 6:20 AM today. Her transition was officially recorded and announced at 6:38 AM. Please lift her up in prayer and continue to pray for her son Ronald and all of her extended family.

It is always hard to send a message like this but as Hazel would say, she is in God’s hands now.

Dr. Hazel Nell Dukes, President of the NAACP New York State Conference and Member of the NAACP National Board of Directors was bold and courageous. She was a true warrior for civil rights and social justice. Her voice and her influence at our table will be missed, but we will all continue to be influenced by that same voice as we continue to fight for that same cause. Hazel was one of the giants on whose shoulders we will continue to stand as we continue to do God’s work here on Earth.

I will keep you informed as arrangements are announced and finalized. Please know that Hazel passed peacefully surrounded by many of the people who loved her and clergy who knew and pastored to her.

May our sister Hazel rest in power.

With a heavy heart.

Leon W. Russell

Chairman

NAACP National Board of Directors