Historically black universities and colleges braced themsevles for falling enrolment because of the pandemic. Instead, students came back in force
ago prospects looked dire for many historically black colleges and universities : around 100 institutions, mostly in the South, which together boast 290,000 students. A few stars in the sector dazzled, such as Howard University in Washington or Morehouse in Georgia. But expectations for many were low.
Most have a distinguished history, founded after the civil war to educate freed slaves who were denied entry to white-only colleges. They trained the bulk of black doctors, lawyers and teachers and so helped create the African-American middle class. They still turn out over a tenth of all black graduates, but they are struggling. Overwhelmingly, their students are poor and new to higher education.
The pandemic has caused upheaval. William Harvey, president of Hampton University in Virginia, says he cut $43m from his $200m annual budget this year, as the entire college moved online. Another president says he trimmed 11% from his. Yet some colleges that expected students to abandon campus, and braced for less revenue, then found that young people from poorer or unstable families were desperate to return as covid-19 hit African-American homes especially hard.
Just as striking is a surge of interest from companies and donors, especially since the killing of George Floyd in May. Mr Williams says this year will easily see the largest-ever number of donations tos, perhaps well over $500m. Many colleges have seen “the largest single gift they have ever received” in recent months, says Mr Sutton. Hampton, for example, will get $30m from MacKenzie Scott, Jeff Bezos’s ex-wife.
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