At one point, over 90% of African Americans with a college degree obtained it from an HBCU. But in the decades following the legal dismantling of segregation, enrollment declined at HBCUs.

Recently, some HBCUs have seen a significant rise in applications. The boost could be due to more funding, celebrity students, or famous HBCU grads like Vice President Kamala Harris.

But informal conversations with Black students and their families point to something even more powerful: HBCUs are a safe and nurturing space to learn in a time of increasing anti-Black racism.

Host Michel Martin speaks with Walter Kimbrough, the past president of two historically Black institutions - Philander Smith College and Dillard University - and the interim executive director of the Black Men's Research Institute at Morehouse College.

In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.

Email us at [email protected].

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy