As President Donald J. Trump reduces the staff and budget of the U.S. Department of Education, eliminates diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, and erase parts of history, leaders and students at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are considering their futures.
Last month, Trump signed an executive order directing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to initiate the department’s closure. Cuts exceeding 50% were mandated, showcasing a commitment to “efficiency, accountability, and ensuring that resources are directed where they matter most: to students, parents, and teachers.”
The president stated that federal funding for essential programs, including Pell Grants and student financial aid, will remain unaffected; however, this is still to be determined.
“States may be unlikely to compensate for any potential federal funding cuts to their public HBCUs,” Denise Smith, deputy director of higher education policy and a senior fellow at The Century Foundation said in an interview with Stateline. “There’s a genuine concern that resources could be lost at any moment – even those schools already recognize they need to survive.”
Most students at historically Black institutions depend on Pell Grants or other federal aid and one in five Black college graduates comes from HBCUs, making Department of Education funding critical. However, with the elimination of diversity, equity and inclusion programming and the threat to cut funding for teaching parts of history—often called critical race theory— the Department of Education is not the only concern.
Historically Black colleges and universities play a crucial role in American higher education by providing access, support, and opportunities for generations of Black students and other underrepresented communities. These institutions have consistently produced a significant portion of the nation’s Black professionals, including doctors, teachers, engineers, and public servants, and people such as celebrated civil rights leader the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and former Vice President Kamala Harris.
“As a proud graduate of Howard University, I know firsthand that our HBCUs are centers of academic excellence. For generations, these anchors of our communities have played a pivotal role in building and contributing to America’s leadership at home and abroad. Today, graduates from our Nation’s more than 100 HBCUs are in every room where important decisions are made – leading in our schools, hospitals, courtrooms, boardrooms, and at the highest levels of government,” Harris said in May 2024.
Investing in and preserving HBCUs ensures the continuation of this vital pipeline for upward mobility, innovation, and cultural enrichment.
“As we look forward,” Harris continued, “we know that our HBCUs will continue to prepare young leaders to build a better, more just future for our country and the world.”
Saving HBCUs is not just about preserving tradition; it’s about ensuring the futures of people like King, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, and Harris, the first Black and Southeast Asian woman to lead a major-party ticket. Indeed, these institutions foster inclusive learning environments, cultivate leadership, and contribute billions to the U.S. economy each year.
When we invest in HBCUs, we invest in the intellectual capital and potential of a community that has historically faced systemic barriers. Supporting their sustainability means promoting educational equity and empowering future generations.