Thanks to Deion Sanders and
generations of graduates, Historically Black Colleges and Universities are
having a moment.
The doors of the first HBCUs opened
in Pennsylvania and Ohio before the Civil War started. Racial discrimination
prevented free Blacks from attending established institutions of higher
learning.
The Institute for Colored Youth (named
the African Institute for a short time) began on a farm near Philadelphia in
1837. Today it is Cheyney University
of Pennsylvania.
In October the University reported a
10% increase in its
enrollment over the previous year. The Pennsylvania-owned university is
considered a blueprint for struggling colleges. Several years ago there was
talk of shuttering the historic university because of declining enrollment and
a reported $19 million deficit.
But in 2017 former corporate executive Aaron Walter was hired as president and a successful turnaround began.
