historically black colleges

18 Stories

MacKenzie Scott Makes More Hefty Donations

Money goes to historically Black university, preserving Black history

(Newser) - MacKenzie Scott continues to give away her billions , with a new donation benefiting the preservation of Black history and culture, and one going to Morgan State University, a historically Black university. The billionaire philanthropist donated $40 million to the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund in her second major gift...

MacKenzie Scott Makes Another Major Gift

Philanthropist's latest goes to UNCF to financially strengthen HBCUs

(Newser) - Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has donated $70 million to the UNCF, as the nation's largest private provider of scholarships to minority students works to raise $1 billion to strengthen all 37 of its historically Black colleges and universities. The gift is one of Scott's largest single donations ever, reports...

Historically Black Colleges Cancel Classes After Threats

FBI says threats don't seem to be credible

(Newser) - A series of reported threats toward historically Black colleges and universities across the US on Thursday led to lockdown orders, canceled classes, and heightened security. Authorities did not elaborate on the type of threats that were made, and no injuries have been reported. The FBI told the AP that it...

Biden Commencement Speech Could Be Dicey for Him

He will speak at Morehouse, a decision opposed by many of its Black students

(Newser) - When he gives the commencement address at Morehouse College on Sunday, President Biden will have his most direct engagement with college students since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, and it will happen at a center of Black politics and culture. Morehouse is located in Atlanta, the largest city in...

University 'Incensed' After Georgia Cops Search Team Bus

Deputies seemed confident that women from historically black university had weed

(Newser) - It was April 20, and the Delaware State University women’s lacrosse team was headed home up I-95. Near Savannah, Georgia, their charter bus was pulled over by Liberty County Sheriff’s deputies. According to USA Today, the driver "was initially told he was improperly traveling in the left...

6 Sweet Words to College Grads: 'You No Longer Have a Balance'

Donor pays off debt of Class of 2022 at Wiley College in Texas

(Newser) - As far as messages to graduating college seniors go, it's tough to beat. Wiley College President Herman Felton informed more than 100 grads of his school on Saturday that an anonymous donor had paid off their student debt, reports the Root . "If you have a balance, you had ...

Several Black Colleges Receive Bomb Threats
More Than a Dozen HBCUs
Receive Bomb Threats
UPDATED
Feb 1, 2022 3:39 PM CST

More Than a Dozen HBCUs Receive Bomb Threats

Black colleges and universities targeted as Black History Month begins

(Newser) - Update: The first day of Black History Month resulted in more threats against historically Black colleges and universities. CNN reports that at least 13 such HCBUs across the US reported bomb threats on Tuesday, including Howard University in DC. Similar threats were reported Monday and last month. Authorities have not...

What a $50M MacKenzie Scott Donation Has Helped Achieve

She gave that amount in 2020 to Prairie View A&M University

(Newser) - MacKenzie Scott has famously given away billions of dollars of her Amazon-related wealth since 2020. Writing for the New York Times , Gina Cherelus zeroes in on where $50 million of those billions went: to Prairie View A&M University, a historically Black university in Texas. It's actually Texas' second-oldest...

Ex-UPS Driver's Gift Is Biggest Alum Donation Ever to HBCU

Calvin Tyler Jr. dropped out of Morgan State University in 1963

(Newser) - If anyone knows what it's like to struggle to pay for college, it's Calvin Tyler Jr. He enrolled at Baltimore's Morgan State College (now Morgan State University) in 1961 to pursue a degree in business administration. A lack of funds forced him to drop out two years...

America's 'Painful' Times Inspire One CEO to Take Action

Reed Hastings and wife Patty Quillin donate $120M

(Newser) - The top guy at Netflix and his wife just made a major donation to black colleges and say they hope others will do the same, NBC News reports. Company CEO Reed Hastings and Patty Quillin said Wednesday they're giving $120 million to two historically black colleges and the United...

Obama Makes Waves in His Speech to Black Colleges

The former president says officials 'aren't even pretending to be in charge'

(Newser) - The media was waiting for this one—and Barack Obama didn't disappoint. The former president, who's been making headlines with his jabs at the Trump administration, rolled out new quotes Saturday in an online commencement speech to historically black colleges and universities, the New York Times reports. So...

Billionaire Stuns Grads With Commencement Pledge

Robert F. Smith will pay off the loans of Morehouse College students

(Newser) - Billionaire investor Robert F. Smith received an honorary degree from Morehouse College during graduation ceremonies Sunday—and he told the rest of the Class of 2019 that they wouldn't have to worry about repaying student debt. "This is my class and I know my class will pay this...

Small Debts Blocked Their Graduation. A Historic Church Stepped In

Black church donates $150K to historically black colleges and universities

(Newser) - Debts between $100 and more than $3,000 stood between 34 Howard University seniors and graduation. Unless the debts, for things like tuition and fees, were paid, the students likely wouldn't receive their diplomas from the historically black university in Washington, DC. Then Alfred Street Baptist Church stepped in....

Kevin Hart Surprises 18 Kids With College Scholarships

The comedian's charity teamed with the United Negro College Fund to pledge $600K

(Newser) - Kevin Hart has surprised 18 students with scholarships to college totaling $600,000. Per the Philadelphia Inquirer , the comedian's Help from the Hart Charity has teamed up with the United Negro College Fund and the Knowledge is Power Program to help students from eight US cities who are attending...

Mom Warned Beyonce Crowd Wouldn't Get Her Coachella Set

Tina Knowles writes she 'stands corrected'

(Newser) - Beyonce plans to make some generous donations to the historically black colleges she honored in her headline performance at Coachella on Saturday. The singer's BeyGOOD initiative will award $100,000 through its new Homecoming Scholars Award program to four institutions, the Los Angeles Times reports. One student each at...

Angry Students Drown Out DeVos During Graduation Speech

The education secretary was speaking at a historically black university in Florida

(Newser) - Betsy DeVos was drowned out by boos when the education secretary attempted to deliver the commencement speech Wednesday at Florida's Bethune-Cookman University, Politico reports. According to Business Insider , students and audience members at the historically black university booed DeVos for nearly the entirety of her speech, even continuing to...

DeVos Accused of Accidentally Praising Segregation

DeVos says historically black colleges gave students 'more options'

(Newser) - Betsy DeVos is being accused by experts of being "embarrassingly ignorant" and inadvertently praising segregation and Jim Crow in a statement on historically black colleges and universities released Monday night, Politico reports. "HBCUs are real pioneers when it comes to school choice," the education secretary said in...

Obama Calls on Black College Grads to Be Role Models

Speaking at Hampton U., president says education helps break down barriers

(Newser) - President Obama delivered the commencement address at a historically black college today for the first time since taking office. He called on the graduates of Hampton University in Virginia to "be role models for your brothers and sisters, to be mentors in your communities and, when the time comes,...

18 Stories
Most Read on Newser