The First HBCU: Remembering The Oldest Black Colleges In the Nation

Do you know when and where the first HBCU was established? Black colleges have played an important role in the education, empowerment, and success of African-American students, from the missionaries that taught runaway slaves to the trade schools that were founded in the early 20th century. Some HBCUs, however, have more history than others: there are over 100 HBCUs in the United States, and many of those institutions have served African-American students for more than one-hundred years. We’ll take a look at the people, places, and traditions that have shaped the first HBCU:

Cheyney University of Pennsylvania: The First HBCU In The United States

Richard Humphreys, a Quaker philanthropist, arrived in Philadelphia in 1764. Humphreys knew that African-Americans needed trade schools that would prepare them for the job market, so he dedicated one-tenth of his estate to the creation of a new kind of institution. Cheyney University of Pennsylvania (which was originally called the Institute for Colored Youth) was founded in 1837, and it is currently recognized as the oldest HBCU in the United States.


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