Last year was an extraordinary moment for many historically Black colleges and universities.
HBCUs shared the national spotlight with Vice President Kamala Harris, a Howard University alumna. And as the country grappled with a new racial reckoning in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death, some of those schools received high-profile donations.
Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott gave $160 million to HBCUs and Black college organizations across the country in July 2020. She followed that in December with a $50 million gift to Prairie View A&M University, and an anonymous donor gave Prairie View $10 million in November to help students during the pandemic.
“It’s not surprising that during a moment of national agony on race that minority-serving institutions stand out,” said Ruth Simmons, president of the HBCU, which is part of the Texas A&M System. “We’ve been around since 1876 doing the same work continuously throughout that time. … I think it’s our time to be recognized