The mission of the original historically black colleges and universities was to teach freed slaves to read and write. Although some predominantly white colleges in the Northern United States permitted free blacks to attend, this opportunity was virtually nonexistent in the Southern United States. Founded in Pennsylvania in 1837, Cheyney University has the earliest founding date of any HBCU. It was founded as the Institute for Colored Youth and originally offered only elementary and high school level education.
From 1939 to 1945 Northern religious mission societies and African-American religious groups were primarily responsible for establishing and operating the leading black colleges and universities. Early institutions focused on training students in the ancient languages, natural sciences and humanities and preparing students for teaching and other professions.
Students elect to attend HBCUs for a variety of reasons. Some attend to earn an education and gain a sense of identity and heritage. Students also choose to attend in order to associate with other African-American students and study with peers of the same cultural background in a nurturing atmosphere. Additionally, due to the long history of HBCUs in the African-American community, many generations of African-Americans are graduates of these institutions. Accordingly, some students attend due to familial ties to specific institutions. However, African-Americans are not the only students electing to attend HBCUs. While the institutions continue to be predominantly African-American, many white and foreign students also choose to attend them.
Historically Black colleges and universities produce over half of the country's African-American professionals. According to the United Negro College Fund, although HBCUs represent only three percent of the nation's higher learning institutions, they produce approximately one-fourth of the nation's African-American undergraduate degrees. Additionally, HBCUs graduate 75 percent more of their African-American students than other schools. Xavier has the highest national ranking for placement of African-Americans into medical school, and Florida A&M University is the top producer of African-Americans with Baccalaureate degrees. Additionally, Spelman and Bennett produce over half of the nation's African-American female Doctorates in the sciences.
Several prominent figures have attended HBCUs. Dr. Martin Luther King and the first African-American mayor of Atlanta, Maynard Jackson, both attended Morehouse College. Poet Nikki Giovanni attended Fisk University and singer Erykah Badu attended Grambling. The first African-American Supreme Court Justice, Thurgood Marshall, and author Langston Hughes both attended Lincoln University and Justice Marshall earned his law degree from Howard University. Talk-show host Oprah Winfrey attended Tennessee State University and Rosa Parks attended Alabama State University. Several members of the United States Congress also attended historically black colleges and universities, including Representative John Lewis of Georgia, Representative Jesse Jackson Jr. of Illinois, Representative Gregory Meeks of New York and Representative Corrine Brown of Florida.