In 1837 Richard Humphreys, a Quaker philanthropist, founded the Institute for Colored Youth in Philadelphia to train free blacks to become teachers. It was moved to Cheyney, Pennsylvania, where it later became Cheyney University. In 1890 Sen. Justin Smith Morrill of Vermont introduced the Second Morrill Act because the First Morrill Act of 1862 was inadequately funded and some Southern states did not use the initial funds to establish black land-grant colleges.
The significance of HBCUs can be measured by many standards. Social reality for the slaves was one that included many laws that were enacted to limit their ability to move from one location to another and even do things such as learn to read. These laws applied to slaves and free persons of color and obviously restricted educational advancement to essentially non-existent levels. There were also many other laws governing almost any activity in which slaves or free blacks could engage.
The function of HBCUs has been a subject of controversy almost from the beginning to today. Questions arose such as should HBCUs even exist, what type of education should they provide and how should they relate to the social, economic and political environment of the dominant culture. Booker T. Washington argued for an "industrial" education for blacks, while W.E.B. DuBois argued for a "classical" approach. Today's HBCUs have curricula that employs both.
With the cost of college tuition rising each year, a major concern today is how will those black high school graduates who are academically qualified for higher learning, but have parents who are "financially embarrassed," attain entry into a college or university. Enter HBCUs. A study by the United Negro College Fund shows that HBCUs have much lower tuition rates than colleges that do not specifically cater to black students, according to U.S. News and World Report. A caveat to this is that grants offered by white colleges may actually make obtaining a degree less costly than an HBCU.
The future of historically black colleges and universities is much in jeopardy today. Changing ethnic and economic realities are mandating changes in higher education. Dwindling state revenues and budgetary constraints are leading some politicians to suggest merging HBCUs into nearby white colleges or other HBCUs to streamline education spending. The short and long-term survival of many HBCUs could depend greatly upon the generosity of alumni and other philanthropists.