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Abstract: Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) provide invaluable leaders, teachers, administrators, scholars, researchers, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, and practitioners to the United States and the world as a whole. HBCUs can be applauded for graduating some of the most famous and legendary leaders in America's civil rights history such as Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Thurgood Marshall, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, Ms. Rosa Parks, civil rights activist, Spike Lee, film director, producer, and actor (Marklein, 2014, Blackamericaweb.com). This exploratory research article examines the mission of HBCUs in the twenty-first century. The authors review the HBCU literature to critically analyze the history, rationale, and relevance of HBCUs in America. Finally, they offer recommendations on how HBCUs can maintain their relevance in the twenty-first century.
Keywords: Historically Black Colleges and Universities; HBCUs' mission; African Americans; minority serving institutions; relevance
In the twenty-first century our global economy is seeking individuals, especially students who are educated and well-trained to address the fast-pace work environment and technological training needed to compete with other industrialized nations. There are many critics who question the relevance, rationale, and mission of the HBCUs in the twenty-first century. "The simple truth is that Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have played and will continue to play a huge role in producing graduates in every field of human endeavor" (Schexnider, 2008:497; Simms, 2014; Jenkins, 2012; Noel, 2016; Magistad, 2016; Mbajekwe, 2006, Thorton, 2016, Gasman & Tudico, 2008; Liou et al., 2007). In the United States, there are 107 HBCUs that are "public, private, large, small, religious, nonsectarian, minority-serving and open enrolling. They educate 300,000 students and employ over 14,000 faculty members" (American Association of University Professors, 2006:1; Thorton, 2016, New America, 2015; Kim & Conrad ,2006). In 2006, "black colleges [made] up 3% of all institutions of higher education and [enrolled] 14 percent of African American undergraduate students. However, they graduate 28% of all African American undergraduate students who [earned] a degree" (American Association of University Professors, 2006:5). Despite all the bad publicity on the plight of HBCUs they "[s]till graduate some of the country's leading Black professionals. Seventy percent of America's Black Doctors have a degree from an HBCU along with 35% of the Black lawyers...