Airs Sunday, September 27, at 6 p.m. Before the civil rights movement, African Americans were largely barred from white-dominated institutions of higher education. And so black Americans, and their white supporters, founded their own schools, which came to be known as Historically Black Colleges and Universities. HBCU graduates helped launch the civil rights movement and built the black middle class. But after desegregation, some people began to ask whether HBCUs had outlived their purpose. Yet for the students who attend them, HBCUs still play a crucial – and unique – role.
American RadioWorks: The Living Legacy of Black Colleges in the 21st Century
