Giving Compass' Take:

• A recent report titled, HBCUs Make America Strong: The Positive Economic Impact of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, focuses on the local impacts that HBCUs have on the community such as job growth, and local business support. 

• Despite the economic effects, the author mentions that HBCUs have encourtered critics that think these schools are no longer relevant. What is the basis for this criticism and others like it? 

• Read about why we still need historically black colleges and universities. 

Historically black colleges and universities have encountered criticism from pundits who suggest they are no longer relevant. These critics fail to recognize that the economic impact of HBCUs is significant.

Since their inception, historically black colleges have played an important role in supporting local and state economies and preparing graduates to compete in the global economy.

According to the report titled, HBCUs Make America Strong: The Positive Economic Impact of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, HBCUs have a nearly $15 billion annual impact on the nation. Moreover, HBCUs created over 134,000 jobs and their alumni generate over $130 billion throughout their lifetimes.

“This report provides further evidence that HBCUs are a rich and critical part of the fabric of not only the United States’ higher education system, but also society at large,” added Palmer, who has written extensively on issues that impact HBCUs and other minority-serving institutions.

Increasingly, HBCU advocates and researchers are chronicling the role they play in producing skilled workers. For rural, suburban and urban enclaves, HBCUs produce talented practitioners who support local businesses. If any of these institutions were forced to close, communities would suffer economically.

Read the full article about the HBCUs economic impact by Larry Walker at The Hechinger Report.