Like many of his predecessors, President Donald Trump has asserted the importance of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), praising them as a pathway to careers and a better life for students in the United States.
These schools have not faced cuts in federal grants of the kind that have shaken institutions of the “Ivy League,” which Trump has criticized as “woke” hotbeds and anti-Semitic, and he has said that federal funding for HBCUs is not at risk.
But that doesn’t mean it’s a comfortable moment for the leaders of those schools. While the Trump administration takes strong measures elsewhere against programs to support underrepresented students, universities express their gratitude for the administration’s recognition, while most of them remain silent about the president’s broad attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies.
I don’t think the HBCUs, in general, are in a position to strongly and energetically oppose these attacks, but deep down, we all know what’s happening,” said Deron Snyder, a former student and professor at Howard University. “It’s simply a matter of how much you can say without fear of retaliation.
In an executive order signed by Trump in April, HBCUs are recognized and the support of his administration is promised. It also calls for an annual summit at the White House, partnerships with the private sector, and an advisory board with the Department of Education, but it does not guarantee any new federal funding.
The order received praise from some historically black universities, such as Howard University and Morgan State University, as well as organizations working with HBCUs. Harry Williams, president of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, said that the order should serve as a call to action for corporations, foundations, and lawmakers to redouble their support for these institutions and their students.
But university leaders have said little about other government actions that are not in line with the mission of HBCUs, which were founded to educate people who were previously enslaved.
The administration’s campaign against DEI policies has fostered restrictions on classroom discussions about racism and has led to cuts in federal funding for research. As it threatens to cut federal funding to schools, some universities have closed their diversity offices and canceled other programs to support students of color.
For HBCUs, the moment recalls decades ago when black universities had to argue that school segregation was wrong while also needing to maintain government support for their institutions, said Marybeth Gasman, a professor at Rutgers University who has studied the history of HBCUs.
The leaders of the black universities “do not want the HBCUs to be under the umbrella of DEI, but I do not know any HBCU president who agrees with the way Donald Trump is dismantling diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts,” he said.
The Trump administration has cut federal grants for research at several universities, pressuring them to comply with its agenda. Since Harvard University rejected the administration’s demands to make changes in its policies and leadership, the government has cut $2.6 billion in funding, which the Ivy League school has described as retaliation.
In an interview conducted in April, Trump told NewsNation that historically black colleges and universities should not worry about losing their funding.
Alabama Representative Terri Sewell, vice chairwoman of the HBCU Caucus at the House, said that for a long time, these universities have received bipartisan support. But she stated that there will be new scrutiny on their federal support, in light of the administration’s record on programs that serve minorities.
Sewell, who is a Democrat, said it is also alarming to see the government’s efforts to dismantle the Department of Education.
“We will be fighting fiercely against this and will do everything possible to ensure that our HBCUs receive the money they deserve,” said Sewell. She added that the Congressional Black Caucus is paying close attention to the Republican funding plan for a program that supports 19 HBCUs through the Department of Agriculture.
Williams, from the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, said that HBCUs have exceeded all expectations in the opportunities they have provided to underrepresented students. He said he appreciates the support of the administration, but when asked about the government’s actions against diversity initiatives, he stated that the administration is facing challenges.
Hard work yields fruit and education yields fruit. That’s why these institutions are so important to this country,” he said. “We were pleased to know that, in the realities of those other challenges we face now, in terms of what the administration handles in relation to its priorities, the importance of what these institutions have done for the country and will continue to do in a very deliberate manner is recognized.