HBCU

1 of 2

noun

ˌāch-ˌbē-ˌsē-ˈyü 

plural HBCUs

: a college or university in the U.S. established before 1964 for African American students : a historically Black college or university

the state's largest HBCU

Note: The term HBCU was created as a federal designation during the 1986 reauthorization of the Higher Education Act of 1965, which expanded federal funding for colleges and universities.

HBCU

2 of 2

abbreviation

historically Black colleges and universities

Examples of HBCU in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Congresswoman Alma Adams urged support for the IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act to modernize campuses, prompting immediate advocacy from attendees. — Marybeth Gasman, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026

After leading Prairie View to its best season in decades, coach Tremaine Jackson fights for deserved HBCU recognition after a Texas convention snub. — Jason Kirk, New York Times, 24 July 2026

Philadelphia native and Delaware State University sophomore Santino Harwood, along with Lincoln University pitcher Solomon McKinney, have been named to the 2026 HBCU Swingman Classic rosters, the MLB announced Thursday. — Frederick Sutton Sinclair, CBS News, 19 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1980, in the meaning defined above