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.
historically Black colleges and universities
Examples of HBCU in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Clayton Davis, Variety, 3 Oct. 2025
While Douglass Morgan did not attend an HBCU herself, her organic excitement can be attributed to her passion for the Black community and recognizing the importance in supporting the legacies of the historic institutions on a national scale.
—Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 29 Sep. 2025
Edwards currently serves as president at Pensole Lewis College, Michigan’s only HBCU and the only HBCU in the nation focused on design.
—Sportico Staff, Sportico.com, 26 Sep. 2025
The announcement comes during HBCU Week 2025, which is honoring the legacy of HBCUs.
—Arthur Jones Ii, ABC News, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for HBCU
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
Through his production banner, Outlier Society, Jordan is also producing a diverse slate of projects and spearheading philanthropic efforts such as the Outlier Society Fellowship and the HBCU Legacy Classic.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 3 Oct. 2025
While Douglass Morgan did not attend an HBCU herself, her organic excitement can be attributed to her passion for the Black community and recognizing the importance in supporting the legacies of the historic institutions on a national scale.
—Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 29 Sep. 2025
Edwards currently serves as president at Pensole Lewis College, Michigan’s only HBCU and the only HBCU in the nation focused on design.
—Sportico Staff, Sportico.com, 26 Sep. 2025
The announcement comes during HBCU Week 2025, which is honoring the legacy of HBCUs.
—Arthur Jones Ii, ABC News, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for HBCU
Cite this Entry
“HBCU.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/HBCU. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share