According to The Atlantic, “Since the early 1990s, the percentage of black students at American colleges and universities has been in steady decline, as have enrollments at many of the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).” With this in mind, it is unsurprising that many HBCUs have also seen a decrease in white enrollment.
However, this trend is changing, with white enrollment increasing at HBCUs. A study by The Atlantic found that “the percentage of black students at HBCUs has declined by more than a third since 1985, while the percentage of white students has increased by more than a third.” This change is most notable at HBCUs with the highest percentage of white enrollment, such as Howard University and Spelman College.
While white enrollment is increasing at HBCUs, it is important to understand that this does not mean that the culture at these schools is changing positively. On the contrary, the increased white enrollment has increased racial tension and decreased racial collaboration. For example, at Howard University, the percentage of white students has increased from 10 percent to nearly 30 percent since the 1990s. In addition, this increase in white enrollment has led to increased racism on campus, with students calling for “a white-only space” and “white-only events.”
White enrollment is increasing at HBCUs, which leads to increased racism and tension on campuses. Therefore, it will be important to monitor the impact of this trend on the culture at HBCUs.
