Julius H. Cromwell: Investing in HBCUs

Regarding Barry Saunders’ Sept. 21 column “HBCUs can use a hand”: I would like to commend him for his continued discussion of the plight of historically black colleges and universities.

State-supported universities such as Elizabeth City State University, South Carolina State University, Alabama State University and other black institutions across the country have historically suffered from underfunding, a gross lack of resources and continued targeting for closure by state legislators. Private institutions such as Shaw University and St. Augustine University, the oldest HBCUs in the South, have been confronted with similar problems as Morris Brown. Wilberforce University, the oldest HBCU in the country, is facing closure.

As Saunders noted, HBCUs have difficulty asking potential donors for contributions, especially successful black people. He stated that when Dr. Dre, billionaire founder of NWA and co-founder of Beats Electronics, was asked why he gave $35 million to the University of Southern California instead of to black colleges, Dr. Dre answered that none asked him.

Black colleges and universities such as Howard, Hampton, Spelman, Clafflin, Tuskeegee and Morehouse do not have a problem in asking donors for contributions. In addition, more than 50 percent of their alumni give back to their school. We have to come to our senses and begin to reinvest in our own institutions before they are all gone.

This story was originally published October 5, 2015 at 5:27 PM with the headline "Julius H. Cromwell: Investing in HBCUs."