Many Black high school students from the West Coast or East Coast desire to attend an HBCU. But moving down South to attend a school like Morehouse College is too expensive for some (Photo Credit: Todd A. Smith/Regal Media Group).
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have excelled throughout the South since the 1800s.
Because of strict segregation, HBCUs found more success in the South than in other regions of the country.
Now, to lure Black academic talent to the West Coast and East Coast (or keep it there), city leaders in San Francisco and Boston are trying to create satellite HBCU campuses in their cities.
Miriam Musa of Rolling Out reported, “A revolutionary movement is transforming higher education as HBCU satellite campuses expand nationwide, bringing the celebrated culture and excellence of historically Black colleges to cities far beyond their traditional Southern strongholds. From Boston to San Francisco to San Diego, major metropolitan areas are actively competing to establish partnerships with HBCUs that could reshape Black educational access across America.
“This expansion represents more than just new college options—it’s about creating educational opportunities that honor Black excellence while making HBCU education accessible to students who previously faced geographic and financial barriers to attending these transformative institutions.”
Many civic leaders believe that, as diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and affirmative action in college admissions are dismantled, increasing the number of HBCUs across the country can offer the same educational opportunities that were available to Black students in previous generations who could not attend predominantly White institutions due to segregation.
Furthermore, many Black high school students who do not live in the South have expressed the desire for the HBCU experience closer to their home.
Although many HBCUs are known for their affordability, attending an HBCU can still become cost-prohibitive for those coming from the West and East coasts to the South.
College students must weigh the cost of travel, out-of-state fees and what to do over the holidays when the dormitories shut down.
Many out-of-state students have had to stay with their classmates’ families when the school closed for holidays like Thanksgiving and Mardi Gras.
Furthermore, high school students in Southern cities like Houston, Baton Rouge, La., Austin, Texas and Jackson, Miss. can remain in their hometowns and still attend an HBCU.
Some even remain at their parents’ home while they matriculate at the HBCU in their hometown, which also cuts down on costs.
Musa of Rolling Out added, “The reason HBCU satellite campuses expand nationwide starts with students like Kei’Yani Dawson, a junior at a majority-White private high school in San Francisco who dreams of attending a historically Black college where she can learn alongside more students who share her experiences and cultural background.
“For many Black students in cities without HBCUs, the choice between cultural authenticity and practical accessibility feels impossible. Attending traditional HBCU campuses often means traveling hundreds or thousands of miles from home while taking on additional debt for housing and out-of-state tuition.”
The closest HBCU to Boston is Cheyney State University in Pennsylvania.
Huston-Tillotson University plans to establish an off-campus instructional facility in San Diego.
Californians represent the largest group of out-of-state students at the school, which is located in Austin, Texas.
Huston-Tillotson will launch a business administration program in spring 2026.
Despite the expansion out west and in the New England area, some critics believe that creating these satellite campuses will dilute the cultural authenticity.
Musa continued, “The movement for HBCU satellite campuses to expand nationwide recognizes that these institutions produce measurable economic and social outcomes that benefit entire communities. HBCUs produce 70% of Black doctors and dentists, 50% of Black engineers, and 35% of Black attorneys according to United Negro College Fund data…
“Higher retention and graduation rates among Black students at HBCUs compared to predominantly White institutions demonstrate the effectiveness of educational environments specifically designed to support Black student success rather than expecting them to adapt to institutions created for others.”
President Donald Trump’s second administration has made stamping out diversity, equity and inclusion a high priority.
To stay in good graces with President Trump, campuses across the nation have closed offices and organizations dedicated to minority groups.
In the past, many Black students at PWIs have sought refuge in campus organizations that cater to their needs and their experiences.
If a Black student at a PWI faces racism from fellow students, educators, or administrators, cultural organizations offer a safe space and a platform for activism in their daily interactions with members of other communities.
However, with Trump’s crusade against diversity, many of those spaces have been eliminated.
But Black Americans have often used rejection as a means of renaissance and adjustment.
When Black Americans have found themselves excluded from educational, business or social opportunities, they have often created their own opportunities, which often keeps the Black dollar circulating in the Black community.
After the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis in 2020, enrollment at HBCUs increased because many Black high school students wanted to avoid systemic racism and White supremacy for the next four to five years of their lives.
Likewise, with the elimination of diversity, equity and inclusion programs, Black high school students might seek the same refuge in 2025 and beyond.
If nothing else, the HBCU experience might be the only time in their lives where their culture is not just tolerated but celebrated.
That is why many HBCU graduates consider their experience in college as the best years of their lives.
If that happens, that will mean more dollars circulating in the Black community, more money for HBCUs and more opportunities for Black academics.
