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
Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 30 Dec. 2024
In February 2024, coinciding with Black History Month, the U.S. Commerce Department announced the HBCU CHIPS Network, a collaboration between several HBCUs and Georgia Tech.
—Shalin Jyotishi, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024
His grandfather, Waymon Webster, was an HBCU alumnus and a cornerstone of his family’s legacy, inspiring the name of the foundation’s Waymon Webster Scholarship Program.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 24 Dec. 2024
The Waymon Webster Foundation was established in the name of Scott’s grandfather, who attended HBCU Prairie View A&M University in Texas.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 19 Dec. 2024
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
Jackson and Vick are following in the footsteps of figures like Deion Sanders, whose success at Jackson State has shown what’s possible when football greatness meets HBCU pride.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 30 Dec. 2024
In February 2024, coinciding with Black History Month, the U.S. Commerce Department announced the HBCU CHIPS Network, a collaboration between several HBCUs and Georgia Tech.
—Shalin Jyotishi, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024
His grandfather, Waymon Webster, was an HBCU alumnus and a cornerstone of his family’s legacy, inspiring the name of the foundation’s Waymon Webster Scholarship Program.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 24 Dec. 2024
The Waymon Webster Foundation was established in the name of Scott’s grandfather, who attended HBCU Prairie View A&M University in Texas.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 19 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for HBCU
Articles Related to HBCU
Dictionary Entries Near HBCU
Cite this Entry
“HBCU.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/HBCU. Accessed 6 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share