Most HBCUs are located in broadband deserts, leaving students lacking access to the internet. Some schools and organizations are trying to change that despite federal funding having been pulled.
A 2021 McKinsey report indicated that 82% of HBCUs are located in broadband deserts. They either lack access to a good internet connection or donât have access to it at all.
The impact of the lack of internet access at HBCUS
This issue has a direct impact on students, who need access to online resources to complete their studies and submit assignments.
A student shared her struggle in an email with Claflin University President Dwaun J. Warmack, Ph.D.
âIt is my prayer that Claflinâs passion for education aligns with its compassion. I am currently typing my senior research paper at the local McDonaldâs that I drive to nine miles every day to do this work because my town doesnât have Wi-Fi bandwidth,â CNET reported she wrote years ago.
To remedy the issue, Claflin partnered with the Student Freedom Initiative, a nonprofit organization working to bridge the wealth gap through education. In 2023, it partnered with Cisco in order to provide 5G internet service on Claflinâs campus.
âThe only way for students to actually get access to content was to come together in areas that provided [broadband] access, which created a problem,â Student Freedom Initiative President and CEO Keith Shoates told CNET.
According to a Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies report, broadband deserts are primarily in the Black Rural South, in 152 counties across states that include Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
SFI has worked with several HBCUs in areas lacking internet access, including Alabamaâs Tuskegee University, Florida A&M University, Xavier University of Louisiana and Hampton University in Virginia.
How is the government addressing the issue?
In May, President Donald Trump called for an end to the Digital Equity Act, which he called âRACIST and ILLEGALâ and was part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021. The initiative was passed to help close the gap regarding internet access. According to CNET, the Affordable Connectivity Program, a pandemic-era initiative that helped low-income households pay for internet access, was terminated in May 2024.
Warmack emphasized the importance of federal funding in helping provide access to an internet connection. In the past, Claflin received a $2.9 million grant from the Connecting Minority Community Project via the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. It contributed to internet access being offered on and around campus.
Despite recent changes made by the Trump administration, SFI is still working to give HBCU students internet access.
âWeâre still moving forward because the problem still exists,â Shoates said.