Howard University is on a mission to reverse the decline of Black male enrollment at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
On Tuesday, April 8, 2025, the university hosted its third annual Kings of Campus Day, welcoming 150 young Black boys from the District of Columbia Public Schools and Prince George’s County Public Schools for panel discussions emphasizing the importance of Black men attending college, according to a LinkedIn post from Dr. Calvin Hadley.
Hadley, the assistant provost for Student Engagement and Academic Partnerships at Howard University, said he created the event to show young males why they deserve a place at the HBCU and college in general, while urgently conveying to them how valued and needed they are.
“If we are serious about increasing the number of Black males at Howard [and in higher education in general], we have to go back and contribute to building up the pipeline,” Hadley said via LinkedIn. “We are committed to this work and look forward to expanding our partnership with additional school districts, organizations, groups and individual institutions.”
An August 2024 report from the American Institute for Boys and Men (AIBM) found that Black males make up 26% of students at HBCUs. Back in 1976, according to the same report, the demographic made up 38% of students enrolled, NBC4 Washington reports. AIBM attributed the decline to insufficient K-12 preparation, a shortage of Black male teachers, and financial obstacles.
The study also indicated a general enrollment decline of 11% since 2010, AFROTECH™ previously reported.
While the trend is noticeable across higher education, the drop in enrollment is particularly significant among Black male students, with a 25% drop at HBCUs compared to a 22% decline at all institutions, AFROTECH™ reported in 2024.
Similar to Howard’s efforts, Baltimore, MD-based HBCU Morgan State University also announced a task force to help reverse the ongoing trend in January 2025.
The task force consists of an interdisciplinary group of faculty, researchers, staff, and students developing solutions to improve recruitment, engagement, and retention.
“Morgan has long been a leader in providing access and opportunity for Black males seeking higher education,” said Morgan State President David K. Wilson via a news release. “The ongoing decline in Black male enrollment at HBCUs is a clarion call for action, and we will not stand idly by. This task force will engage in rigorous research to understand the forces at play and develop evidence-based strategies to ensure that more Black men not only enroll at Morgan but thrive and complete their degrees.”