The HBCU entrepreneurship community in Birmingham, AL, just received a funding boost. Alabama leads the nation in the number of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), with 14 institutions statewide. Ten of those HBCUs participated in the 2026 HBCU Business Pitch Competition
Hadiyah Mujhid is looking to diversify the world of venture capital (VC). Formation Of HBCUvc The mission of this University of Maryland Eastern Shore graduate was born from a career pivot. In an interview with ForbesBLK, Mujhid recalled her earlier venture, Picturely, which was launched in 2011. The computer vision startup shaped her understanding of VC and the barriers
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This August, Boston will experience something it has never seen before. From August 28–31, 2025, the ESSENCE® HBCU Classic will bring the unmatched pride, pageantry, and cultural brilliance of Historically Black Colleges and Universities to Harvard Stadium—marking the first time the city has hosted an event of this magnitude with HBCUs at its center. The four-day celebration,
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Dr. D’Wayne Edwards learned knowledge was currency early on. As a young Black kid proudly repping Inglewood, CA, he refused to accept the projections others placed on him while pursuing a career in footwear design, despite having no formal college education. Still, he broke into the industry at just 19 as an entry-level designer for LA Gear, according
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James Devine embodies the spirit of giving back through education and community service. The Miami native has transformed his four-decade career as a software engineer into a powerful platform for supporting the next generation of HBCU students. A proud 1985 graduate of Florida A&M University with a degree in Computer Information Systems and a 2011
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NAHB’s second annual HBCU Student Leadership Program brought together 20 students from 10 HBCUs for networking opportunities, leadership development seminars and more throughout this past academic year. Students from the 2024-25 cohort, recommended by their peers and instructors, traveled to Washington, D.C., in the fall for an immersive experience exploring career paths in residential construction. In the
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By Bracey Harris With its chandeliers and pink couches, Pink Noire, a Black-owned hair and beauty supply store in Memphis, Tennessee, seems a world away from the major industries caught up in the global trade war. But owner Chasity Monroe is bracing for the Trump administration’s trade policies to hit her shelves. Tariffs have hiked the import fees on
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HBCU$™, an alumni giving and wealth building network created to help offset decades of disparities in public funding for Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs) by supporting the entrepreneurs they produce, is officially launching on May 1, 2025. Tennessee State University graduate Dorsey West created HBCU$™ after learning of a 2023 analysis by the U.S. Department of Education and
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When adidas tapped the Quilters of Gee’s Bend for its 2025 Honoring Black Excellence campaign, the women behind the iconic quilts were stunned — not because their work lacked value, but because the world was finally catching up to what their community has always known. “It is an honor. We’re very excited,” Claudia Pettway Charley said. “It’s unbelievable in
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Courtesy of Hampton University In 2022, Hampton University, a historically Black university in Virginia, partnered with Stackwell, a Black-owned financial technology company, to create the Hampton Investment Program. After two years of a successful partnership, Hampton University and Stackwell have recently announced plans to expand their program, offering new investment opportunities for both students and
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Courtesy of South Carolina State University Popular fast-food chain Krystal is open in Orangeburg, SC near the campus of HBCU South Carolina State University. The restaurant was brought to Orangeburg by the American radio host of the popular “The Breakfast Club” show, comedian, and television personality Charlamagne Tha God. “This means everything, I love Orangeburg.
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