For the Culture: HBCU Leaders Rally Together to Protect and Strengthen Black Education

Students from Spelman College and Morehouse College posing for a picture - Credit: Erica L. Green

Sierra Pope | Multimedia News Intern

3-minute Read

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas – "The time for courageous leadership in Black higher education is now," Dr. Hakim J. Lucas, President and CEO of Virginia Union University, emphasized at the virtual B.L.A.C. (Black Leadership Across Campuses) Summit on April 3, 2025.

B.L.A.C. flyer - Credit: Virginia Union University (Website)

For decades, many African Americans have felt that the education system was not built with them in mind. Despite ongoing internal and external difficulties, visionaries from HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) united at this year’s three-hour discussion, addressing systemic barriers and emerging threats to educational equity.

The summit was outlined by the Southern Education Foundation's Miles to Go report, which entails gaps Black students continuously face nationwide. This data provided context for recent conversations involving legislative developments that limit support initiatives for those underrepresented.

Raymond C. Pierce, the President and CEO of the Southern Education Foundation, presented a speech pertaining to historical context toward the Brown v. Board educator displacement and current hazards.

Pierce also cautioned attendees that state-level attacks on diversity programs could escalate into federal actions, potentially leading to funding cuts for institutions that fail to comply.

Raymond C. Pierce posing for a picture - Credit: Southern Education Foundation (Website)

Later, the summit consisted of an array of panels, one featuring Clinton College President, Dr. Archinya Ingram, and Huston-Tillotson University President, Dr. Melva K. Wallace, who shared innovative approaches to recruitment, retention, and campus transformation.

Ingram proceeded to describe her institution's comprehensive aid strategy. "Students come in carrying years of systemic inequality—and we are creating intentional, data-driven environments to meet them with care and excellence,” Dr. Ingram assured.

Dr. Archinya Ingram posing for a picture - Credit: Clinton College (Website)

Wallace then detailed plans to increase Black male enrollment through storytelling and digital outreach, adding peer-led connection to arising fields like Artificial Intelligence. "I want the kid with the hoodie to see himself here," Dr. Wallace claimed.

Dr. Melva K. Wallace posing for a picture - Credit: The Arizona State University and Global Silicon Valley Summit (Website)

To close, the summit captured further insights regarding the forward-looking mission from Dr. Roderick L. Smothers, the Executive Vice President and Interim Provost of Virginia Union University. "We are not simply preparing students to succeed in systems as they are,” Dr. Smothers said. “We are preparing them to lead the transformation of those systems."

Dr. Roderick L. Smothers posing for a picture - Credit: Virginia Union University (Website)

As challenges mount across the country, African American students remain grateful for HBCU leadership—steadfast in going the extra mile to protect equal educational access, championing the limitless futures of their students, and courageously calling out governmental blind spots.

“Thank you for everything you do to fight for educational justice,” the Center for Black Educator Development noted to all Black teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week.