Historically Black Colleges and Universities in Arkansas: A Legacy of Education and Empowerment
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) hold a significant place in the history of Arkansas, serving as vital institutions for education, empowerment, and community development for African Americans. These colleges emerged in response to the systemic barriers that prevented African Americans from accessing traditional higher education, particularly in the years following the Civil War. Despite facing numerous challenges, Arkansas's HBCUs have persevered, producing generations of influential leaders, scholars, and activists.
The Origins of HBCUs in Arkansas
The need for HBCUs arose from the pervasive racial segregation and discrimination prevalent in American society. The first college in Arkansas, Cane Hill College, opened in 1834. The establishment of HBCUs provided African Americans with opportunities to pursue higher education, receive professional training, and cultivate intellectual growth. These institutions became cornerstones of their communities, fostering a sense of belonging, pride, and collective identity.
Key HBCUs in Arkansas
Today, four HBCUs continue to uphold this legacy in Arkansas:
- Arkansas Baptist College
- Philander Smith University
- Shorter College
- The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB).
Each institution has its own unique history, but according to representatives of these schools they all share a common goal; to provide an educational opportunity for their students to become successful after college.
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB)
Founded in 1873, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff stands as the state's oldest and largest HBCU, as well as a prominent land-grant university.
Read also: HBCU Legacy in Georgia
Unique History
UAPB was originally established as Branch Normal College to train African American teachers. In 1873, the Arkansas General Assembly authorized the Branch Normal College. The college opened in 1875 with Joseph Carter Corbin as principal. It was nominally part of the "normal" (education) department of Arkansas Industrial University, later the University of Arkansas. It was operated separately as part of a compromise to get a college for black students, as the state maintained racial segregation well into the 20th century. In 1927, the school severed its ties with the University of Arkansas and became Arkansas Agricultural, Mechanical & Normal College (Arkansas AM&N). In 1972, it became part of the University of Arkansas System.
Educational Opportunities
UAPB offers a wide array of undergraduate and graduate programs, with popular fields of study including agriculture, fisheries, business, and education. Since UAPB offers only one engineering degree program (agricultural engineering), it has a partnership with the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville (UA) that allow qualified students to spend three years to complete an engineering related bachelor's degree at UAPB then automatic admissions into UA to complete their engineering bachelor's degree in two years. In 2019, UAPB established a partnership a with UALR William H. Bowen School of Law. UAPB students with at least a 3.4 cumulative GPA, minimum 154 LSAT score, and a clean disciplinary record will automatically be admitted.
Campus Life and Athletics
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff houses over 1,000 students on campus. Hunt Hall (named in memory of Silas Hunt, the first black law student at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville) houses male students. The Harrold Complex, consisting of four halls, Johnson, Copeland, Fischer, and Stevens, is for females. Arkansas-Pine Bluff's sports teams have participated in NCAA Division I in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) since re-joining the conference in 1998, and competes in the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly I-AA) for football. Home football games are held at Golden Lion Stadium. In 2008, UAPB's band known as the Marching Musical Machine of the Mid-South (M4), made their debut appearance at the Honda Battle of the Bands. M4 is one of the top three largest collegiate marching bands in Arkansas and is accompanied by two auxiliaries. Eight of the nine National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) fraternities and sororities are represented on campus. Less than five percent of the undergraduate student body are represented in the NPHC.
Notable Alumni
Notable alumni include Grammy Award-winning artist Smokie Norful and civil rights attorney John W. Walker. In May 2010, then First Lady Michelle Obama delivered the commencement speech. Actress and singer Tatyana Ali, known for her role in the sitcom "The Fresh Prince" also spoke at the university during their Welcome Week Celebration Distinguished Program in September 2017. Two months ago, Arkansas native and Grammy-Award winning Gospel artist Smokie Norful gave the Commencement speech at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.
Philander Smith University
Philander Smith University, located in Little Rock, is a private liberal arts institution affiliated with the United Methodist Church. The college was opened under the supervision of the Freedmen’s Aid Society of The Methodist Episcopal Church, and it was named Walden Seminary. In 1882, Adeline Smith, widow of Philander Smith-an Illinois philanthropist-donated $10,500 to Walden Seminary. The school’s trustees renamed the institution Philander Smith College in recognition of this gift.
Read also: Historically Black Colleges: Why They Still Matter
Unique History
The school began as Walden Seminary in 1877, a training center for African American teachers and ministers. It was renamed Philander Smith College in 1882 to honor a generous benefactor. The “Think Justice” initiative encourages students to engage in social justice advocacy.
Educational Opportunities
Philander Smith offers undergraduate programs in various fields, including biology, business administration, social justice, and computer science. The Social Justice program provides an academic setting to serve its mission. In 2023, Philander Smith began offering its first graduate degree, a Master of Business Administration. That same year, it announced the establishment of a community engagement center, located on West 12th Street, including office space for its Social Justice Hub, criminal justice and cybersecurity program, and Community Development Corporation. In fall 2024, enrollment was 1,000 students.
Social Justice and Activism
Philander Smith College opened its doors to the Little Rock Nine. In March 1960, nearly 50 students participated in a sit-in demonstration at Woolworth’s lunch counter in downtown Little Rock. Store managers closed the lunch counter and five Philander Smith College students were arrested after refusing to leave. George Howard, Jr., an attorney for the five students argued in court that the arrests were a violation of the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution. In 1997, President Bill Clinton attended a candlelight vigil at Philander Smith College in observance of the 40th anniversary of the Central High desegregation crisis.
Notable Alumni
Notable alumni include Dr. Joycelyn Elders, the first African American Surgeon General of the United States, and Scipio A. Jones, a prominent attorney and civil rights leader.
Arkansas Baptist College
Arkansas Baptist College (ABC) was established in 1884 by the Colored Baptists of Arkansas. The primary objective of the institute was to raise the educational level within the Negro Ministry. The secondary objective was to aid the state in making higher education available to young Negro men and women. Most of the College’s students were trained in the ministry.
Read also: Historically Black Colleges
Unique History
ABC was founded to provide religious and general education to African Americans, with an initial mission to prepare students for careers in teaching and ministry. Arkansas Baptist College distinguishes itself through its commitment to social justice and community engagement.
Educational Opportunities
ABC offers degrees in business administration, criminal justice, and religious studies, emphasizing leadership and community development.
Notable Alumni
ABC alumni include religious leaders, educators, and social activists. One notable graduate is Dr. T.B. Mason, a prominent Baptist ministry and education figure.
Shorter College
Shorter College, established in 1886 in North Little Rock, is among Arkansas’s oldest HBCUs. Shorter College is a private, faith-based, two-year liberal arts college located in North Little Rock, Arkansas. Founded in 1886 by the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Shorter College is one of the nation’s 110 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU).
Unique History
The college began as Bethel University, a training institution for AME Church leaders. In 1894, it was renamed Shorter College in honor of Bishop James Alexander Shorter. Shorter College is a two-year HBCU committed to giving students a solid foundation for academic and professional success.
Educational Opportunities
Shorter College offers associate degrees in business, general, and entrepreneurial studies. Shorter College’s open enrollment policy makes obtaining an associate’s level degree possible for any person having earned a high school diploma or GED completion from an accredited agency. The college once provided theological, vocational, and liberal arts programs as a four-year institution.
Notable Alumni
Shorter’s alumni include several notable members of Arkansas’ black history, including civil rights leader Daisy Bates, politician Irma Hunter Brown, educator Charlotte Andrews Stephens, theologian James H. Cone.
The Impact and Challenges Faced by Arkansas HBCUs
Arkansas’s HBCUs have been pillars of education, culture, and community for over a century. These institutions have shaped leaders who continue to inspire and uplift. According to the United Negro College Fund, HBCU’s outperform non-Historical Black Colleges & Universities by 14 percent regarding graduating students from low income African -American families. However, despite their impact, according to Philander Smith College President, Dr. Roderick Smothers, the majority of these institutions are under-resourced.
With the end of segregated higher education, Black colleges had to deal with cultural identity issues. Desegregation had a paradoxical effect on the institutions that had trained the Black intellectuals who dismantled the Jim Crow system. Lower endowments for Black colleges, seen as “a direct result of the wide income gap between African Americans and whites,” put huge financial pressure on small private Black colleges. The relevance of historically Black schools was questioned, although, as of the beginning of the twenty-first century, a third of all bachelor’s degrees awarded to African Americans come from historically Black institutions.
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