plural HBCUs
: a college or university in the U.S. established before 1964 for African American students : a historically Black college or university
the state's largest HBCU
Note: The term HBCU was created as a federal designation during the 1986 reauthorization of the Higher Education Act of 1965, which expanded federal funding for colleges and universities.
historically Black colleges and universities
Examples of HBCU in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Kansas City Star, 11 June 2026
The choir for Morgan State University in Maryland was named as one of five nominees for the first-ever Historically Black College or University (HBCU) Choir of the Year Award at the 41st Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards.
—Kate Gray, CBS News, 9 June 2026
After returning to the United States, Stephanie pursued her legal education at Southern University Law Center (SULC) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, one of the few remaining HBCU law schools in the country.
—Stephanie Tharpe, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
In fact, in this year’s NFL draft, not one team drafted a player who attended an HBCU.
—Jemele Hill, The Atlantic, 21 May 2026
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Noun
Christian Marshall — Sports Christian Marshall is The Star’s HBCU Fellow from Ellicott City, Maryland.
—Kansas City Star, 11 June 2026
The choir for Morgan State University in Maryland was named as one of five nominees for the first-ever Historically Black College or University (HBCU) Choir of the Year Award at the 41st Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards.
—Kate Gray, CBS News, 9 June 2026
After returning to the United States, Stephanie pursued her legal education at Southern University Law Center (SULC) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, one of the few remaining HBCU law schools in the country.
—Stephanie Tharpe, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
In fact, in this year’s NFL draft, not one team drafted a player who attended an HBCU.
—Jemele Hill, The Atlantic, 21 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for HBCU
Cite this Entry
“HBCU.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/HBCU. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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