Honoring HBCU History

The contribution of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to the NFL has changed the game forever.

The elite brotherhood of HBCU players has had a tremendous impact on football and in the communities in which they have played, exemplifying excellence on and off the field.

Whether it’s celebrating personal or team successes or positively impacting communities across the country, the influence of players from HBCUs is woven into the fabric of the NFL.

HBCU Facts

See below for more facts about HBCUs and their extensive history:

• Founded in 1837, Cheyney University of Pennsylvania was the first HBCU. The first HBCU owned and operated by Black Americans was Wilberforce University in Ohio, which was founded in 1856. It was named after William Wilberforce who first led efforts to abolish slavery.
• Between 1861 and 1900, more than 90 institutions of higher learning were established. Founded in 1865, Shaw University was the first Black college organized after the Civil War. Other schools include Talladega College, Howard University, Morehouse College and Hampton University.
• Some of the first HBCUs were established to train teachers, preachers, and other community members.
• Enrollment at HBCUs has been dominated by women since 1976 and has increased ever since.
• HBCUs generate $14.8 billion in economic impact annually, the equivalent to ranking in the top 200 on the Fortune 500 list of the America’s largest corporations.
• HBCUs have created 134,090 jobs for local and regional economies. Of this total, 57,868 are on-campus jobs, and 76,222 are off-campus.
• Over half of all Black American professionals are graduates of HBCUs with more than half of Black public-school teachers and 70% of Black dentists having earned degrees at HBCUs.
• HBCUs remain leading institutions in granting bachelor's degrees to Black students in engineering, mathematics, physical sciences and life sciences (STEM fields).
• Historical figures, such as W.E.B. Du Bois, Ida B. Wells, Booker T. Washington and Martin Luther King Jr. attended HBCUs.
• Other notable HBCU graduates include Vice President Kamala Harris (Howard), Oprah Winfrey (Tennessee State), Samuel L. Jackson (Morehouse College), Toni Morrison (Howard), Spike Lee (Morehouse), and Langston Hughes (Lincoln).
• Currently, there are 35 HBCU alumni from 17 different HBCUs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
• From the 1950s and into the 1970s, many Black players couldn’t attend predominantly white schools to play football. Many players turned to HBCUs, including NFL Legends Jerry Rice, Walter Payton, and Deacon Jones.
• The most HBCU alumni playing in the NFL at once was in 2019 when there were 32 active players in the NFL.
• Following the 2021 NFL Draft, the most draft picks from an HBCU include Grambling State (121), Tennessee State (117), Jackson State (101), Southern University (78), and Florida A&M (69).
• For a complete list of HBCUs located in each state across the U.S., click here.

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