Rich in Black History but Long Underfunded, These HBCU Campuses Will be Preserved

Since their emergence before the Civil War and their expansion in the years following the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863, Historically Black Colleges and Universities have been fundamental institutions in the lives of many Black Americans. More than 100 of these institutions still operate in the United States, but many are struggling to maintain and preserve buildings and sites of historic significance on their campuses.

The J.K. Daniels Conference Center in Jackson, Tennessee. Photo courtesy of Lane College.

A new pilot grant program from the National Trust for Historic Preservation wants to fix that. The Cultural Heritage Stewardship Initiative seeks to increase the planning and preservation of historic buildings and campuses, and has awarded a total of $660,000 in grants to eight HBCUs to put those plans in place. “They receive less funding than other more prominent schools, and a lot of them do struggle with balancing the need to continue the educational mission while also preserving buildings,” says Tiffany Tolbert of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Follow the link to learn more about the pilot program and DLR Group’s role.