National Football League (NFL) Hall of Famer and current Jackson State University Head Football Coach, Deion Sanders, affectionately known as “Coach Prime” has been bringing a significant amount of attention to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) as of late.

Coach Prime has been interviewed on 60 Minutes, been on the cover of Sports Illustrated and for the first time this past Saturday, College Gameday was “live” from Jackson State University. JSU was the first Southwest Athletic Conference (SWAC) campus to ever host the ESPN pregame show and just the 4th HBCU (Front Office Sports, 10.29.2022).

HBCUs were first established 185 years ago with the founding of Cheyney University of Pennsylvania (1837), the University of the District of Columbia (1851) and Harris-Stowe University (1857).

Historically Black Colleges and Universities are located in 19 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands (National Center for Education Statistics, NCES).

Currently there are 102 Historically Black Colleges. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) recognizes 52 HBCU member schools that offer sports on the Division I and Division II levels.

“In The Black Family’s Guide to College Admissions: A Conversation about Education, Parenting, and Race, veteran admissions experts Timothy L. Fields and Shereem Herndon-Brown share provocative insights and demystify the complex process to answer important questions from where to apply to how to get in…The higher education landscape is constantly evolving, and admissions criteria have evolved with it. Fields and Herndon-Brown cover everything from athletic recruitment and artistic talents to financial aid and step-by-step instructions for how to get through the college search and application processes.” – Amazon book review

As you consider the appropriate college match for your student athlete, make sure to include HBCUs as an option. Continue having a great year and keep up the good work!