There are eight historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in South Carolina. These institutions of higher education in the United States were established before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with the intention of primarily serving the African-American community.
In South Carolina, the oldest HBCU is Claflin University; it was established in 1869. Allen University and Benedict College in Columbia, were both founded in 1870. Clinton College in Rock Hill, was founded in 1894. South Carolina State University in Orangburg, was founded in 1896. Voorhees College in Denmark was founded in 1897, followed by Morris College in Sumter, which was founded in 1908. Denmark Technical College is South Carolina’s only state-supported HBCU, it was founded in 1944.
South Carolina Public Radio talks with each College president about how each institution is working to serve a growing and changing South Carolina. And University of South Carolina professor, Dr. Bobby Donaldson talks about the historical impacts HBCUs have played in history.