Before stepping foot on Howard University’s campus, Skylar Wilson knew she would see more women there than men. But just how many more stunned her: Howard, one of the most elite historically Black colleges and universities in the nation, is only 25 percent men — 19 percent Black men.
“I was like, ‘Wow,’” said Ms. Wilson, a 20-year-old junior. “How is that possible?”
Howard is not unique. The number of Black men attending four-year colleges has plummeted across the board. And nowhere is this deficit more pronounced than at historically Black colleges and universities, or H.B.C.U.s. Black men account for 26 percent of the students at H.B.C.U.s, down from an already low 38 percent in 1976, according to the American Institute for Boys and Men. There are now about as many non-Black students attending H.B.C.U.s as there are Black men.
Howard University is now, a women's school like many institutions of higher education...
At Howard University, only 19% of students are black men. https://t.co/Jph2oTlHEW
— Ella Septima-Hamer (@jbrous41) March 30, 2025
