On Monday, the Biden administration sent letters to 16 governors, highlighting a long-standing issue of underfunding historically Black land-grant colleges. The letters, signed by Education Secretary Miguel Cardona and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, mark the first time the federal government has quantified the extent of financial discrimination against these institutions over the past 30 years.
The underfunding has resulted in significant disparities in resources and delayed investments in areas such as campus infrastructure, research and development, and student support services, according to Cardona. Out of the nation’s 100+ historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), only 19 are designated as land-grant institutions under the Second Morrill Act of 1890, and it is these 19 that the government analyzed for funding discrepancies.
The story dates back to the Civil War when Senator Justin Morrill introduced the First Morrill Act in 1862, aiming to provide education to the American workforce. The act involved giving states land for sale to fund colleges. However, at the time, very few colleges enrolled Black students, and the land grants did not change this situation.
Recognizing the need for additional funding, Morrill proposed the Second Morrill Act in 1890. This act allowed states to establish separate Black colleges while receiving funds to support them. However, within two decades, it became apparent that the funding provided to these colleges was far from equitable. Disparities in funding were discussed in a 1914 Senate debate, highlighting the significant differences in financial support between white and Black land-grant colleges.
Despite various reports and commissions shedding light on funding inequality throughout the following century, it took until the 2018 Farm Bill for the federal government to require states to report their land-grant spending.
The recent letters from Cardona and Vilsack outline the specific amounts that each land-grant Black college should have received between 1987 and 2020 based on the original 1862 land grant stipulations. The letters illustrate the stark underfunding faced by these institutions. For instance, Alabama A&M University could have received an additional $527 million over the period if it had been funded at the same level per student as Auburn University. Similarly, Tennessee State University may have received an extra $2.1 billion if it had been given an equitable share of funds.
It’s important to note that land-grant colleges are not the only historically Black institutions that have faced mistreatment from state governments. Each of these institutions has its own stories of unfair policies and inadequate funding. Savannah State University, for example, is no longer Georgia’s historically Black land-grant institution, but it continues to grapple with the consequences of chronic underfunding.
Ultimately, with the federal government shining a light on the magnitude of underfunding and calling for accountability, the question remains whether states will effectively address this historic discrimination and provide the necessary reparations.
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