Although it doesn’t have very much to do with the chapter I decided to my blog post on Historical Black Colleges and Universities, better known as HBCU’s. In Howard Thurman’s biography they mentioned how he studied at Morehouse college in 1919 and later came back to teach at his alma mater as well as Spellman college (their sister school). Most HBCUs were established after the American Civil War, often with the assistance of northern United States religious missionary organizations. The oldest HBCU in the United States, Cheyney was founded in 1837. In the beginning, the school was known as the Institute for Colored Youth. In 1914, it was renamed the Cheyney Training School for Teachers. That same year, it became an institution of higher learning and awarded its first degree. In those 77 years between its inception and its formalization as a university, 97 other historically black colleges and universities had been founded. HBCU’s gave African American’s a chance at a furthering their education on a more serious level. Getting them started was a challenge because at the time funding was nonexistent and maintaining their existence was even more difficult but somehow they managed to do so. However, seeing how African Americans were not accepted into Public White Institutions (PWI’s) based off of the color of their skin and not on academic ability my ancestors had to create a way for our culture to continue our education. They made it possible for me to be studying at this university and for that I am grateful.