Boston City Council Eyes Bringing HBCU Presence to the City

Boston could soon see the establishment of its first historically Black college or university (HBCU) presence, as city leaders take steps to explore the creation of a satellite campus.

City Council Vice President Brian Worrell recently introduced a proposal calling for a hearing focused on bringing an HBCU satellite campus to Boston. The effort, he said, would not only expand educational opportunities but also serve as a beacon for young Black students in the city.

“An HBCU presence would provide role models for current Black students by showing them a tangible pathway to success,” Worrell said. “Boston led the way in educating Black students in the first half of the 19th century, with the opening of the Abiel Smith School, and we need to discover that trailblazing spirit once again.”

Despite being home to more than 25 colleges and universities, Boston currently lacks an HBCU. Worrell hopes to change that with support from initiatives like the Building Bridges HBCU program, which is actively working to attract a historically Black college to open a satellite campus in the city. An update on those efforts is expected later this year.

“There are more than 100 historically Black colleges and universities in the country, with the vast majority of them located in southern states as a response to Jim Crow laws,” Worrell noted in his council order. “The need for more culturally sensitive schools, such as HBCUs, has grown in the past decade based upon current rulings and the actions of the current federal administration.”

Worrell emphasized the vital role HBCUs play in Black advancement, stating that while HBCUs make up just 3% of colleges nationwide, they produce 40% of Black engineers, 50% of Black lawyers and doctors, 70% of Black dentists, and 40% of Black members of Congress.

Cory McCarthy, Chief of Student Support for Boston Public Schools, echoed the importance of this initiative.

“The appetite for a HBCU has grown immensely within the last five years,” McCarthy said. “An opportunity to bring a HBCU to Boston would further highlight the commitment and dedication of our city to create an educational ecosystem that values, elevates and develops opportunities for Black students to be successful.”

The City Council has referred the proposal to the Committee on Education, with a hearing expected to take place in the fall.

Story credit: Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald ©2025 MediaNews Group, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Visit bostonherald.com