“Up, you mighty race, accomplish what you will.” – Marcus Garvey
“Frank attended Morehouse College and Fisk University. While in school he learned about homesteading and its requirements. While working as a teacher in Georgia, he married Ella Louise McGruder. Ella was also a well-educated teacher, a graduate from the Haines Institute.
After he was threatened by the Ku Klux Klan, Frank’s father encouraged him to move West. Frank’s father was a Buffalo Soldier during the Mexican-American War. As a child he heard stories about New Mexico from his father. Boyer and two of his students traveled to New Mexico Territory in 1896. He arrived in the Pecos River Valley in 1898 near the community of Roswell, where he worked in the courts. In 1901 Ella and their four children joined him in New Mexico.” – National Park Service
New Mexico jointed the United States as the 47th state in the United States on January 6, 1912. It is currently home to approximately 2.1 million people with almost 40,000 African Americans across the state’s population. In 1999, the state established the Office of African American Affairs that has been tasked with assisting the interests of the state’s African American population. Blackdom’s legacy is still profound among the residents of the state and still signifies the power of building institutions and community that look to empower people of African descent. New Mexico PBS in 2010 produced a documentary detailing the story of a time not so long ago and the impact it still carries today. The story of how an HBCU couple changed the landscape of the Southwest forever and added to the rich history of African Americans place throughout.
The results of philanthropy are beyond calculation, but they are calculated. – William A. Foster, IV
After 2020 gave us unprecedented major giving to HBCUs, the fairy dust wore off just as quickly come 2021. Had this year been not followed by 2020, then arguably it would be a good year by normal standards. Instead, it is a harsh reminder that HBCUs rarely on any level receive an equitable share of funding both by state and federal governments and private giving to colleges and universities. 2020’s giving it could be argued was a response to the protests and social unrest that spilled over from the death of George Floyd. However, as we stated previously that is neither sustainable and questionably moral. This year’s list while significantly smaller looks much the same as last year in that it is buoyance is upheld by donors outside of the African American community.
HBCUs were able to pull in three percent of the million plus donations to all colleges and universities, which constitutes their makeup in the overall landscape of the higher education system. However, the value of those donations amounted to less than one percent of the overall donation value to colleges and universities. A significant drop off from 2020’s astounding 15 percent of donation value. Very interested to note that PWIs saw donations of $100 million plus double from 2020 to 2021 going from seven to fourteen. No HBCU has ever seen a nine-figure donation and there are only a handful of African Americans capable of doing so. This once again leaves the fate of African American NPOs in the hands of other community’s wealth and generosity. It also begs the question for the survival of HBCUs in particular long-term. Despite 2020’s gifts, we would be remiss to act as if one year of donations can rectify over one hundred plus years of negligence and fiscal hostility.
MacKenzie Scott continued to be HBCUs’ best friend with two of the ten donations on the list coming from her philanthropy. Mr. and Mrs. Tyler’s donation is one of the largest alumni gifts (if not the largest) ever to an HBCU. Worthy of a conversation itself is that HBCUs are still not producing a pipeline of wealthy alumni. Something critical to increasing the probability of transformative donors into HBCU coffers. With only two known HBCU billionaires among all of its alumni, the question of “Can HBCUs Produce Billionaires?” remains not only a relevant question, but an absolutely necessary conversation that must be had between HBCU alumni and administrations.
$1 Million Plus Donations To All Colleges: 316
$100 Million Plus Donations To All Colleges: 14
$1 Million Plus Donations Value To All Colleges: $8.1 Billion
$1 Million Plus Median Donation To All Colleges: $11.1 Million
$1 Million Plus Average Donation To All Colleges: $25.5 Million
$1 Million Plus Donations To HBCUs: 10
$100 Million Plus Donations To HBCUs: 0
$1 Million Plus Donations Value To HBCUs: $66.7 Million
$1 Million Plus Median Donation To HBCUs: $4.0 Million
$1 Million Plus Average Donation To HBCUs: $6.7 Million
HBCU Percentage of Donations To All Colleges: 3.2%
HBCU Percentage of Donation Value To All Colleges: 0.8%
1. MacKenzie Scott – $20 million Recipient: Charles R. Drew Medicine Source of Wealth: Technology, Retail
2. Calvin E. Tyler and Tina Tyler (pictured bottom right) – $20 million Recipient: Morgan State University Source of Wealth: N/A
3. S. Donald Sussman – $6 million Recipient: University of the Virgin Islands Source of Wealth: Finance
4. Eddie Brown and Sylvia Brown(pictured bottom left) – $5 million Recipient: Howard University Source of Wealth: Investments
5. Anonymous Donor – $5 million Recipient: Howard University Source of Wealth: N/A
6. Shervin Pishevar and Sarah Pishevar Haynes – $3 million Recipient: Howard University Source of Wealth: Technology, Finance, Transportation
7. Frank Garrison and Amy Garrison – $2.5 million Recipient: Fisk University Source of Wealth: Finance, Real Estate, Law
8. Anonymous Donor – $2.2 million Recipient: Alabama A&M University Source of Wealth: N/A
9. MacKenzie Scott – $2 million Recipient: Meharry Medical College Source of Wealth: Technology, Retail
10. Mark Malveaux and Dawn Malveaux (pictured top) – $1 million Recipient: Southern University System Source of Wealth: Law
An uptick overall, but more importantly a bounce back for HBCUs is how 2018 would be described in the land of the big philanthropy. The Center for Philanthropy reported 497 gifts of $1 million or more to all colleges and universities. After a sluggish few years, HBCUs have seen the most $1 million plus gifts since 2014. In terms of pure dollar amount, this year’s class has bested them all since HBCU Money began tracking the data six years ago with $43 million combined among the HBCUs obtaining gifts.
High-quality donors (who give consistently and over their lifetime will probably give six to seven figures of donations) continue to show up for HBCUs, but still not representative of HBCUs presence in America’s higher education landscape. While HBCUs represent three percent of the country’s colleges, this year only 1.4 percent of the 497 $1m plus donations found their way to an HBCU. Tranformative donors (who can change the paradigm of an entire institution with one donation) continue to elude HBCUs all together, while PWI/HWCUs landed 13 donations of $100 million plus in 2018.
The gap this year between top seven PWI/HWCU gifts totaled $2.94 billion while HBCUs as mentioned totaled $43 million or a $68 to $1 ratio.
1. Ronda E. Stryker & William D. Johnsont (pictured) – $30 million
Recipient: Spelman College
Source of Wealth: Health products
2. Seth & Beth Klarman – $5 million Recipient: Spelman College
Source of Wealth: Finance
3. Roland Parrish – $3 million
Recipient: Fisk University
Source of Wealth: Food & beverage
4. Gene & Patsy Ponder – $2 million
Recipient: Wiley College
Source of Wealth: Manufacturing
5. Kenya & Rainbow Barris (tie) – $1 million Recipient: Clark Atlanta University
Source of Wealth: Entertainment
5. Irvin & Pamela Reid (tie) – $1 million
Recipient: Howard University
Source of Wealth: Education
5. Denzel Washington (tie) – $1 million
Recipient: Wiley College
Source of Wealth: Media & entertainment
HBCUs appear to have taken a step back in the research field according to the latest National Science Foundation data. In 2012, research expenditures for the top 20 HBCUs combined for $455.1 million, while 2013 combines for $450.7 million. This represents a one percent drop year over year. The top 20 HWCU research institutions saw an almost twenty three percent increase over the same period.
The top ranked HBCU is Florida A&M University at 197 and the twentieth ranked Virginia State University is listed at 327 in America’s college research landscape.
MEAC leads the way with six schools versus the SWAC with four.
Division II/III schools also comprise four schools on the list.
Overall, the 1890 HBCUs are fifty percent of the list highlighting agriculture’s importance role in HBCU research.
Florida A&M University – $51,149,000
Howard University – $42,789,000
Morehouse School of Medicine – $36,638,000
Jackson State University – $36,264,000
North Carolina A&T State University – $33,994,000
Alabama A&M University – $32,937,000
Meharry Medical College – $22,532,000
Tuskegee University – $21,150,000
University of Virgin Islands – $20,041,000
Charles Drew University – $18,547,000
Delaware State University – $17,295,000
Fisk University – $16,423,000
Tennessee State University – $16,177,000
Morgan State University – $15,475,000
Prairie View A&M University – $13,198,000
South Carolina State University – $13,159,000
Hampton University – $12,461,000
Alcorn State University – $11,315,000
Morehouse College – $9,581,000
Virginia State University – $9,535,000
TOP 20 COMBINED TOTAL: $450.7 million ($455.1 million)
Additional Notes
The HWCU-HBCU gap for research among top 20 research institutions is 50:1
Top 20 HWCUs Combined: $22.5 billion ($18.3 billion)
Top 20 Average HWCU – $1.1 billion ($910 million) vs. Top 20 Average HBCU – $22.5 million ($23 million)
Top 20 Median HWCUs – $969.8 million vs. Top 20 Median HBCU – $17.9 million
Analysis: Fisk University needs an endowment of approximately $280 million for all of its undergraduates to attend debt free. Located in Nashville, Tennessee which has a population of approximately 610 000 residents. Almost one-third of those residents are of African descent. Its major competitor in the city is Vanderbilt University. As of right now that competition is institutionally lopsided based on student population, resources, and degree offerings. Fisk it seems more than any other HBCU produces a special kind of legacy from its womb. The who is who of African America often can trace its six degrees of seperation to the hollowed grounds there. Unfortunately, Fisk is teetering on having just its history to lean on and not much more. The university needs to grow expeditiously. Ideally, the school by now should be in the 8 000 to 10 000 student range. Realistically, if it can reach 2 500 that would be a major victory. The pace at which it can get there will determine just how impactful such growth would be. However, the expedited growth must be managed properly. Fisk possesses a special culture that could easily be lost in the race for numbers. But there is a reason for the saying there is strength in numbers. Although a controversial suggestion, merging with Meharry Medical College would be ideal to initiate the growth. It would instantly get Fisk halfway to the 2 500 population. It would also give the university access to one of the best run HBCU endowment teams and a deep bench of high quality donors. Something they desperately need. However, this scenario is unlikely anytime soon if at all. As such Fisk will have to find growth elsewhere and find it quickly. The school’s endowment should be in the upper echelon of HBCU endowments. Instead, it has been part of ongoing controversy as the school tried to sell part of its storied art collection to shore up the school’s finances. Despite the cash infusion from the 50 percent sale of the art collection, it is still clear that the financial footing at the university is fragile. If it will find that footing is yet to be determined as the school implements new leadership. Hopefully, a clear vision and strategy will motivate a stirring in the HBCU many consider the “soul” of HBCU nation.
As always it should be noted that endowments provide a myriad of subsidies to the university for everything from scholarship, faculty & administration salaries, research, and much more.
HBCU Money 