Centering Black Women’s Experiences Regarding College Choice

In the end, anti-black, anti-female, and all forms of discrimination are equivalent to the same thing: anti-humanism. —Shirley Chisholm

The quest for racial equity in the United States has been a longstanding struggle for justice, and so it is essential to examine history and understand the challenges of the past in order to chart a course for the future. Education has always been a necessary step to achieve upward mobility in this country, but at every turn, the ability to access education, think critically, and learn freely has been undermined, particularly for Black Americans. From abolition, to Reconstruction, to fighting Jim Crow, to the civil rights movement, to landmark cases such as Brown v. Board of Education, to protests and boycotts, to legal battles for equitable funding to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), the fight for equity in this country persists. And in this fight, education has always been viewed as a primary gateway to careers and incomes that would shift a generation, building wealth and financial freedom. But time and again, access to education—especially, most recently, higher education—has been restricted in one way or another for Black Americans.

Black women in particular—because they have had to struggle against not only racism but also sexism throughout American history—have faced more challenges than most when pursuing a college education. If there is an obstacle to higher education, chances are many Black women have faced it when making a decision about college. And so it is of critical importance to look at the barriers to access through an intersectional lens: if higher education can be made more equitable for Black women, removing the barriers they encounter, then it would be made more equitable for everyone. And while it is important to understand the barriers that Black women face when considering college, it is just as important to know what draws them to higher education and helps them thrive there and beyond.

There has yet to be a full exploration into the lived experiences of Black women as they pursue and persist through college.

The problem is, there has yet to be a full exploration into the lived experiences of Black women as they pursue and persist through college. Certainly, there have been studies that look at the statistics surrounding individual issues—such as whether Black women are forgoing higher education due to facing a heavy student debt burden¹ —but these one-off studies tend to give rise to monolithic notions, standing in for the entirety of Black women’s experience. What is needed is a more thorough accounting of the entirety of what Black women encounter as they navigate to, through, and beyond higher education, both the good and the bad.

The report is part of a collaboration between The Century Foundation (TCF) and the Mary Jane Legacy Project (MJLP),² the first national exploration of the policies affecting Black women’s postsecondary and post-baccalaureate pathways. Led by principal investigators Dr. Lori Patton Davis and Dr. Nadrea Njoku and funded by the Lumina Foundation through the Fund for Racial Justice and Equity, the project also serves as the first national archive capturing the experiences from a diverse array of Black women. The MJLP name honors Mary Jane Patterson, the first Black woman to receive a bachelor’s degree in the United States.

The project will not only focus on Black women who took traditional routes to college immediately following high school but will also shed light on the diversity among Black women who interact with postsecondary institutions including, but not limited to, re-entry women, justice-involved women, community college attendees, transwomen, and adult learners, to disrupt monolithic notions of Black women’s degree attainment and post-baccalaureate experiences. This project advances racial justice but also intersectional justice. As noted and is often the case, Black women’s lives and experiences are often presented through statistical references only, leaving out contextual narratives or treating them as numbers rather than whole human beings—to be measured, but not asked or listened to. As a result, while their performance in higher education sets a high standard, their experiences are underexplored, underrepresented, and undercounted.

This project was launched to investigate the structural racism and sexism that impact Black women’s journeys to and through college. Through qualitative narrative inquiry through interviews, researchers from MJLP connected with Black women in different phases of their lives, post-baccalaureate. Researchers examined Black women’s post-secondary trajectories across various institutional types (for example, two- and four-year colleges, HBCUs, for-profit schools, single-gender schools, and so on) and explored how their experiences at these institutions shaped their lives. The research from this project will be presented in a series of reports that will look at the lived experiences of Black women, in three parts: (1) examining the background and circumstances of Black women that led to their college attendance; (2) describing college experiences and identify key challenges and opportunities experienced while in college; (3) discussing life after college focusing on the benefits (or lack thereof) of college and connections to life after college.

As a Black woman telling the stories of Black women, it is imperative to ensure I invoke feelings and memories of what it is to be a woman of Black or African descent in the research setting. Having a shared heritage or past aids in the development of an intimate relationship between me (the researcher/listener) and the participant/storyteller. In this project, Black women are positioned as knowers and knowledge producers who are capable of articulating their stories, ultimately addressing the power relations that are present in typical research studies. Through the participants’ stories, we will identify and analyze the power relations that shape Black women’s experiences to, through, and beyond college, drawing connections to larger structures and systems.

This project uses Intersectionality Methodology (IM) as a methodological framework.³ IM has four features:

1. centering Black women;
2. using a critical lens to uncover power relations;
3. addressing power in the research process; and
4. situating complex identity markers of Black women.

Black women in the United States often experience what is known as the “Black tax”: they are told and expected to work twice as hard as their white counterparts in order to achieve the same level of success; and even then, their work can still be undermined by bigotry and misogynoir, further undermining a Black woman’s hard work and pathway to success.

Black women in the United States often experience what is known as the “Black tax”: they are told and expected to work twice as hard as their white counterparts in order to achieve the same level of success; and even then, their work can still be undermined by bigotry and misogynoir, further undermining a Black woman’s hard work and pathway to success. In this way, racialized sexism poses a significant challenge to Black women, and it is important to understand its impact not just in college but throughout life. Black women are achieving milestones in many fields, such as education, law, medicine, engineering, and politics, breaking barriers and setting records. However, their knowledge, expertise, and experience can be called into question, often by people who have failed to achieve similar goals despite starting with more resources and influence.

This report will begin by briefly covering the historical and current context in which Black women have chosen to pursue higher education. It will then explore the particular challenges Black women face when making a choice about attending college, particularly now that race-based affirmative action is no longer a permissible tool in college admissions. The report will then present the key themes and takeaways about why these Black women chose the schools they did that arose from discussions with participants in the research. The report will conclude with a series of recommendations for policymakers and educators to consider in order to help Black women pursue and thrive in higher education, and beyond.

The Historical Context of Black Women Enrollment

Before the ending of slavery, few Black people could access higher education. One institution that accepted Black students was Oberlin College, which began accepting Black students in 1835, and women in 1837. In 1862, Mary Jane Patterson would become the first Black woman to graduate college, with an artium baccalaureus (AB) degree from Oberlin. While Oberlin had a two-year program for women, Patterson was adamant about pursuing the “gentlemen’s course” of study. Her fervor drove her pursuit of education leading to her being the graduation speaker and attaining a four-year college degree. Oberlin, Ohio was known as an abolitionist town that protected slaves. This community fostered a commitment to the advancement of Black people, further encouraging Patterson to pursue higher education at Oberlin.

Black women often—like Patterson—pursued higher education for a moral reason: to prepare them for service toward social justice.

Over the years since Patterson received her degree, Black women’s relationship with higher education has been in constant evolution, as they navigated the ivory tower to make a better life for themselves and their families. Researcher Stephanie Evans has stressed that throughout history, Black women’s experiences in higher education have reflected the anxieties they have in their lives in the larger society.⁴ Evans explains that Black women often—like Patterson—pursued higher education for a moral reason: to prepare them for service toward social justice.

The mid-nineteenth century also saw the establishment of private HBCUs in the north, such as Cheyney University (1837), Lincoln University (1854), and Wilberforce University (1865). Later on, access to public higher education would be further expanded to Black people through the passing of the Second Morrill Act of 1890, which led to the establishment of the nineteen Black land grant colleges and universities in eighteen southern states. During this time, we also saw Black women establish colleges to support Black students. Mary McLeod Bethune, a Black woman from South Carolina, emerged as a nonprofit leader of various organizations outside Capitol Hill. She was influential in policy spaces in Washington, D.C., to advance access to education for Black people through the establishment of Bethune Cookman University.

While many know of the landmark case, Brown v. Board of Education (1954), that led to the legal integration of public schools, on the higher education front, it was the Sweatt v. Painter (1950)⁵ case that would make segregated law schools unlawful, leading to the integration of higher education. Many of the students who led the integration of colleges were Black women. The decision in Sweatt v. Painter would open doors for Lila Fenwick to be the first Black woman to graduate from Harvard Law School in 1956.⁶ Nearly a decade later, in 1965, Vivian Malone would become the first Black graduate of the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.⁷ Simultaneously, Black women at HBCUs were pursuing higher education while stepping up to fight for civil rights, whether that be leading the charge to desegregate a city’s lunch counter or advocating for equality in educational funding to Black colleges versus the local white college.⁸

The past half-century has marked a dramatic shift in college enrollment, as Black students could choose from an increasing universe of options. After the signing of the Executive Order 10925 (1961),⁹ requiring government contractors to take affirmative action in their hiring practices to diversify federal agencies and make discrimination unlawful in hiring and at the same time, many predominantly white institutions in higher education began to implement their own affirmative action policies, further expanding access for Black students. As a result, Black enrollment outside of HBCUs soared. While in the 1950s and 1960s, over 90 percent of Black college students were enrolled at HBCUs, by 2022, it was only 9 percent.¹⁰

Additionally, a myriad of postsecondary options unknown to previous generations became available to Black students: public, private, online schools, community colleges, four-year colleges, and two-year colleges. Black students’ enrollment also shifted to a variety of institutions where students were choosing shorter, more flexible programs that could provide skills and credentials or certifications to provide access to job opportunities. During this time, community colleges and for-profit colleges saw significant increases in enrollment,¹¹ as a nontraditional route to an education provided flexibility for nontraditional students to attain an education to support their families. Community colleges have also prioritized expanding access to careers in health care, business and entrepreneurship, education, the law, and even areas such as manufacturing and mechanics, which are areas that Black women are slowly starting to break into.¹² Research shows, however, that the pandemic led to drastic declines in Black student enrollment at community colleges.¹³

The Current Context for Choosing to Enroll

Over the past decade, Black women have made significant strides in higher education. While the rate for Black women obtaining an associate or bachelor’s degree is only half that of their white counterparts, among Black students in higher education, Black women are outperforming men, receiving 64 percent of bachelor’s degrees, 71.5 percent of master’s degrees, and 65.9 percent of doctoral, medical, and dental degrees.¹⁴ Black women clearly recognize the value that higher education holds as a pathway for financial stability, networking, and professional growth.

Black women are outperforming men, receiving 64 percent of bachelor’s degrees, 71.5 percent of master’s degrees, and 65.9 percent of doctoral, medical, and dental degrees

Unfortunately, today, the country is witnessing a clear and direct threat to racial equity, particularly in the realm of education. This challenge is taking place alongside—and some may say in retaliation to—a dramatic shift in the demographics of the U.S. population, with the rapid growth in the numbers of Hispanic, Asian, and multiracial Americans, along with the more moderate growth in the number of Black Americans and other non-white groups, while the white share of the population continues to decline. The recent and ongoing attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and on critical race theory (CRT),¹⁵ as well as the ban on race-conscious admission and the increasing requirements for color-blind language in policymaking,¹⁶ have led to an unjust distribution of resources and priorities. All of these issues are interconnected and the policies put in place as part of these attacks are creating a system of classism and completely ignoring the systemic barriers that Black and Brown people face. Many of these policies also restrict what history—and whose history—is taught, refusing to center the experience of Black and Brown people, further determining whose voices should and should not be heard. What students learn—and who teaches them—can have a significant impact, especially for Black women, as they determine whether to choose a path to an affordable post-secondary institution that leads to financial mobility. 

These attacks on affirmative action and Black enrollment seem to be having an impact. A decade ago, Black enrollment comprised 13.8 percent of the college student population; as of 2021, it was only 12 percent.¹⁷ Despite the overall Black enrollment decline, it is not all bad news. Graduate enrollment for Black students increased from 361,900 to 382,100. Simultaneously, there has also been an increase in Black women’s college degree attainment: in a ten-year time period, the share of Black women with a bachelor’s degree or higher increased by nearly 24 percent, making them the second-largest group to see improvements in attainment.¹⁸

College Choice and Black Women Post-Affirmative Action

There are very few studies that examine how Black women make decisions about where they go to college. Historically, Black women’s educational choice has been greatly restricted, but has slowly been expanded through a series of social and institutional reforms and movements: from being denied an education, to attending separate but “equal” educational tracks, and finally—through co-education and the passage of desegregation laws—having access to education opportunities at traditionally white institutions. While past and current efforts to remedy patterns of injustice and discrimination and increase access to educational opportunities have had some success, Black women are still fighting for educational equity.

While the full impact of the decision in Students for Fair Admissions on Black college enrollment currently is unknown, early results suggest that some schools will see a precipitous decline.

Unfortunately, the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College¹⁹ has demolished race-conscious admissions. While the courts have shared that students of color can write about their lived experiences in their college essays, there is no clear policy to determine how admissions offices should weigh essays when lived experiences are shared in the application process. Race-conscious policies in higher education explicitly include race in design to provide access, opportunity, and support to students of color and the institutions that serve them,²⁰ while rhetoric that promotes color-blind policymaking only creates barriers to access, thus stifling equity advances in higher education. While the full impact of the decision in Students for Fair Admissions on Black college enrollment currently is unknown, early results suggest that some schools will see a precipitous decline.²¹

The Supreme Court’s decision will not only wind up depriving many Black students access to certain educational pathways, but also, for Black students that are still able to gain entry, it will mean they will be entering whiter campuses. And so, students who have had to cope with anti-Blackness in predominantly white spaces will once again may have to navigate a rising tide of racial slurs, microaggressions, and hair and body politics as they pursue their degrees.²² Researchers have shown that anti-Blackness views on college campuses can propel enrollment and degree completion inequities in higher education.²³ Due to these experiences, it is critically important that a Black women consider the environment and culture of the college when making a decision. 

Where will Black students go if they are precluded from admission to many schools resulting from the banning of affirmative action? In particular, during this resurgence of anti-Blackness, where will Black women choose to go in order to feel safe, secure, accepted, and wanted as they pursue their degrees? Prior to the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision, there were several factors that impact a Black woman’s college decision; now, making these choices will be more nuanced than ever.

A number of researchers have investigated factors that impact a student’s choice.²⁴ One promising conceptual model for student college choice relies on human capital theory, which asserts that the students weigh (1) the expected cost (college costs) and (2) the expected benefits of enrolling (future earning potential) when making a college choice—but also stresses that a student’s choice is also influenced by familial, social, cultural, and environmental factors.²⁵ The model sheds light on several factors that impact a student’s decision:

• The first layer is the social, economic, and policy context, which looks at external factors such as the economy, if there is a recession, the level of federal and state investments in higher education, and how the political landscape impacts policies that could aid students pursuing higher education.
• The second layer is the higher education context and how institutions advertise and recruit students. This layer also includes the local institutional factors that determine whether a student is exposed to college locally.
• The third layer is the school and community context, including the availability of resources and structure, family structure, and financial support to access college, as well as consideration of the barriers.
• The final layer takes into account the individual student’s demographic characteristics, which determine their outlook on the benefits of college, the cost of college, support to navigate the application process, academic preparation, and potential earning post-college. At this layer, Black women’s race and gender play an integral role in how they tap into their social and cultural capital to build community and establish a system of support to help them navigate the higher education terrain.²⁶

While the final layer mentions the component of social and cultural capital²⁷—a concept that is often used in studies focused on students of color navigating predominately white spaces—there are very few studies that have used it to center the experiences of Black women as they navigate college choice, particularly in the context of recent rulings and Black women’s narratives as context. 

Methodology and Participants

In order to understand the post-secondary experiences of Black women in relation to college choice, the research for this project sought to center the experiences of Black women using an intersectional framework to explore power in relation to higher education institutions and how it shapes student trajectories and opportunity. The research for this project included one-on-one interviews with 112 participants representing a cross-section of Black women in the U.S. population. The participants ranged in age from 18 to 74, with 48 percent falling within the range of ages 35 to 44. Participants predominantly identified as Black or African American (96.4 percent) and held degrees at various levels, with 14 percent only having an associate and/or bachelor degree, 42.9 percent holding a master’s degree, 38.4 percent holding some form of doctoral degree (PhD, EdD, or professional degree).

Themes and Takeaways

For all college-bound students, choosing a school involves weighing many different factors—its available programs of study, its reputation for academic excellence, its geographic location, and as previously discussed, and perhaps most most notably, its affordability. However, in our discussions with Black women research study participants, certain factors stood out in addition as being particularly meaningful for them.

As a start, reflecting on the experiences of Black women, it is important to recognize that for many of them the decision to attend college in the first place is inextricably linked to the challenges they may have already experienced as part of their P–12 matriculation and their familiy’s dynamics. In particular, many of the participants shared the importance of postsecondary education as a pathway to financial freedom and upward mobility. Black women know and understand the long-term benefit of attaining a college degree and what pursuing graduate education means for career trajectory. As project participant Tierra said, pursuit of higher education was focused on achieving a more comfortable lifestyle and contributing to generational wealth for her family:

I see education as a tool for financial stability … to contribute to generational wealth for my family.

But once a Black woman decides to go down the path of higher education, what influences her decision regarding which school to attend? A review of participants’ responses surfaced four major themes that were particularly meaningful in their choice of a college.

1. Black women often prioritized feeling a personal connection to an institution and familiarity when making decisions.

Several of the Black women participants mentioned being influenced by friends, family members, or mentors who attended or recommended certain institutions. For example, LaTonya chose West Chester University because her best friend had already established a friend group there, making her transition smoother:

Safety and familiarity played a part into it too. My friend from high school attended a college prep session at West Chester University and she’d established a little bit of a friend group. So when I came in I already kind of had friends because she had already established that. It was just a really comfortable transition.

A combination of family connections, religious background, and financial considerations influenced Maggie’s choice of college. Initially, she followed her brother to Walla Walla College in Washington State, a Seventh-day Adventist institution (but later transferred to a Cal State University for financial and personal reasons):

I was having a difficult time. My first two years I was at a different college and then I transferred up in Washington State. I’m originally from California. I went up there. The original reason was because I was following my brother. I was raised in what’s called the Seventh Day Adventist Church … they kind of funnel you towards their system in college. That’s another big reason that I chose them.

The decision to attend an HBCU was often influenced by family legacy and the desire to continue a tradition of higher education within the family. Mariah shares how her family’s connection to the university also influenced her college decision: Both of my parents worked at the university that I attended, and so that really played a part into number one why I chose that.

Laurel shares how her mother’s guidance influenced her decision for college:

My mother did say “I really think you should go to school out of state like I did because it’ll help.”

Nichelle’s early exposure to college life at Cheyney University through her parents significantly influenced her desire to pursue higher education:

I always knew I wanted to go to college and it’s mostly because I spent my early years on Cheyney University’s campus.

2. Black women rely heavily on institutional guidance, recruitment, and support when choosing a college.

Mentors, high school advisors, and college recruiters and advisors played a significant role in guiding participants toward specific colleges. Maggie (mentioned above) followed her brother to Walla Walla College, but later transferred to a Cal State school based on personal decisions and support from her college advisors.

LaTonya chose to attend Westchester University after being influenced by a recruiter who visited her performing arts high school. Her decision was also swayed by a friend’s pre-existing connections at the university, which made her transition smoother:

I attended a performing arts school in Philadelphia for high school….  A recruiter came from Westchester University in Westchester, PA. The recruiter was a black man and he just spoke really positively about the Westchester community. And so I was really intrigued.

Kioshana’s decision to attend Alabama State University (ASU), an HBCU, was largely influenced by her high school guidance counselor, who encouraged her to apply. Despite initially planning to attend a predominantly white institution (PWI) with her friends, the offer of a full academic scholarship from ASU convinced her to change her plans:

I actually only applied to Alabama State at the encouragement of my high school guidance counselor … who was also a graduate of Alabama State…. I got offered this presidential scholarship…. I just couldn’t say no to it.

Amani’s college decision was motivated by several factors, including feeling like the institution wanted her to attend the college just as much as she did. Amani’s shares her experience with an Ivy League institution’s targeted recruitment:

I went to Princeton University, which in and of itself as an Ivy League institution has a history, it has a cultural aspect to it. I had absolutely no idea about it. I was applying to Princeton because, number one, they sent me some mail. They sent me one of those little postcards in the mail.

Nytaijah felt seen and valued while making her college choice. She speaks about her experience as one that made her feel like she was worthy of the opportunity. Nytaijah chose to attend North Carolina Central University (NCCU), an HBCU, after the university reached out to her with a free application link and an Eagle grant. As a first-generation college student, she felt a strong sense of being wanted and supported by the institution, which played a critical role in her decision:

Honestly when people ask me about my institution…. Central found me, they came to me, they sent me an email, here’s a free link to apply for our school.

3. Cultural fit and community play a significant role in Black women’s college choice and retention.

Many participants sought institutions where they felt they could belong and find community.

Habiba chose Plattsburgh for its financial support and cultural fit through a specialized program, while Nytaijah chose an HBCU to feel represented and supported.

Networking and relationships played a crucial role in Laurel’s career development, often facilitated by other Black professionals:

Almost all the opportunities I’ve received except for one have been through other Black people.

Laurel’s initial college decision changed in order to get the support that she needed to excel. Laurel’s decision to transfer from a private, traditionally white institution to an HBCU was influenced by a desire for a supportive community:

I just knew right then, okay whatever else happens I’m good. This is the right choice.

Whitney stressed the importance of community and the support it provided in her college experiences.

Fran’Cee chose to attend Jackson State University (JSU), an HBCU, because of her father’s influence and her desire to experience a predominantly Black environment. This decision was motivated by her upbringing in a predominantly non-Black space and her exposure to HBCUs through family trips to college events:

My dad was real intentional about exposing me to HBCUs … so I was in love and I only applied to HBCUs…. When I went to Jackson State I tell people I had reverse culture shock because I had never been around that many Black folks before. But I loved it.

HBCUs fostered a sense of empowerment and allowed Black women to explore and celebrate their identity in a supportive environment. Additionally, HBCUs provided a nurturing and supportive environment where Black women felt a strong sense of belonging and community. Laurel shares how her connection to the culture aided in her decision to choose an HBCU:

Everybody around me is Black. Most of my teachers, Black. And even the ones who weren’t down. I just knew right then okay whatever else happens I’m good. This is the right choice.

4. Black women always consider the reputation, flexibility, and opportunities for career advancement in their college choice.

Several of the participants shared that the reasons they chose an institution was based on its reputation and access, and on the opportunities that the institution would provide. The academic reputation of the institutions and the opportunities they offered were particularly crucial.

Jasmine chose the University of Texas at Austin for its reputation and the perception that it was a prestigious choice for high achievers from her high school:

I chose to go to the University of Texas at Austin which is a predominantly white institution, as we know. I applied to HBCUs. I applied to multiple institution types…. I graduated third in my class and there was just this expectation almost that the top was going to go to UT or A&M.

Dr. Kelly chose Western Kentucky University (WKU) after being exposed to their journalism program. That experience at the WKU journalism camp, the reputation of the program, and the opportunities that it would provide her influenced her decision, despite the fact that she initially looked to other colleges:

I went to an exposure journalism camp at Western Kentucky University…. And I was like “I’m going to Western Kentucky University.”

When it comes to college choice, while many people may assume that financial aid is the main driver, several factors are considered and can influence the decision, such as other forms of support. Sharane’s college journey was nontraditional due to her responsibilities as a mother of four and her need to work full time. Sharane began her education at Montgomery County Community College to obtain her associate’s degree, choosing this institution for its diverse environment. Later, she pursued her bachelor’s degree online to balance her family and work commitments:

I wasn’t able to stay on a campus or anything like that because I had to raise my kids and most likely work my job. So I didn’t go the traditional route…. When I did first go back to school I went for my associate’s…. I was working full-time and I would go after work.”

Many Black women are also considering access and flexibility when choosing a college. Maka appreciated the accessibility of community college, especially as a nontraditional student who returned to education after starting a family:

I did try school in my teenage years…. It was a community college. I didn’t return until again after my three children were born.

Where Do We Go From Here?

While the full impact of the banning of affirmative action in college admissions nationwide is yet to be discovered, research shows that, at the state level, banning affirmative action has resulted in a curtailment of educational opportunities for people of color.²⁸ And so with a nationwide ban expected to give college-bound Black students fewer schools to choose from, where will these students—particularly, Black women—decide to go? 

And so with a nationwide ban expected to give college-bound Black students fewer schools to choose from, where will these students—particularly, Black women—decide to go?

The answer is, no one knows for sure—there just hasn’t been enough research done centering the experiences of Black women in choosing a college. The initial themes in this report  suggest one likely destination is HBCUs, which will likely see a larger influx of new students this year. With such a surge in new enrollments, HBCUs would need additional funding for increasing endowments, infrastructure, and faculty capacity to support these potential new students.²⁹

Furthermore, with Black women soon to face reduced access to higher education, there is an urgent need for the federal, state, and institutional-level policies and advocacy to create equitable opportunities for Black women’s academic success, no matter which institution they choose.

Policymakers can address the persistent inequities within the higher education system, by centering Black women. In order to make a meaningful impact, policymakers and advocates must pursue a holistic response to address the needs of Black women in higher education. Accordingly, this project offers the following set of recommendations to federal and state policymakers and higher education institutions. In addition to the recommendations presented below, any effort by policymakers and advocates to address the lack of economic equity, lack of child care resources for college-bound women, and the lack of social support for college attendance would help reduce the barriers that Black women face when pursuing undergraduate or graduate degrees.

Research findings stress the need to address the systemic educational barriers that limit Black women and girls’ educational achievements by creating and implementing policies that center on their lived experiences.³⁰ Yet, research also finds that Black women’s voices are the most likely to be overlooked in the policy discourse. This research project is intended to be part of a larger movement to provide a remedy for this deficit. 

It is reassuring that members of Congress are also taking part in this movement. In 2024, the Congressional Black Caucus for Women and Girls reintroduced a bill on the House floor, calling for protection of Black women and girls.³¹ The bill calls for the establishment of an Interagency Task Force to examine the conditions and experiences of Black women and girls in education, economic development, health care, labor and employment, housing, environmental justice, and Civil Rights to promote community-based methods for mitigating and addressing harm and ensuring accountability, and to study societal effects on Black women and girls, and for other purposes.

Recommendations

Despite the obstacles that Black women face when pursuing higher education, they continue to make important contributions to society and democracy. But America needs an equitable system of higher education that supports postsecondary attainment for Black women. Education remains a crucial tool for achieving economic freedom and the American dream, but it is vital to address the racialized sexism that continues to pose obstacles for Black women in pursuit of higher education.

To make the U.S. system of higher education more equitable, The Century Foundation and the Mary Jane Patterson Legacy Project make the following recommendations.

Increase funding for federal programs that support undergraduate and graduate research. Many of the participants spoke to an issue that we are seeing in higher education, which is a lack of access to programs and grants that make a college degree affordable. Provisions of the Build Back Better Act³² (which wasn’t passed by Congress) and initiatives such as America’s College Promise³³ were monumental efforts to address funding and resource gaps for the institutions and the students that needed support the most. There is a need to bolster TRIO programs³⁴ such as Upward Bound that provide low-income, first-generation students access to an education.³⁵ Increased funding for programs like these is critical. Additionally, there is a need for increases in support for programs for undergraduate and graduate researchers. Unfortunately, conservative activists have begun to target these programs through lawsuits.³⁶

Increase federal funding for HBCUs and provide technical assistance. HBCUs need more resources, including information about institutional grant eligibility, guidance on grant writing, and alignment on programmatic goals so they can apply for competitive federal grants. Many institutions that were designed to serve historically underserved students, such as students of color and low-income students, have shown an aptitude for enrolling and graduating Black and Latino students who pursue faculty careers.

Use executive action to support diversity and inclusion efforts. With the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision banning race-conscious admissions, there is a need for the next administration to prioritize diversity in higher education. In their admissions processes, colleges can account for the unequal educational opportunities afforded to underrepresented groups–including Black women–but few do so. The moment calls for the development of a diversity commission to ensure diversity efforts are actualized.

Prioritize state funding for HBCUs. These storied institutions are leading the way in serving and graduating Black and Latino students who go on to graduate school. The nineteen land grant HBCUs have been collectively underfunded by $13 billion over thirty years.³⁷ States should, therefore, prioritize campus infrastructure, campus-based Title IV aid, Title III–B grant opportunities, and other federal funds for institutions and programs that serve the most Black and Latino students.

Prioritize educational equity to effectively fund K–12 through postsecondary education. Over the past two decades, supporting and expanding college access and affordability has fallen by the wayside in policy at both the state and federal level. Several groups have called for federal and state policymakers to prioritize educational equity³⁸—and one way to do that is by centering Black women. By addressing not only how school districts and colleges are funded but doing so through a racial and gendered lens, legislators have the opportunity to address educational funding in varying school districts as well as within their public colleges and universities. The nationwide divestment from school districts that are overwhelming Black has been clearly demonstrated.³⁹ There is a need to invest in diverse school districts to support students’ postsecondary aspirations, whether at predominately white institutions or HBCUs. 

Colleges should lean into the value of hiring diverse faculty and staff that represent the nation to support student persistence. Research has shown that faculty diversity is critical in college student retention and completion.⁴⁰ Faculty have a major impact on all student’s persistence. All students benefit from faculty diversity. Students having the opportunity to engage with diverse faculty allows them to also engage with different perspectives, leading to building empathy, establishing respect for others, and boosting critical thinking which improves problem-solving skills

Looking Forward

Many of the policy recommendations above point to a main challenge in college access: the lack of affordability for students. Understanding and accessing financial aid and scholarships are key components as to where students attend colleges, and if they go at all. The next report in this three-part series will explore the historical and current context of how Black women are accessing financial aid and scholarship, as well as highlight the Black women who helped to pave the way as they navigated the overwhelming world of scholarships, grant aid, and other forms to attain their college degrees.

1. Chabeli Carrazana and Jasmine Mithani, “How Student Loan Debt Has Fueled the Pay Gap for Black Women,” The 19th, July 27, 2023, https://19thnews.org/2023/07/student-loan-debt-pay-gap-black-women/.
2. “Mary Jane Legacy Project,” https://www.blackgirloncampus.com/
3. Haynes, Chayla, Nicole M. Joseph, Lori D. Patton, Saran Stewart, and Evette L. Allen, “Toward an understanding of intersectionality methodology: A 30-year literature synthesis of Black women’s experiences in higher education,” Review of Educational Research 90, no. 6 (2020): 751–87, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.3102/0034654320946822.
4. Stephanie Y. Evans, Black women in the ivory tower, 1850–1954: An intellectual history. (Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2016).
5. “The Sweatt V. Painter Case (1946–1950),” Contextualization and Commemoration Initiative, https://utincontext.la.utexas.edu/our-work/sweatt-v-painter-gallery-and-entry/sweatt-v-painter-gallery-and-entry/sweatt-v-painter/.
6. Emily Newburger, “Lila Fenwick ’56, the first black female graduate of Harvard Law, dies at 87,” Harvard Law Bulletin, April 15, 2020, https://hls.harvard.edu/today/lila-fenwick-56-the-first-black-female-graduate-of-harvard-law-dies-at-87/.
7. Douglas Martin, “Vivian Malone Jones, 63, Dies; First Black Graduate of University of Alabama,” New York Times, October 14, 2005, https://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/14/us/vivian-malone-jones-63-dies-first-black-graduate-of-university-of.html.
8. Eddie R. Cole, “African American women at historically Black colleges during the Civil Rights Movement,” Journal of the Student Personnel Association at Indiana University 42 (2009): 20–28, https://scholarworks.wm.edu/articles/52/.
9. “Executive Order 10925—Establishing the President’s Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity,” March 6, 1961, available at the American Presidency Project, https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/executive-order-10925-establishing-the-presidents-committee-equal-employment-opportunity.
10. “Characteristics of postsecondary students,” National Center for Education Statistics, 2022, https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator/cpb/college-enrollment-rate#:~:text=In%202022%2C%20the%20college%20enrollment,Black%20(36%20percent).
11. Constance Iloh and Ivory A. Toldson, “Black students in 21st century higher education: A closer look at for-profit and community colleges (Editor’s Commentary),” Journal of Negro Education 82, no. 3 (2013): 205–12, https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7709/jnegroeducation.82.3.0205.
12. Michelle Burris, Tanu Kumar, and Andrew Stettner, “Community Colleges Collaborate to Advance Racial Equity in Manufacturing. Industry and Inclusion,” The Century Foundation, May 17, 2022, https://tcf.org/content/report/community-colleges-collaborate-to-advance-racial-equity-in-manufacturing/.
13. Alex Camardelle, Brian Kennedy, and Justin Nalley, “The State of Black Students at Community Colleges,” Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, September 21, 2022, https://jointcenter.org/the-state-of-black-students-at-community-colleges/.
14. “Fast Facts: Women of Color in Higher Ed—AAUW : Empowering Women Since 1881,” AAUW, August 12, 2020, https://www.aauw.org/resources/article/fast-facts-woc-higher-ed/.
15. Gloria Ladson-Billings and William F. Tate, “Toward a critical race theory of education,” Teachers College Record 97, no. 1 (October 1995): 47–68, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/016146819509700104?journalCode=tcza.
16. Ishena Robinson, “Anti-CRT mania and book bans are the latest tactics to halt racial justice,” Legal Defense Fund, 2021, https://www.naacpldf.org/critical-race-theory-banned-books/.
17. Table 306.10, Digest of Education Statistics, National Center for Education Statistics, 2023, https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d23/tables/dt23_306.10.asp.
18. Asha DuMonthier, Chandra E. Childers, and Jessica Milli, “The status of Black women in the United States,” Institute for Women’s Policy Research, June 26, 2017, https://iwpr.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/The-Status-of-Black-Women-6.26.17.pdf.
19. Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, 600 U.S. 181 (2023), https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/22pdf/20-1199_hgdj.pdf.
20. Jones, Tiffany, and Andrew Howard Nichols, “Hard Truths: Why Only Race-Conscious Policies Can Fix Racism in Higher Education,” Education Trust, 2020, https://edtrust.org/rti/hard-truths/.
21. Anemona Hartocollis and Stephanie Saul, “At M.I.T., Black and Latino Enrollment Drops Sharply After Affirmative Action Ban,” New York Times, August 21, 2024, https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/21/us/mit-black-latino-enrollment-affirmative-action.html.
22. Cecile A. Gadson and Jioni A. Lewis, “Devalued, overdisciplined, and stereotyped: An exploration of gendered racial microaggressions among Black adolescent girls,” Journal of Counseling Psychology 69, no. 1 (July 1, 2022): 14, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34197149/.
23. Walter R. Allen, Channel McLewis, Chantal Jones, and Daniel Harris, “From Bakke to Fisher: African American Students in U.S. Higher Education over Forty Years,” RSF: The Russell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Sciences 4, no. 6 (2018): 41–72, https://www.rsfjournal.org/content/4/6/41.
24. D. Hossler and K. Gallagher, “Studying Student College Choice: A Three-Phase Model and the Implications for Policymakers,” College and University 62 (1987): 207–21, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/234741450_Studying_Student_College_Choice_A_Three-Phase_Model_and_the_Implications_for_Policymakers; Ashley B. Clayton, Langley P. McClay, Raeshan D. Davis, and Tenisha L. Tevis, “Considering both HBCU and PWI options: Exploring the college choice process of first-year Black students,” Journal of Higher Education 94, no. 1 (2023): 34–59, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00221546.2022.2131966.
25. Laura W. Perna,  “Studying college access and choice: A proposed conceptual model,” in Higher Education: Handbook of Theory and Research (Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands, 2006), 99–157.
26. F. Commodore, D. J. Baker, and A. T. Arroyo, Black Women College Students: A Guide to Student Success in Higher Education (New York: Routledge, 2018).
27. T. J. Yosso, “Whose culture has capital? A critical race theory discussion of community cultural wealth,” Race, Ethnicity, and Education 8, no. 1 (August 2006): 69–91, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1361332052000341006.
28. Mark C. Long and Nicole A. Bateman, “Long-Run Changes in Underrepresentation After Affirmative Action Bans in Public Universities,” Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis 42, no. 2 (April 6, 2020): https://journals.sagepub.com/stoken/default+domain/UH4YSS3QHRCBY2VJEKPT/full.
29. Denise A. Smith, “How Can We Promote Diversity and Help Students if Affirmative Action Falls?” The Century Foundation, June 14, 2023, https://tcf.org/content/commentary/how-can-we-promote-diversity-and-help-students-if-affirmative-action-falls/.
30. Leticia Smith-Evans, Janel George, Fatima Goss Graves, Lara S. Kaufmann, and Lauren Frohlich, “Unlocking Opportunity for African American Girls: A Call for Action for Educational Equity,” Thurgood Marshall Institute, January 1, 2014, https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4705316.
31. H.R.7354—Protect Black Women and Girls Act, 118th Congress (2023–2024), https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/7354.
32. H. Rept. 117-130, Book 1—Build Back Better Act, 117th Congress (2021–2022), https://www.congress.gov/congressional-report/117th-congress/house-report/130/1.
33. “White House Unveils America’s College Promise Proposal: Tuition-Free Community College for Responsible Students,” The White House Office of the Press Secretary, January 9, 2015, https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2015/01/09/fact-sheet-white-house-unveils-america-s-college-promise-proposal-tuitio.
34. “Federal TRIO Programs,” U.S. Department of Education, https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/trio/index.html.
35. “Upward Bound Program,” U.S. Department of Education, https://www2.ed.gov/programs/trioupbound/index.html.
36. Nate Raymond, “Lawsuit challenges US program to boost minorities with doctorate degrees,” Reuters, August 28, 2024, https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/lawsuit-challenges-us-program-boost-minorities-with-doctorate-degrees-2024-08-28/.
37. Katherine Knott, “States Underfunded Historically Black Land Grants by $13 Billion Over 3 Decades,” Inside Higher Ed, September 20, 2023, https://www.insidehighered.com/news/government/2023/09/20/states-underfunded-black-land-grants-13b-over-30-years.
38. Salma Elakbawy, “Increasing Black Women’s Access to Education and Economic Power,” Institute for Women’s Policy Research, October 25, 2022, https://iwpr.org/black-womens-educational-access-policy/.
39. “Closing America’s Education Funding Gaps,” The Century Foundation, July 22, 2020, https://tcf.org/content/report/closing-americas-education-funding/.
40. Jinann Bitar, Gabriel Montague, and Lauren Ilano, “Faculty Diversity and Student Success Go Hand in Hand, So Why Are University Faculties So White?” Education Trust, December 1, 2022, https://edtrust.org/rti/faculty-diversity-and-student-success-go-hand-in-hand-so-why-are-university-faculties-so-white/.

Tags: school choice, higher edication, black women