This is Historically Black Colleges and Universities Week, as proclaimed by President Obama as part of the administration's White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Early in our Nation's history, higher education was not possible for most African Americans, and simple lessons in reading and writing were often conducted in secret. With a unique mission to meet the educational needs of African Americans, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have been valued resources for our country since their inception before the Civil War. Historically Black Colleges and Universities have opened doors and cultivated dreams, and the contributions of their founders, faculty, students, and graduates have shaped our growth and progress as a Nation. During National Historically Black Colleges and Universities Week, we honor these pillars of higher education in America, and we pay tribute to those who have worked to realize their promise.

Bastions of heritage and scholarship, HBCUs have produced African American medical professionals, lawyers, educators, and public officials throughout their history. Countless individuals have worked tirelessly to cultivate HBCUs, and their legacy is seen in graduates whose achievements adorn the pages of American history. From Booker T. Washington to Mary McLeod Bethune, Dr. W.E.B. DuBois to the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., HBCU visionaries and graduates have set powerful examples of leadership, built our middle class, strengthened our economy, served in our Armed Forces, and secured their place in the American story.