African Americans in Higher Education

Since the 1980s, higher education in the United States has become increasingly diverse. African American or Black students and faculty have made historic increases in representation, with enrollment of Black students reaching an all-time high in 2011 when they represented 15% of all enrolled U.S. residents. The enrollment of Black students has decreased since 2011, due to many intersecting factors that impinge upon postsecondary enrollment, including race/racism, ethnicity, sex, socioeconomic status, secondary educational achievement (i.e., preparedness), and others for Black students. Black faculty have seen less significant gains, representing less than 5% of faculty at U.S. institutions. Despite the increase in enrollment and employment of Black students and faculty, Black students and faculty still face significant discrimination and inequalities in higher education. Much of the ...