HBCU Made: A Celebration of the Black College Experience

Edited by NPR’s Weekend Edition Sunday host Ayesha Rascoe, HBCU Made is a love letter to historically Black colleges and universities from those who know them best: the prominent alumni who were educated on these campuses. With firsthand accounts about how they chose their HBCU, their first days on campus, the dynamic atmosphere of classes where students were constantly challenged to do their best, the professors who devoted themselves to the students, the marching bands and majorettes and their rigorous training, this collection features stories from graduates of different generations who are now working in media, entertainment, literature, and business.

For some, the choice to attend an HBCU was an easy one, as they followed in the footsteps of their parents or siblings. For others, it was a carefully considered step away from a predominantly white institution (PWI) to be educated in a place where they would never have to justify their presence. And for some authors here, it was an HBCU that took them in and nurtured them like family, often helping them to overcome a rough patch. With stories of colleges both large and small, this anthology explains why the graduates takes so much pride in their HBCU experience.

Like the ultimate campus tour or a long and joyous alumni weekend, HBCU Made is full of warm and moving and candid accounts, celebrating the black college experience in all its diversity.