This is a word, a podcast from Slate, I'm your host, Jason Johnson.

In summer, the time when many high school graduates are preparing to make the big leap

to college or university, for the overwhelming majority of black students that means going

to a predominantly white institution or P.W.I. But there are signs that more young African-American

scholars are choosing to continue their studies at historically black colleges and universities.

Why more elite black students are choosing eighth B.C.U.s coming up on a word with me,

Jason Johnson. Stay with us.

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Welcome to a word, a podcast about race in politics and everything else. I'm your host, Jason Johnson.

For more than a century, historically black colleges and universities were essentially

the only option for most African-Americans who wanted to pursue a higher education.

Through the civil rights era, black students faced violence for trying to integrate campuses

in the South. And even institutions across the country that weren't openly segregated were

frequently hostile or just plain old welcoming. Over the course of decades, a lot changed,

and eventually more than 90% of black college students were in the majority white institutions

by the late 90s. With many of the top students barely giving HBC.U.s a second look.

But there are indications that that could be changing. A recent article in the New York Times

followed the stories of several highly accomplished black students, many with hefty scholarship offers

from prestigious white schools who decided the HBC.U.s were their best option.

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