1st Edition

Africa and America's Historically Black Colleges and Universities From Shared History to New Opportunities

By Kelisha B. Graves, Noran L. Moffett Copyright 2026
250 Pages 28 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

250 Pages 28 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

This book focuses on the history and prospects of the strategic alliances between African nations and America’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Drawing on extensive archival and original research, this book fills critical gaps and provides a compelling, data-driven case for further collaborations. HBCUs have played a vital role in American history, nurturing change-makers... Read more

Part 1. Mapping the Landscape - The Current State  1. Africa and America’s HBCUs: Framing the Existential Challenge  2. World Powers and the New Arena for Influence in African Higher Education  3. What Africa Wants: Charting the Continent’s Higher Education Agenda  Part 2. Middle Passages: The Shared Past  4. “A Way Out of No Way:” The Story of America’s Black Colleges- A Brief History  5. Sacred Missions: Faith-Based Transnationalism and the Making of HBCU–Africa Connections  6. Architects of Possibility: How African American Educational Leaders Globalized HBCU Missions, 1881-1976  7. Coming to America: The Journeys of African Students to HBCUs, 1870-1963  8. Organizing for Africa: African American Educational Organizations that Shaped Transatlantic Exchange in the Mid-20th Century  Part 3. Where Do We Go From Here? The Future of HBCU Africa Engagement  9. The Next Chapter in the Story: Contemporary Perspectives from HBCU and African Leaders  10. The Case for an Education World Bank: A Beloved Community Concept of Educational Justice for All People  Appendix: The HBCU-Africa Story: Developing a Polyangular Research Framework

Biography

Kelisha B. Graves is an Assistant Professor of Education at Virginia State University, United States. She is also the Chief Research, Education, and Programs Officer at The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, United States. She completed her doctorate at Fayetteville State University, United States.

Noran L. Moffett is currently a Full Professor of Education at Fayetteville State University, United States. He is also CEO of The Edumind Corporation, an educational consulting firm. He completed his doctorate at Clark Atlanta University, United States.