Blavity-U

Most HBCUs are located in broadband deserts, leaving students lacking access to the internet. Some schools and organizations are trying to change that despite federal funding having been pulled.

A 2021 McKinsey report indicated that 82% of HBCUs are located in broadband deserts. They either lack access to a good internet connection or don’t have access to it at all.

The impact of the lack of internet access at HBCUS

This issue has a direct impact on students, who need access to online resources to complete their studies and submit assignments.

A student shared her struggle in an email with Claflin University President Dwaun J. Warmack, Ph.D.

“It is my prayer that Claflin’s passion for education aligns with its compassion. I am currently typing my senior research paper at the local McDonald’s that I drive to nine miles every day to do this work because my town doesn’t have Wi-Fi bandwidth,” CNET reported she wrote years ago.

To remedy the issue, Claflin partnered with the Student Freedom Initiative, a nonprofit organization working to bridge the wealth gap through education. In 2023, it partnered with Cisco in order to provide 5G internet service on Claflin’s campus.

“The only way for students to actually get access to content was to come together in areas that provided [broadband] access, which created a problem,” Student Freedom Initiative President and CEO Keith Shoates told CNET.

According to a Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies report, broadband deserts are primarily in the Black Rural South, in 152 counties across states that include Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

SFI has worked with several HBCUs in areas lacking internet access, including Alabama’s Tuskegee University, Florida A&M University, Xavier University of Louisiana and Hampton University in Virginia.

How is the government addressing the issue?

In May, President Donald Trump called for an end to the Digital Equity Act, which he called “RACIST and ILLEGAL” and was part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021. The initiative was passed to help close the gap regarding internet access. According to CNET, the Affordable Connectivity Program, a pandemic-era initiative that helped low-income households pay for internet access, was terminated in May 2024.

Warmack emphasized the importance of federal funding in helping provide access to an internet connection. In the past, Claflin received a $2.9 million grant from the Connecting Minority Community Project via the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. It contributed to internet access being offered on and around campus.

Despite recent changes made by the Trump administration, SFI is still working to give HBCU students internet access.

“We’re still moving forward because the problem still exists,” Shoates said.

Kenny Lattimore and Chanté Moore’s son, K.J. Lattimore, graduated from Lincoln University, the nation’s first HBCU. 

On May 4, K.J. earned his bachelor’s degree in business, with his proud parents capturing and sharing the milestone with followers and fans of the R&B singers on social media.

How did Kenny Lattimore and Chanté Moore celebrate K.J.’s graduation?

Kenny took to Facebook and Instagram, writing in part, “He did it! From a 17-year-old KJ visiting Lincoln’s campus to a 22-year-old walking away ready to take on the world.” His post included Kanye “Ye” West’s version of “God Is” and also honored his mother, who he said sang the original to him as a child.

In one of her Instagram posts, #proudmamma Chanté commented on how she’s “so incredibly proud” of K.J. and that she “only cried three times.”

What did K.J. say about his milestone?

K.J. shared a celebratory post on Instagram, flexing with his degree on the HBCU campus. 

“In this life, you must evolve, become greater than you were before… I am now a graduate from The First HBCU 🎓.There is still much more evolution to come. When they doubted and thought I might fall, I remain blessed and thank God through it all. I continue to push past my limits every day, and on May 4th, as one journey ended, my newest journey began 🚀✊🏽💙.”

Kenny commented on K.J.’s post, emphasizing the importance of his achievement.

“You’ll never regret earning your business degree, son! I know it was challenging but every artist eventually learns that understanding the business is just as important as the gift. You’ve got everything it takes, and I couldn’t be prouder of you!” he wrote.Congratulations, K.J.!

Fisk University has announced it is closing its gymnastics program. The program will shut down at the end of the 2025-26 academic year, with the final season of competition being held next spring.

The program, which opened in 2022, was the first of its kind at an HBCU.

“While we are tremendously proud of the history our gymnastics team has made in just three years, we look forward to focusing on our conference-affiliated teams to strengthen our impact in the HBCU Athletic Conference,” Valencia Jordan, director of Fisk Athletics, said in a press release. “Fisk is grateful for the hard work, dedication and tenacity of its gymnasts, staff members, and coaches who made this program possible.”

What Fisk says about its gymnastics program

Despite the news, the university invited its alumni, students, staff and community members to support the gymnastics team prior to May 2026.

Fisk is the second HBCU to announce it is closing its gymnastics program this year. In July 2024, Talladega College said it would stop offering the program after opening for a year due to not having the necessary financial resources to keep the program running.

Why is Fisk University closing its gymnastics program?

The HBCU is shutting down its gymnastics program due to financial reasons, according to Sports Illustrated. It had been facing challenges regarding the program’s resources for training and traveling to events.

It also faced issues regarding scheduling competitions and building a recruiting pipeline, Fisk said in a press release. This is due to gymnastics not being a sport sanctioned by the HBCU Athletic Conference, which Fisk athletics competes in.

The program recently lost two key figures. Coach Corrine Tarver announced her departure from Fisk in February. Former meet director and social media manager Nuriya Mack was named interim coach for the remainder of the season, according to Main Street Media.

Morgan Price, a two-time All-Around USGA National Champion, also left the school. Last month, she transferred from Fisk to the University of Arkansas.