What is Academic Equity

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are institutions of higher education that have established cultural norms reflective of a predominantly Black student body. Throughout history, HBCU leaders have preserved the HBCU experience through culturally responsive leadership. Culturally responsive leadership practices at HBCUs include faculty-student relationships, a student-centered campus culture, and racial uplift. This chapter will take the reader through higher education leadership theory, a brief history of HBCU leadership, the modern-day significance of HBCUs, and how culturally responsive leadership preserves the HBCU experience. The aim of this chapter is to highlight culturally responsive leadership practices in HBCUs that may be adapted in a multitude of education settings to further academic and social equity and justice across all higher education institutions in the United States.