HBCUs at Risk: Examining Federal Support for Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Chairwoman Maloney's Opening Statement [PDF]

Subcommittee Chairman Raskin's Opening Statement [PDF]

Washington D.C. (March 14, 2022)—On Thursday, March 17, 2022, at 9:00 a.m. ET, Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, Chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and Rep. Jamie Raskin, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, will hold a hybrid hearing to examine ways the federal government can support Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the face of recent threats to the students and faculty at these institutions. 

Since January 2022, at least 36 HBCUs—more than one third of the nation’s 101 historically Black academic institutions—have been targeted with violent bomb threats.  At least 18 of these institutions were targeted on February 1st alone—the first day of Black History Month.  On February 23, 2022, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced that the bomb threats against HBCUs were being investigated as “racially or ethnically motivated violent extremism and hate crimes” and stated that the investigation was of the “highest priority.”

These threats have come at a time when hate crimes and other acts of violent right-wing extremism are on the rise across the country.  According to a 2020 FBI report, hate crimes against Black Americans increased by nearly 50% between 2019 and 2020, from 1,930 to 2,871 incidents.

This hearing will examine ways the federal government can support HBCUs in the face of threats to student safety and explore reforms to improve security on HBCU campuses and enhance efforts to prevent domestic terrorism. 

MEDIA:

The Committee strongly recommends that members of the media view the hearing proceedings remotely.  Seating in the hearing room is extremely limited and as a result, credentialed media must RSVP to the Oversight Committee Democrats Press Office at  oversightpress@mail.house.gov no later than 5 p.m. ET on March 16, 2022.