"This is an excellent collection of essays about the enduring character, contributions and impact of Black colleges on American higher education and the larger society. It is further a solid contribution to an expanding literature on HBCUs as each chapter is based on seminal research that enhances our understanding of their unique role and mission." - Alvin Schexnider, former president of Winston Salem State University and former interim president of Norfolk State University "From the moment of their inception in the nineteenth century, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) simultaneously reflected and challenged the attitudes and assumptions of the dominant American society. Co-editors Gasman and Tudico have assembled a collection of essays that propel scholarship on HBCUs to a new and exciting level. These thoughtful and provocative essays cast a wide intellectual net; and in so doing, they remind us that the Black college is not a static institution forever frozen in a moment of time and potential. Anyone interested in the history, purpose, and promise of HBCUs must acquire this incredible book. - Darryl L. Peterkin, Ph.D., Senior Program Officer & Director of the Center to Serve Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Southern Education Foundation, Atlanta, Georgia