In 1973, the D.C. Court of Appeals affirmed a lower court decision that the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW) had failed to take action against states that maintained segregated systems of higher education. The states were directed to submit plans to HEW for dismantling the dual systems of higher education. There was widespread fear among the leadership of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (the HBCUs) that the southern states would move to “desegregate” higher education the same way that they had “desegregated” elementary and secondary schools in African American communities; by closing them. As a result of an aggressive litigation strategy, HBCU litigants had persuaded the court that the appropriate remedy for a century of discrimination and underfunding was a commitment to upgrade the HBCUs and add new programs so they could credibly compete for all students.

In 1977, President Carter appointed Dr. Mary Frances Berry as Assistant Secretary of Education. By education and experience, Dr. Berry was uniquely qualified to oversee the higher education desegregation process. She was born in the Jim Crow South. She received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Howard University, an HBCU in Washington, D.C., and a Ph.D. and a law degree from the University of Michigan. She had held senior positions at predominantly white institutions including the University of Maryland and the University of Colorado. For the first time, HBCU leadership enjoyed access to a senior federal official who understood the importance of the HBCUs to the nation in general and the African American community in particular. Dr. Berry’s oversight of the desegregation process included the input and concerns of
the HBCU leadership.

In 1979, President Carter announced that he would run for a second term as president. In August of 1979, he appointed Patricia Harris to the position of Secretary of HEW. In so doing, he appointed the first African American woman to a cabinet position. In preparation for that presidential campaign, he announced the creation of a new Department of Education. Dr. Berry was informed that she would not become Secretary of Education.

A series of meetings were called by the HBCU leadership and the civil rights leadership to determine if and how the interests of the HBCUs could be protected in Dr. Berry’s absence. Meeting participants included Vernon Jordan, Dr. Sam Myers, Jesse Jackson, Chris Edley, Sr, Ms. Dorothy Height, A. Phillip Randolph, and Mrs. Coretta Scott King. At one of the meetings, Mrs. King noted that the White House always responded to calls from Daddy King (MLK’s father). She also informed the gathering that there was a special relationship between Dr. Benjamin Mays and President Carter.

Dr. Mays was the son of former slaves and the retired president of Morehouse College. Dr. Mays had been the dean of the school of religion at Howard University and spiritual advisor to Dr. Martin Luther King, the most famous graduate of Morehouse. Calls were made to Dr. Mays and he called President Carter to discuss the need to protect HBCUs. He reminded President Carter that he had received an honorary degree from Morehouse in 1975. Dr. Mays believed that the Atlanta college would be the ideal location for a medical school.

In 1980, President Carter invited the presidents of the historically Black colleges and universities to a ceremony at the White House. On August 8, 1980, at a gathering that was the first of its kind in the Rose Garden at the White House, President Carter issued Executive Order 12232. That Order established a federal program “to overcome the effects of discriminatory treatment and to strengthen and expand the capacity of historically black colleges and universities to provide quality education.” The Order also directed federal agencies to increase the participation of HBCUs in federal programs and to ensure the institutions received a fair share of federal resources.

President Carter created the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (WHI) to carry out the provisions of the Order. The office was staffed with an executive director and a staff of six education professionals on loan from the new Department of Education. The executive director reported to Louis Martin, a special assistant to the president.

Every president since President Carter has issued an Executive Order authorizing the operation of the White House Initiative. The effectiveness of the office has varied depending upon the commitment of the individual sitting in the Oval Office. As a general matter, the office tends to get greater levels of support from presidents who have been political executives in southern states.

In the 2024 U.S. News & World Report rankings, the Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) was ranked #1 in the category of Most Diverse Medical Schools. MSM was ranked #23 in the nation for the percentage of its graduates practicing in health professional shortage areas, highlighting its commitment to serving underserved communities.

The HBCU community owes a debt of gratitude to President Carter for recognizing the importance of the HBCUs to America. The HBCU community owes a debt of gratitude to President Carter for creating a vehicle for bringing the concerns of the HBCU community to the attention of the president. Fifty-five years after its creation, the office is still charged with advocating for the interests of the institutions across the federal government.

Meldon Hollis, former executive director, WHI
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