Here are a few things you’ll learn if you google it.

• HBCU = Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
• An institution established for the education of African Americans.
• It’s historic in the sense that all HBCU institutions were established by 1964
• Why 1964? That was the year of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
• Most founded shortly after the Civil War.
• How many are there? A little over 100, mostly located in Southern states.
• How many are in your Area, Tim? Harris-Stowe State in St. Louis. Lincoln University of Missouri in Jefferson City

Last week I spent 4 days in Atlanta with my Regional Staff Team. That’s us on the stairs (about 35 out of a total of 60 paid and volunteer staff in our 17 state Region). We met in the heart of Atlanta on Georgia Tech’s campus. We talked about HBCUs. And we talked about Evangelism. In this post I’d like to show you some pics from our prayer-walk tour of 6 HBCUs on an interconnected mosaic known as the Atlanta University Center. We also watched and discussed a terrific documentary you can find on You-Tube called Tell Them We Are Rising – The history of HBCUs in America.

We heard from several of our African American team-mates who helped us understand the significance of GFM ministry on HBCU campuses. When people tell their lived history, the documentary learning really starts to sink in and as a Region we have the chance to deepen our identity and commitments. While HBCUs historically and currently have a huge hand in the rise of the middle class for African Americans, InterVarsity is only on a small handful of these campuses. Pray for us as a region to attract, recruit and retain more Black staff! Pray for God to raise up a witness for himself on these campuses through godly students and faculty members. Pray for our Region to own the opportunity we have by representing 85% of America’s HBCUs in our 17 states. Pray for my Area Team to find a place for Harris-Stowe State and Lincoln University in our vision for ministry growth.