Historically Black Community Colleges: A Descriptive Profile and Call for Context-Based Future Research

Much of the research and discussion of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) focuses on four-year institutions, impeding the significance of their two-year counterparts. Using extant literature and data from the National Center for Education Statistics' Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), this paper elucidates Historically Black Community Colleges (HBCCs). By providing nuanced perspectives on this group of community colleges, we situate these institutions in their unique context. The paper provides a historical background of HBCCs, a review of relevant literature, and a descriptive profile of HBCCs' organizational characteristics. Finally, we discuss topical and theoretical recommendations for future research. This paper is a call for further research situated in the distinctive context of HBCCs, and carries both scholarly and practical significance for HBCCs, as well as other HBCUs, Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), and community colleges.