ATLANTA (March 17, 2021) | Sen. Sonya Halpern (D – Atlanta), along with Gov. Brian Kemp, hosted the first Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Heritage Day at the Georgia State Capitol on Tuesday, March 16th. Georgia boasts the second-most HBCUs in the country with 10 institutions throughout the state.
“I am honored to recognize our state’s historically Black colleges and universities today,” said Sen. Halpern. “My mother and father attended a Mississippi HBCU, Tougaloo College, in a time in our history where higher education for Black Americans seemed so out of reach. HBCUs changed, and continue to change, the landscape for educating Black students everywhere. These institutions are not only schools, but lifelong support networks for its graduates. I look forward to making HBCU Heritage Day an annual event here at the Capitol.”
Presidents from several of Georgia’s HBCUs, including Clark Atlanta University, Fort Valley State University and Savannah State University attended the event and were honored for the work their schools are doing to support Black students in higher education, especially in STEM fields. Gov. Brian Kemp and Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan spoke at the event as well, commending HBCUs for the important role they play in Georgia’s economy and culture.
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Sen. Sonya Halpern represents the 39th Senate District which includes portions of Fulton County. She may be reached at (404) 463-1318 or via email at sonya.halpern@senate.ga.gov