Universities reducing Black studies courses and programs.

Across the country, Black studies programs are facing a dire situation in higher education. The Trump administration is determined to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in schools, corporations, and government, resulting in a new wave of cuts for these programs. According to a report by The Washington Post, over a dozen private and public institutions have already made significant changes to their Black, African, or African American studies programs since 2024.

These changes have included the closure or merger of academic units, the elimination of majors and degrees, and the reduction of courses and staff. For example, universities like the University of Iowa, the University of Texas at Austin, and the University of Kansas have shut down or consolidated their African American studies units. Others, such as Kennesaw State University, the University of Toledo, and Indiana University Bloomington, have either eliminated or started phasing out their programs.

Jafari Sinclaire Allen, the director of Columbia University's Institute for Research in African American Studies, believes that politics is the driving force behind these cuts. In an interview with The Washington Post, he stated that the consequences of these cuts could go beyond individual campuses and have a detrimental impact on the future of researchers and faculty. "They are not cutting at the fringe," Allen emphasized.

"They are striking at the foundations." One of the major challenges facing these institutions is funding and enrollment for these programs. Data collected up until 2025 shows that only a mere 700 degrees in African American studies were awarded nationally for three consecutive years, despite an increase in the number of institutions offering degree programs. In fact, the University of Iowa decided to eliminate its African American studies major when only nine students were enrolled in the program.

Similarly, the University of North Texas cited a projected $45 million budget shortfall as the reason for closing or consolidating several programs, including an Africana studies minor. However, it is important to note that enrollment and budget figures do not tell the whole story. Erica R.

Edwards, the chair of Black studies at Yale University, believes that these programs have become a target due to their unapologetic critiques of fascism, antiblackness, sexism, antitransness, and antiimmigration. In an email to The Washington Post, she stated, "Given the concerted efforts of our current administration and its allies to suppress history and silence truth, it is not surprising that Black studies programs are facing challenges both from within and from outside attacks." These cuts are happening at a time when many states are imposing new restrictions on how colleges can teach topics related to race, gender, and other identities. States like Florida, North Carolina, and Texas have implemented policies that limit coursework on these topics, while the Trump administration continues to push against diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.

In January 2025, President Trump signed an executive order specifically targeting DEI programs at colleges that had a DEI office or promoted DEI and diversity work on campus. The order states, "Institutions of higher education have adopted and actively used dangerous, demeaning, and immoral race- and sex-based preferences under the guise of so-called 'diversity, equity, and inclusion.'" This further highlights the ongoing battle against these vital programs and the uphill struggle they face in the current political climate.