Hampton, Va. — Several Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), including Hampton University, today launched the Association of HBCU Research Institutions (AHRI), a national coalition designed to accelerate world-class research, expand institutional capacity, and elevate HBCU leadership in addressing society’s most pressing challenges.  

The organization will elevate the contributions of HBCUs in cutting-edge, interdisciplinary research, expand policy influence, and accelerate transformative discoveries at scale. AHRI will do so by increasing research capacity, strengthening institutional infrastructure, boosting funding opportunities, enhancing faculty recruitment, and expanding student access to research and career pathways. 

“Hampton University is proud to stand among the nation’s leading HBCU research institutions in launching this transformative coalition. AHRI represents a bold affirmation that HBCUs possess the intellectual capital, scientific rigor, and collaborative strength to help solve the complex challenges of our time,” said Hampton University President Darrell K. Williams ‘83. 

Member institutions will also collaborate to increase the number of HBCUs achieving Research One (R1) Carnegie Classification, which is the highest designation for research activity. AHRI is supported by a strategic partnership with the Association of American Universities (AAU), where its offices will be co-located, and a three-year, $1 million grant from the Harvard & the Legacy of Slavery (H&LS) Initiative. Harvard University’s Office of the Vice Provost for Research will also provide technical assistance. 

“Today is not just an announcement, but a declaration that HBCUs are not only contributors to research and innovation, but also leaders shaping a new era of discovery, reimagining both the solutions and the systems that drive research,” said Wayne A. I. Frederick, M.D., MBA, Howard University interim president, president emeritus, and Charles R. Drew Professor of Surgery.  

Frederick serves as AHRI interim president. David K. Wilson, Ed.D., president of Morgan State University, serves as board chair, and Tomikia P. LeGrande, Ed.D., president of Prairie View A&M University, serves as board vice chair.  

AHRI’s founding members include Hampton University, an R2 institution, Howard University, and 12 partner institutions, also classified as R2: High Research Activity: Clark Atlanta University, Delaware State University, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, Jackson State University, Morgan State University, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Prairie View Agricultural and Mechanical University, South Carolina State University, Southern University, Tennessee State University, Texas Southern University, and Virginia State University. The University of Maryland Eastern Shore is also a member.  

Collectively, AHRI institutions account for 50% of competitively awarded federal research funding among HBCUs and drive solutions in health, science, education, justice reform, and economic development. 

The launch coincides with AHRI’s inaugural research symposium, “Expanding the Research Mission of HBCUs,” convening higher education leaders, policymakers, and industry partners to explore strategies to strengthen research infrastructure and expand collective impact. 

“AHRI marks a powerful new chapter in the HBCU research landscape, bringing institutions that have too often worked in isolation into sustained collaboration with one another and with the country’s leading research universities,” said Ruth Simmons, Ph.D., senior adviser to the Harvard University president on engagement with HBCUs and a three-time college president.    

“We are privileged to leverage our expertise in research infrastructure and capacity-building to help strengthen the foundation for HBCU research excellence and support more institutions on the path from R2 to R1 status,” said Sara Naomi Bleich, Ph.D., vice provost for special projects at Harvard.  

“The H&LS Initiative’s growing portfolio of partnerships with HBCUs has shown how transformative these collaborations can be for students and faculty. This new partnership with AHRI will build on that success and further expand the opportunities and recognition for premier HBCU research institutions.”  

AHRI was established through collaboration among visionary leaders committed to elevating HBCU research capacity and influence. In addition to Frederick, Simmons, Wilson, and LeGrande, collaborators included Harold L. Martin Sr., Ph.D., chancellor emeritus of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. With administrative and legal support from Howard University, the organization was formally incorporated on June 14, 2023, and convened its inaugural board meeting on October 18, 2023.  

AHRI leaders also issued a call to action for government, corporate, and philanthropic partners to invest in the future of HBCU research and innovation.