Founded by Quakers in 1838, Cheyney University of Pennsylvania is the nation's oldest historically black college.
North Carolina A&T State, created in 1890 by an act of the state Legislature, is the nation's largest historically black college.
» FULL COVERAGE: HBCUs: A Threatened Heritage
Both are public schools. But A&T is booming, and Cheyney is struggling. Enrollment at A&T now is nearing 12,000, and incoming freshmen have a GPA of 3.5. Enrollment at Cheyney declined more than 50 percent from 2010 to 2015, and the school’s accrediting agency has placed it on probation.
For our special series "HBCUs: A Threatened Heritage," the AJC's Ernie Suggs visited both schools and tells their stories. Find out how A&T became a powerhouse, and how Cheyney found itself in such difficulty.
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