Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs) Collection
Preserving rarely seen moments in history and beyond.100% of the licensing fees support the HBCU Community.
Established by the Higher Education Act of 1965, an HBCU is any historically accredited college or university established prior to 1964 with the mission of educating Black Americans. The Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Collection houses rarely‑seen photography, from the 1800s to notable events today.
HBCUs retain full copyright ownership of their photography. All revenue generated from the Collection impacts the program—providing each HBCU with a new revenue stream, technical support and stipends for students participating in the program. The program also supports scholarships for students attending HBCUs and provides a mentorship opportunity for students interested in a career path toward photojournalism.
We are proud to represent contemporary and archival photography from the following prestigious institutions:
If your HBCU is interested in learning more about our content representation program, please fill out this form.
The HBCU Collection
Check out the latest images in the collection by subject.
Commitment to HBCUs
By licensing images from the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Collection, you are supporting HBCUs' commitment to preserving their visual history and contributing to scholarships for students.
100% of the licensing fees impact the HBCUs:
- 50% of the licensing fees go to the HBCU.
- 30% support scholarships for students each year.
- 20% is reinvested into the Getty Images Photo Archives Grant to support the photo digitization process for additional HBCUs.
Please fill out this form if your HBCU is interested in joining the program.
Wall Decor
A curation of images from the HBCU Collection is now available for wall decor on Photos.com. Choose from a wide selection of photography to enhance your home or office.
Check out the latest images available for framed or canvas prints here.
Stories from HBCU’s Photo Archives
HBCU Student Photographer Mentorship
Getty Images Photo Archive Grants Program
In partnership with the Getty Family and Stand Together, the Getty Images Photo Archive Grant for HBCUs Program has committed $500,000 to digitize HBCUs’ photographic archives.
This grant series offers HBCUs the opportunity to digitize their valuable visual history for the benefit of students, professors, and the public—increasing access to unique imagery and bringing awareness to untold stories. The HBCUs retain full copyright ownership of their content.
This grant series offers HBCUs the opportunity to digitize their valuable visual history for the benefit of students, professors, and the public—increasing access to unique imagery and bringing awareness to untold stories. The HBCUs retain full copyright ownership of their content.
Our partnerships
