Preserving powerful moments in history and beyond. All proceeds benefit the HBCU community.

Established under the Higher Education Act of 1965, a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) is any historically accredited institution founded in the United States prior to 1964 with the primary mission of educating Black Americans.

In partnership with the Getty family and Stand Together, the Getty Images Photo Archives Grants Program was launched with $500,000 in funding to support HBCU’s visual history. This grant initiative empowers HBCUs to digitize rarely seen photographs—enhancing institutional archives, expanding access, and illuminating untold stories.

Participating HBCUs retain full copyright ownership of their content, and all proceeds directly benefit the institutions. The program fosters a sustainable revenue stream for the HBCUs, creates scholarships and mentorship opportunities for students pursuing careers in content creation and photojournalism. Rarely viewed imagery spanning from the 1800s to present day is now available for licensing through the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Collection on www.gettyimages.com.

Please fill out this form if your HBCU is interested in joining the program.

Explore the HBCU Collection

100% of the Licensing Fees Impact the HBCU Community

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.

HBCU Photo Archives Digitization Grant Participants

We are proud to represent contemporary and archival content from a growing list of prestigious institutions:

If your HBCU is interested in learning more about our content representation program, please fill out this form.

The HBCU Collection—Unique Stories and Historical Events

From the 1800s to present day, HBCUs are making their digital history available to a global audience.

Civil Rights Movement ›

The power of collective action.

Education ›

Classroom scenes from chalkboards to digital labs—a legacy of learning that shaped generations.

Fraternities & Sororities ›

Greek life—a legacy of unity, leadership, and lifelong bonds.

Campus Life ›

Celebrate campus life with campus queens, homecoming and beyond.

Notable Figures ›

Icons of impact, united by the HBCU experience.

Sports ›

The pride, power, and passion of athletics.

Explore the Collection

Wall Decor, Take a Piece of History Home—From Framed or Canvas Print

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

Stories from HBCUs’ Archives

Jackson State University ›

Claflin University ›

Prairie View A&M University ›

White House Initiative for HBCUs and the Advisory Council for Historic Presevation Collaboration - Video Series "History in Photos"

History in Photos Collaboration ›

Southern University and A&M College ›

HBCU Student Photographer Mentorship Program

Through hands‑on mentorship, student gain industry insight, creative guidance, and career‑building opportunities. This program celebrates HBCU’s excellence and nurtures the next generation of visual story tellers.

HBCU Swingman Classic 2023 ›

Jewel Champbell (Morgan State University)
Qwest Courtney (Prairie View A&M University)
Jorden Dixen (Clark Atlanta University)

HBCU Swingman Classic 2024 ›

Emmanuel Durojaiye (Morgan State University)
Marcus Plummer (Grambling State University)
Jamea Beavers (Spelman College)

HBCU Swingman Classic 2025 ›

Carson Ming (Morehouse College)
Jayden Mack (Jackson State University)
Kyrease Desseau (Florida A&M University)

HBCU Honors ›

Sebastian Taylor (Morgan State University)
Myles Dawson (Howard University)

Nice Crowd’s American Black Film Festival (ABFF) ›

Trevyon Eugene (Florida A&M University)

Please fill out this form if your HBCU is interested in joining the program.

Program Partners

Learn more about the images on this page and see photographer credits.