New PBS documentary highlights enduring legacy and evolving future of HBCUs

CHICAGO, Sept. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A new documentary, Opportunity, Access & Uplift: The Evolving Legacy of HBCUs, hosted by journalist Brandis Griffith Friedman, is now airing nationwide on more than 300 PBS member stations and online throughout the country. This documentary is funded by Lumina Foundation.

The documentary examines the experience of students at the nation's historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Viewers visit two HBCU campuses to meet a diverse cast of students and learn why they chose their HBCU. The students share insights into their experiences of academic and campus life at Delaware State University in Dover, Delaware, and Dillard University in New Orleans. UNCF (formerly United Negro College Fund) President and CEO Michael Lomax and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Associate Professor Felecia Commodore provide context on the history of HBCUs, the funding challenges they face, and the changing face of enrollment.

HBCUs have always played a vital role in the nation's higher education system, producing generations of Black college graduates and contributing to the growth of the Black middle class.

"As a proud graduate of Dillard University, this documentary holds a special place in my heart," said Friedman. "HBCUs shaped who I am today, and it was deeply meaningful to share the stories of current students whose experiences reflect both the history and the evolving future of these vital institutions."

"HBCUs have long been anchors of opportunity, cultivating generations of leaders and innovators who have shaped our nation. Lumina is proud to support this documentary, which honors their enduring legacy while shining a light on the students and communities who will carry it forward," said Lumina Strategy Director Jasmine Haywood.

Opportunity Access & Uplift is produced by Brandis Griffith Friedman, David Duncan/DPD Media, and Mario Tharpe.

Media Contact: 
Brandis Griffith Friedman 
[email protected] 

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SOURCE Lumina Foundation