People who do their best to survive and thrive within a government should not shoulder substantial burdens from natural disasters without governmental help. In an unexpected pivot to the positive, the recent budget agreement—that concluded the governmental shutdown—includes a special provision that provides a clean slate for four HBCUs severely impacted by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

As the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education reported: 

“The deal forgave $330 million in debt that the four educational institutions had borrowed from the federal government to rebuild their campuses. Only $12.4 million had been paid back.

The four HBCUs that had their loans forgiven were Tougaloo College in Mississippi, Xavier University of Louisiana, Dillard University in New Orleans, and Southern University-New Orleans.

Dillard University and Xavier University each borrowed more than $160 million. Having to repay this debt would have placed all the educational institutions in a precarious financial situation.”

Dillard University President Dr. Walter M. Kimbrough highlighted how helpful the lawmakers budget move is for community stakeholders affected by the super-storm. “The enormity and importance of this federal assistance is life changing for our university and students,” he said.

Author

  • Imani J. Jackson is an interdisciplinary scholar, journalist and environmental LL.M student at the University of Florida. Imani earned a J.D. at Florida A&M and B.A. at Grambling State. The Florida native secured bylines on Teen Vogue, USA Today, the Institute for Middle East Understanding and in academic journals. She loves human rights and interests, culture and education.