The Mission
The Dr. N. Joyce Payne Research Center is a national hub for policy analysis and advocacy, working to secure the long-term sustainability of Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
HBCUs are emerging as leaders in the AI era. Ready to Scale, Poised to Lead highlights how institutions across the HBCU landscape are adopting artificial intelligence, exceeding national benchmarks, and preparing students to thrive in a rapidly evolving workforce.
HBCUs are emerging as leaders in the AI era. Ready to Scale, Poised to Lead highlights how institutions across the HBCU landscape are adopting artificial intelligence, exceeding national benchmarks, and preparing students to thrive in a rapidly evolving workforce.
A definitive analysis of HBCU research capacity, federal appropriations gaps, and the policy levers required to strengthen the nation's higher-education research pipeline.
A national strategy for cultivating, supporting, and sustaining resilient presidential leadership at historically Black colleges and universities.
Core Functions
Original, methodologically rigorous inquiry on the institutions, policies, and populations shaping the future of Black higher education.
Translating scholarship into briefings for congressional staff, federal agencies, and state coordinating boards.
Convenings, tools, and technical assistance that grow research infrastructure across the sector.
Upcoming Event
The Payne Research Center joins global scholars and institutional leaders at the EASA Annual Conference to advance transnational research on educational equity, capacity-building, and the shared future of Black higher education across the diaspora.
Featured Event
The Payne Research Center joins global scholars and institutional leaders at the EASA Annual Conference to advance transnational research on educational equity, capacity-building, and the shared future of Black higher education across the diaspora.
Since 1987, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund has supported the nation's talent pipeline by providing scholarships, innovative programs, and strategic partnerships from K–12 through higher education to the workforce.
