The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) is urging President Donald J. Trump to reinstate a federal scholarship program designed to support students from rural and
Congresswoman Yvette Clarke
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) indefinitely suspended the 1890 Scholarship Program on Thursday, with the program's website stating it is "pending further review." The suspension comes amid a broader funding freeze instituted by the Trump administration to review whether spending aligns with the president's executive orders on issues like climate change and diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
"The Trump Administration's decision to suspend the 1890 Scholars Program 'pending further review' is an outrageous disruption that undermines efforts to make higher education accessible for Black students and correct our nation's history of systemic racial discrimination within the land-grant system," said Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.), chair of the CBC.
The scholarship program, established in 1992, provides full tuition, room and board to students pursuing degrees in agriculture, food, natural resource sciences or related fields at one of 19 HBCUs, known as the 1890 land grant institutions. These include Alabama A&M, Florida A&M, North Carolina A&T, and Tuskegee University, among others.
To be eligible, students must be U.S. citizens with a GPA of 3.0 or better and demonstrate leadership and community service. Last year, more than $19 million was allocated to 94 students across the participating HBCUs.
With applications for the program closing on March 1, the CBC is calling on Trump to reinstate the program ahead of the deadline.
