A History of Accomplishments

Headshot of female college graduate wearing her cap and gown
Since its inception in 1996, the Frederick D. Patterson Institute has made great strides in the development of research on African Americans in education.

On February 22, 1996, UNCF announced the creation of the Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute, named in honor and memory of the founder of UNCF. Its mission has been constant: to build a comprehensive research foundation for UNCF’s efforts to improve the education the nation’s students receive and the educational outcomes they experience. The Institute is located at UNCF headquarters in Washington, D.C.

The institute’s activities have included:

  • Designing and producing the first-ever comprehensive books on the status and progress of the education of African Americans in the United States.
  • Designing, conducting, printing, and disseminating detailed annual reports on the progress of UNCF-member institutions.
  • Producing groundbreaking research on the perceptions of low- and moderate-income of African American parents on education reform.
  • Producing several reports that supplement the body of knowledge on HBCUs and promote their value proposition: conducting evaluations of UNCF programs.
  • Designing and producing a scholarship effectiveness study that demonstrates the impact of UNCF scholarships on the students who receive them.
  • Conducting analysis on issues that shape education policy, such as Parent PLUS Loans and graduation rates, through the lens of HBCUs.
  • Providing technical assistance and information to answer specific inquiries from academic institutions, policymakers, the media, and the general public with respect to the status and conditions of African Americans and other minority populations in education.