The nation's historically black colleges and universities have been essential to the success of African-Americans since 1837. Popularly known as HBCUs, these schools remain important, producing 23 percent of black college graduates even though they constitute only 3 percent of the nation's colleges and universities.

This success, however, may not protect publicly funded HBCUs from emerging ethnic and economic realities that are requiring changes in higher education. In several states that are home to public HBCUs, lawmakers are questioning -- some openly challenging -- the continued need for these schools and their unique burden to taxpayers.

In November 2008, Georgia state Sen. Seth Harp, a white Republican, proposed the merger of two of the state's historically black public universities with two predominantly white colleges. As chairman of the powerful Senate Higher Education Commission, Harp argued that the merger of black Savannah State University with Armstrong Atlantic University in Savannah and that of black Albany State with two-year Darton College in Albany would help the state reduce a looming deficit in the university system. Georgia's third public HBCU, Fort Valley State, is not near a white college and was not part of the merger proposal for that reason.

Although protests quickly killed Harp's proposal in the legislature, the seeds for the movement to merge public HBCUs had been planted. Doubtless, the merger movement will grow as higher education budgets continue to erode.

HBCU supporters will have to use more than emotion and allusions to a glorious past to stave off change.

In November, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, prompted by declining revenues, proposed merging the state's three HBCUs -- Jackson State, Alcorn State and Mississippi Valley State -- into one HBCU. Higher education officials said such a merger would save the state $180 million by 2012.