The author interviews four presidents of historically Black institutions, two public and two private: (1) Dr. James Ammons, of Florida A&M University in Tallahassee; (2) Beverly Wade Hogan, of Tougaloo College in Jackson, Mississippi; (3) Dr. Marvalene Hughes, of Dillard University in New Orleans, Louisiana; and (4) Dr. Melvin Johnson, of Tennessee State University. When they began their careers in academic leadership, these presidents did not envision many of the challenges of the 21st century, not the least of which is a global recession. Although fiscal viability looms as an overarching threat, it is just one of many. In the interview, the four presidents discuss meeting head-on the multitude of challenges that HBCUs face in the 21st century. They also discuss the challenges they face today and how those challenges have changed over the years.