Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are vital to higher education. Yet, many land-grant HBCUs have received lower levels of funding since their inception. While many state legislatures have targeted funding toward HBCUs in recent years, many institutions feel that the historic inequity must be remedied. This issue brief examines the history of HBCUs, the underfunding of land-grant universities, and federal accountability. Future briefs will examine how specific states have responded to systemic underfunding. [For "Addressing Historic Underfunding of HBCUs: Leveraging Litigation in Maryland. Issue Brief 2," see ED626526. For "Addressing Historic Underfunding of HBCUs: Implementing Bipartisan Legislation in Tennessee. Issue Brief 3," see ED626527.]