American Freedmen Legal Fund Challenges Spelman College on Freedmen Student Displacement

April 28, 2025 — The American Freedmen Legal Fund has formally contacted Spelman College regarding troubling reports that students identifying as Freedmen — individuals whose status stems from emancipation following U.S. chattel slavery — are being displaced in favor of non-Freedmen students.

According to recent public statements, a Freedmen student who maintained academic excellence throughout her first year at Spelman was unable to enroll for Fall 2025 classes. Despite her strong academic standing, she reportedly lost her placement and had to transfer to the University of Memphis, where her full scholarship was immediately honored without issue.

This is not an isolated incident. Families and students are increasingly reporting a growing trend: students without verified Freedmen status are gaining preferential access to scholarships, programs, and enrollment opportunities that were historically established for the Freedmen community. This undermines the founding mission of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) like Spelman, which were originally created to educate and uplift the descendants of the Freedmen.

The American Freedmen Legal Fund has demanded from Spelman:

• A clear statement of current enrollment and scholarship prioritization policies.

• Transparency about protections in place for Freedmen students.

• A commitment to formally recognize Freedmen students as a distinct constituency deserving of protection and priority.

• Immediate corrective measures if Freedmen students are being displaced.

Additionally, the Fund informed Spelman College that Freedmen students can complete their Freedmen Verification for free by visiting www.freedmennation.org/status-check. This verification provides institutions with a clear and documented method to ensure they are serving the original community for whom these colleges were founded.

The Fund has given Spelman College 30 days to respond to the formal letter. If no action is taken, further steps will be pursued, including potential complaints to educational oversight bodies and public accountability measures.

Protecting the legacy and rightful place of Freedmen students at HBCUs is not optional — it is essential.

The American Freedmen Legal Fund remains committed to ensuring that Freedmen students are not pushed aside at institutions that owe their existence to the very community they were created to serve.

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Letter emailed to Spelman College and this same letter will be certified by mail to them.