Apple expands coding education programs to more historically Black schools

Apple Inc said on Thursday it was working with 10 additional historically Black universities and colleges to become "hubs" that will teach computer programming and app design skills in their regions.

Apple started a community education initiative last year to provide iPads, Mac computers, teaching curricula and access to its staff and engineers for schools that serve under-represented minority students. The company said Thursday that the program now includes 24 universities, half of which are historically Black schools, with plans to add 10 more historically Black schools this year.

Apple has worked with Tennessee State University, which has become a national hub for training teachers from other historically Black colleges and universities to start offering courses in their own schools as well as secondary and elementary schools in their surrounding communities.

The 10 schools Apple said will become new hubs are Arkansas Baptist College, Central State University in Ohio, Claflin University in South Carolina, Dillard University in Louisiana, Fisk University in Tennessee, Lawson State Community College in Alabama, Morehouse College in Georgia, Prairie View A&M University in Texas, Tougaloo College in Mississippi and Southern University at Shreveport, Louisiana.

The expansion in Apple's schools program follows its creation last month of a $100 million racial justice initiative after the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis.