The author identifies the unique markers of HBCUs within United States Higher education which align their missions—the populations they serve and the racism and segregation which resulted in their historical underfunding—and those which make them unique within their own category—namely, their levels of name and brand recognition, geographical location, and available resources dedicated to fundraising and university advancement. The author identifies academic research and book-length projects that address university fundraising and HBCUs as sites for fundraising activity before identifying specific analytical frames germane to critical analysis of HBCU fundraising, specifically ‘reputation laundering,’ ‘elite capture,’ ‘the laundering of Black rage,’ and ‘philanthropic cakeism.’ The introduction concludes with a rhetoric of HBCU fundraising which centers a focus on justice, mission-centeredness, and data-informed practices.