The finding aid describes the Willard M. Hillegeist Collection of Maryland Commission on Scholarships for Negroes Records. The Maryland Commission on Scholarships for Negroes was created by the Maryland State General Assembly of 1937, Chapter 506. The Commission was set up to continue the practice of segregation in the state’s University of Maryland. The commission administered scholarships for African American students to attend schools outside of Maryland and considered whether or not Morgan College should become a state institution. This collection of materials was created by Willard M. Hillegeist, a member of the commission and University of Maryland Director of Admissions. The collection contains materials that describe the business of the commission and provides insight into the higher education of African Americans in Maryland prior to desegregation.