Founded in 1837 as the Institute for Colored Youth,[5] it is the oldest of all historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the United States.

Many Quakers were abolitionists, and he became concerned about the struggles of free people of color to make a living and gain education in a discriminatory society.

In its early years, it provided training in trades and agriculture, as those were the predominant skills needed in the general economy.

"[9] In the settlement, the state agreed to provide $35 million to Cheyney over a five-year period, particularly for construction of needed buildings and academic development.

"[12] Four years later, in 2023, the commission again placed Cheyney on probation and warned that accreditation was in jeopardy because of insufficient evidence that it was complying with a number of standards.

During the 2007–2008 through 2010–2011 academic years, the university violated NCAA rules in the certification of initial, transfer and continuing eligibility involving all sports programs.

The committee also concluded that a former compliance director failed to monitor when she did not follow proper procedures in the certification of student-athletes’ eligibility.

[25][26] In spring 2018, the team withdrew from Division II and played the following season as an independent, citing financial problems.