Start junior year
Your campus Fulbright advisor is critical. If your HBCU doesn't have one, work with your study-abroad office or the IIE-hosted virtual advising.
Pick a host country with HBCU history
Ghana, South Africa, Senegal, and Brazil have strong HBCU-related research traditions and welcoming Fulbright Commissions. The Africa region also gets fewer applicants than Europe.
Personal Statement
The best Fulbright essays answer two questions: why this country, and what you'll bring to it beyond the research. Connect to your HBCU's culture explicitly.
Recommenders
Three letters. Two academic, one community/mentor. Give them three months and feed them a draft of your statement so they can echo your themes.