Discrimination Against HBCU

Thesis: HBCU’s are necessary for the future of democratic America because they better prepare African American students as individuals and for the workforce.

     I also believe that HBCUs are a better alternative to affirmative action. These institutions have the capacity to attract and motivate many young black people, to advance their education. By seeing people just like them, with similar backgrounds and similar interest making great achievements, it provides those young black people with a pride and a sense of empowerment. This is most effective in the poorer neighborhoods where morale is low. It is true that HBCUs enroll students with the lowest test scores in American education; according to Elias Blake Jr. in the article from Emerge, “Black colleges are still enrolling a majority of the most vulnerable students that have the lowest income and the lowest test scores…” (par. 7). Studies show that in many disadvantaged communities, the quality of

African American students at an HBCU get to feel more comfortable the moment they step onto their new stomping grounds. All that has to be stated to back that statement up is the fact that when an African American is a student at a PWI they are one out of 200 out of 3000 students at a PWI. While at an HBCU they get to see eye to eye with their peers and relate on another level with each other, more than with a student a PWI.

In eight University of California campuses where affirmative action is no longer implemented the enrollment of black students only declined by 17% and the enrollment of Hispanics declined only by 6.9%. Even without the use of it, minorities are still getting into colleges. There is no need for discriminatory programs like affirmative action because there is not a big difference between minority groups and whites anymore. If some person has the potential and desire to succeed they can succeed. Everyone can do anything they want to do if they have what is takes to enter the university or job.

It should remind us that HBCUs were established despite the resistance that African Americans received from the White Americans. HBCUs afforded African Americans the education that was once legally denied to them. Historically Black Colleges and Universities provide the best college experiences for African Americans. They have produced many prominent leaders, preachers, physicians and judges within our communities. HBCUs teach and help keep the history of African Americans struggle alive. The fabric of HBCUs are rooted in family. Many parents and children share a special bond because of the HBCU experience. HBCUs are a vital part of the continuing efforts to shape great African American leaders that will promote strength in our communities and help achieve our dream of equality in today’s

The purpose of this action is to strive for equivalent open doors for everyone paying little heed to race or skin color. Race has always been a controversial factor in the college admission process. Critics who are supportive of the action say that colleges reach out toward minorities since they are the least diverse in the college environment. With the demographic they display they are urged most of the time to apply for college admission. Often these institutions offer some help to those minorities such

“Historically Black Colleges and Universities, or HBCUs, have played an important role in enriching the lives of not just African Americans, but our entire country.”(Keller) What Ric Keller states here is an opinion that outlines a compelling fact about HBCUs that along with several other significant information that may come as a surprise. Essentially, the great debate between the choice of whether an Historically Black College and University or Predominantly White Institution is more beneficial or not can become a pondering interrogation. Each acronym defines itself, Historically Black Colleges and Universities(HBCUs) were established by the means of providing an education for predominantly African American students. Whereas, Predominantly White Intuitions(PWI) serve to instruct and educated the opposite or in other words those of Caucasian descent.

Historically Black Colleges and Universities, or HBCUs, have played an important role in enriching the lives of not just African Americans, but our entire country.”(Keller) What Ric Keller states here is an opinion that outlines a compelling fact about HBCUs that along with several other significant information that may come as a surprise. Essentially, the great debate between the choice of whether a Historically Black College and University or Predominantly White Institution is more beneficial or not can become a pondering interrogation. Each acronym defines itself, Historically Black Colleges and Universities(HBCUs) were established by the means of providing an education for predominantly African American students. Whereas, Predominantly White Intuitions(PWI) serve to instruct and educated the opposite or in other words those of Caucasian descent.

This debate has led many scholars to question: Are HBCUs still relevant, and are they the best institutions to train our next generation of leaders?

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before 1964. As amended by The Higher Education Act of 1965, a part B institution refers to any “Historically Black college or university that was established prior to 1964, whose principal mission was, and is, the education of Black Americans, and that is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association determined by the Secretary to be a reliable authority as to the quality of training offered or is, according to such an agency or association, making reasonable progress toward accreditation.” Though in 1837 Cheyne University of Pennsylvania and 1854 Lincoln University (Pennsylvania) had been established for Black education, Black Colleges and Universities became recognized by the United States Government in the 1890’s.

They were made to give African Americans citizens rise to instructive opportunities. HBCUs are an imperative piece of American history due to the effect they had and now have on society. These foundations have permitted African Americans to have a chance to wind up fruitful, beneficial subjects. They have negated old generalizations that expressed that blacks were uninformed or not able to learn and accomplish like whites have. Truly, historically black colleges and universities have done superb things for the African American community. The presence of HBCU's is essential on the grounds that future eras can see what diligent work and commitment can fulfill. This is genuine in light of the fact that the greater part of these chronicled establishments were made to overcome and snag the kept African Americans from having the capacity to acquire the same training as whatever remains of America. These foundations are critical and stand as confirmation of their reasons. As with most colleges, too, there are pros and cons to attending an HBCU. I’ve known some students who missed the racial diversity that they had in high school so they transferred out of an HBCU, but there are also many who relished the support that an HBCU provided. I’ve also known African-American students who attended primarily white high schools and valued the chance that an

According to the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES), there are 101 Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Title III of the Higher Education Act of 1965 defines HBCUs as “…any historically Black college or university that was established prior to 1964, whose principal mission was, and is, the education of Black Americans, and that is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association determined by the Secretary [of Education] to be a reliable authority as to the quality of training offered or is, according to such an agency or association, making reasonable progress toward accreditation” (US Department of Education, 2017). It is important to note that unlike other Minority Serving Institutions, HBCUs, are only one of two types of institutions (Tribal Colleges & Universities or TCUs are the other) federally designated by law and therefore, cannot increase in number with an act of Congress (Li, 2007). In other words, every time an HBCU closes its doors, we get one step closer to the elimination of the historical and consequential institutions.

I wish I could say it still surprises me when I mentioned to people that I attended an HBCU (Historically Black College/University), some of them have no idea they exist. Often, it turns into a conversation starter, which usually evolves into a meaningful educational moment about the history of HBCU’s. However, occasionally I find myself becoming frustrated when ask the question “why” in a way that questions the validity and or need for HBCU’s in 2016. As a student at Hampton University I did not fully realize the impact it would have on me, but looking back, it is clear to me that those experiences have shaped who I’ve grown into today, and strongly influence to my desire to pursue a career in environmental science education.

March 6th, 1961 Affirmative Action policies in higher education were implemented (Infoplease). Affirmative Action was designed to provide equal access to universities for historically underrepresented minorities. The argument of whether Affirmative Action should be decimated is a simple one. Students who have the academic credentials and earn their way into college deserve to be accepted. For no reason should previously excluded minorities gain unfair leverage in an attempt to “right past wrongs”. But with Affirmative Action banned in only eight states, we are left with two questions; how exactly Affirmative Action affects the culture within universities to have it seen as an unjust policy, and can diversity continue to survive without this program.

There has been a major problem with finding employment for college graduates. Many students believe in order to receive a great job after you graduate you must attend an elite school or a predominately white school. Graduating from a historical black college most of the time gets looked down on because how people view “blackness”. There is a stigma that HBCU’s are less stringent and collect fewer less post grad employment opportunities. Sometimes receiving employment is not all about what school you graduated from, the color of your skin, or what gender you are, it’s about simply what you know or who you know. Another