Historically Black Colleges And Universities Essay

For almost two hundred years, Historically Black Colleges and Universities or HBCUs have played a pivotal role in the education of African-American people, and negro people internationally. These schools have provided the majority of black college graduates at the Graduate and Post-Graduate level; schools such as Hampton University, Morehouse University, Spellman University and Howard University are four universities at the forefront of the advanced education of blacks. For sometime there has been a discussion on whether or not these institutes should remain in existence or if they are just another form of racism. There were also concerning the quality of education provided at these institutions. In my opinion, from the evidence provided

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

“The Black Studies Program: Strategy and Structure” was published Fall of 1972 in The Jounal of Negro Education. It’s contents are a relection on the years before when colleges and universitys were allowing African Americans to attend , but did not provide curriculum about or for African Americans.

I have extensive experience planning and coordinating events. Currently, I am a Program Committee Chair Member for the African American Alumni Society at the University of San Francisco (USF). As a Chair Member, I am responsible for coordinating special events, most recently, the society 's spring event the Black Alumni Mixer at the San Francisco Press Club. We did not have a theme, but our goal was to encourage alumni to reconnect and to donate at least $10, to the African American USF scholarship fund. The budget for this event was $5,000. This budget included food and the venue to host 50 alumni. My role included finding venues, and sending invitations to alumni. Over 100 alumni attended the Black Alumni Mixer, and we raised over $2,000. Additional duties as Chair include recruiting, engaging and encouraging Alumni to participate in university events as volunteers and attend alumni events.

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.

HBCUs are usually less expensive, which is a very important factor. It gives us an option and an opportunity to receive an education for less of the costs. With that in mind, HBCUs also represent twenty percent of African- Americans who have an undergraduate degree. This is more than enough evidence to prove a HBCUs significance to black success. HBCUs provide leadership, an excellent education, and a great foundation into our future. Some of the best colleges in the United States are HBCUs such as Howard University or Spelman University. We have many examples for the significance a HBCU can achieve. There are successful blacks such as Samuel L. Jackson who attended Morehouse College, or Oprah Winfrey who attended Tennessee State University.

The purpose of this paper is to argue based on the founding principles for their establishment, HBCUs hold no educational justification to continue in the midst of the twenty-first century. Frist, the paper will cover a brief historical context around the founding principles of HBCUs. Next, legislation that allowed them to thrive and maintained existence will be presented. To conclude, implications for HBCUs and potential next steps will be presented. Historically Black Colleges and Universities were an instrumental educational piece for African American during the 19th and 20th century, they are not longer relevant in the 21st century

Stage 4: Structural Reform occurs when a school can provide new materials, and perspectives, seamlessly with the knowledge to provide new levels of understanding from a more complete and accurate curriculum. According to Gorski, Stage 4 is where a teacher dedicates her- or himself to continuously expanding her or his knowledge base through the exploration of various sources from various perspectives, and sharing that knowledge with her or his students. Students learn to view events, concepts, and facts through various perspectives. When teaching American History, the teacher would be able to include African American History, Women 's History, Asian American History, Latino American History, etc. As a result, students are getting the multicultural education they disserve through education of all perspectives. One can only hope all schools reach beyond stage 3 and have the privilege to be in Stage 5.

“There is still some debate about whether racially identified higher education is necessary or desirable. But [over] 100 schools exist, and the basic question is, can they compete?” According to the article, “Can HBCUs Compete?” College students today do not educate themselves on the history and legacy that Historically Black Colleges and Universities hold. Normally, they attend an HBCU because of the Black culture that it will teach them, the many other college students who will come from similar backgrounds, and even the parties. When they actually get to an HBCU and experience it first-hand they learn that it is not a right fit for them; it might be because the lack of

Historically Black Colleges and Universities were established for African Americans during a time of strict segregation. During slavery, to keep African Americans afraid and submissive, White Americans had laws in place making it illegal for them to learn how to read and write. “For most of America’s history, African Americans who received a college education could only get it from an HBCU. Today, HBCUs remain one of the surest ways for an African American, or student of any race, to receive a high quality education.” The first Historically Black College and University to be established is formerly known as the Institute for Colored Youth founded by Richard Humpreys in 1837, approximately 26 years before slavery ended. “Today, this school is better known as Cheney University of Pennsylvania, the oldest African American institution of higher learning.” Two other institutions that were later established prior to the Civil War are Lincoln University founded in 1854 and Wilberforce

“Double consciousness describes the individual sensation of feeling as though your identity is divided into several parts, making it impossible to have one unified identity”(Understanding W.E.B DuBois, n.d.). This proposal was brought forth by W.E.B Bois. He believed that African American’s were struggling with these repressed feelings of not knowing who they are; they could not combine their African background with their now developed American identity. This concept was developed in 1903, but is still very relevant today; one may be able to relate the relevance of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) to this theory/ conclusion. At a Historically Black College or University, an individual has the ability to further their education. I decide to attend Virginia Union University to gain a better understanding of my history, to bond with others within the black community, and to profit from the HBCU experience.

For blacks, the history of higher education typically points to segregated education. Before the Civil War, the social system promoted the belief that blacks wouldn’t get return on their time spent in higher education. Brown and Ricard (2007) noted that most North institutions were reluctant to allow black enrollment in colleges and universities, and in the South, where slaveholder’s were still powerhouse businessmen, slaves would never be allowed to become more educated than their owners. The reluctance of the White leaders to allow blacks to formally be accepted into higher education programs held blacks back from achieving what many aspired to, and were fully capable of, experience.

Historically black colleges and universities, otherwise known as HBCUs, have played an integral role in advancing the education of underprivileged black teenagers since their inception after the American Civil War. They have had students extremely well known in their fields today, such as billionaire entertainer Oprah Winfrey, the first African American Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, and civil rights activist Martin Luther King, Jr. Though their graduation rates tend to be around 1 in 3, they have produced a majority of successful African American professionals. For the continued advancement of African Americans, HBCUs are necessary for offering educational opportunities that their students had been historically denied and presently out of financial reach, while promoting strong family values and equality that may be lacking at traditional schools and displaying positive African American role models in their alumni and staff.

The new generation of upcoming college scholars have been appearing to have a lot of debate over the criteria of an HBCU not being corresponding to a PWI. It is time to understand and be able to get involved with the debate about Historically Black College/University (HBCU) versus Predominantly White Institution (PWI). To proceed it is best to start with the definition of these terms because everyone needs to have knowledge when it comes to this subject. This subject also needs to be more than just a debate between students attending HBCUs and African Americans at PWIs. Quite shockingly, there are many out there that do not know what an HBCU is and if they do they think of these “black schools” as a form of racism. When it boils down to HBCU’s

Predominantly White Institutions (PWI) is colleges or Universities where the student populace is primarily White. Whereas Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are higher education institutions specifically established to educate African Americans. Although one can and will receive a degree within their major at either of the two, it is better to be a part of a University where a person knows the birthplace, can personally relate to, and most importantly feel comfortable. The dominant focus of this essay will be on the discussion of statistics at both Predominantly White Institutions and Historically Black Colleges and Universities.