“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. HBCUs are institutions that were founded before 1964 where most were developed after the Civil War and are usually located in the former slave states with a small amount of notable exceptions. Today in the United States there are 107 HBCUs this includes public and private institutions, medical and law schools, and public and private institutions. Even thought a PWI does not discriminate other races in admissions what it can provide for an African American versus the African Americans that attend HBCUs is a drastic difference. HBCUs should be considered over PWIs because it allows African Americans to comfortably steer
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
Throughout history, African American weren’t considered the smartest race on earth. With slavery and being for bided to ever touch or learn to read a book, African American became the race that envy having an education. Education became a prime factor in the African American culture. Having an education to an African is having the one-way ticket out of the terrible streets. They believe that if they don’t know nothing they won’t get nothing. In other word, if they aren’t educated their life would remain the same. Way back to slavery, African American would be beaten if they were to open a book and dare to read it instead of cleaning it.
Over the years there has been a significant decrease in the percentage of African American male success in higher education. Not only does this effect society as a whole, but more importantly this effects the African- American community as well. The high percentage of uneducated African- American males will result in increased crime rate, shortened life span and overall hard life. However this epidemic can be stopped by looking at the contributing factors of why there is a decrease in African-American male success in higher education and how to change it. Throughout the paper I will be addressing the issues as to why there are not more black men in higher education, by looking at the contributing factors such as environmental
Thesis: HBCU’s are necessary for the future of democratic America because they better prepare African American students as individuals and for the workforce.
Today's education is often viewed as failing in its goal of educating students, especially those students characterized as minorities, including African American, Hispanic, and Appalachian students (Quiroz, 1999). Among the minority groups mentioned, African American males are affected most adversely. Research has shown that when Black male students are compared to other students by gender and race they consistently rank lowest in academic achievement (Ogbu, 2003), have the worst attendance record (Voelkle, 1999), are suspended and expelled the most often (Raffaele Mendez, 2003; Staples, 1982), are most likely to drop out of school, and most often fail to graduate from high school or to earn a GED (Pinkney, 2000; Roderick, 2003).
“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.
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?
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.
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.
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
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
Thinking about the struggle that lead to the emergence of Black studies departments in America, with help from students and teachers, to understanding today based on past failures what the right kind of education looks like, feels like and the outcomes it produces, it becomes clear that the legacy of educating Black people to have white minds is still in play. Additionally, after all that Black studies departments have accomplished, a return back to communal involvement/community service as a requirement for students within these departments, keeps the legacy of what fostered Black Student Unions and departments to form in the first place, this particularly being valuing intellectual growth
“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.
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.
Another major predicament that plays a large role in the amount of African Americans that do not receive a higher education is once they get to college, they do not have a typical or enjoyable experience once there. In today’s society, it is hard to imagine that there is still racism and segregation in schools and colleges today but the reality is, it still does very much exist. This is especially true when black students attend predominantly white universities. Even though most colleges promote themselves by talking about how diverse their