The Daily Buzz: Historically Black Schools & White Grads

I am a 21 year old Black woman, and I actually agree with the guy at the end. The colleges are "historically" black, and should continue to be labeled that way. That's not to say that they should be "currently" black. Very interesting debate. I am a student at Georgia Tech, a predominately White institution. Tech is down the street from Spelman, Morehouse, and Clark Atlanta, HBCU's. When I visit those campuses, I do feel a sense of Black pride, which I really like, BUT the whole thing is a bit outdated to me. We don't live in an all-Black society. There is little to no diversity at these schools....not at all reflective of modern-day society.

Shannon-
Diversity doesn't mean simply black and white. As a graduate of an HBCU I can tell you that it was extremely diverse because African-Americans/ Africans across the diaspora are not monolithic. We are wealthy, middle class and lower income; we are first generation and third, fourth generation college; we are from the south, north, east, west, South America, West Indies, Europe, Asia and Africa. The majority of my friends who attend college with me grew up in predominantly white neighborhoods or attending predominantly white schools. We know how to associate, assimilate and get along with whites. It's not always the reverse.

College is about discovering who you are. How many non-black FRIENDS do you have at Tech? Do you think you will return year after year for Homecoming? My friends who attended predominantly white institutions still hung with African-Americans, return to school for the BLACK homecoming--there is NO diversity in their circles, just in who they sit next to in class.

I do not believe HBCU's need to offer whites specific opportunities to attend their schools,i.e. grants and scholarships. HBCU's are inatelly populated with diversity due to the nature of diversity amongsts the African American race in general. Clearly whites need to be educated on the whole ideal of Historically Black Colleges. The clip shows the misusnderstanding hence the interchanging "Black Colleges" for Historically Black Colleges". These are not colleges just for Blacks and never have practiced any of those discriminatory practices (which I can't say the same for 'Predominantly and Historically White Colleges"). To the white guy on the panel, you had an equal opportunity to play saxophone in Grambling's band if you were "good" enough, not "black" enough. All he had to do was apply and began the recruitment process as he would for any otherschool. In order to recruit more whites to your school, don't give them handouts, educate them. Blacks have a higher rate of not being able to afford college than whites, save those grants and scholarships for the academically deserving and those in need of financial assitance.