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HBCUs Fight Perception of Inferiority

By Danielle Kwateng
Black College Wire

Photo credit: UNCF Most historically black colleges and universities are in the South, as shown on this map of United Negro College Fund member schools.

It is a common notion among blacks that they must do twice the work to achieve equal opportunities as white people. As one remedy, affirmative action was created to give black people a fighting chance. But even with affirmative action, there seems to be a disadvantage for black students from historically black colleges and universities.

As Dave Chappelle noted in one of his skits about a black man trying to be hired by a white employer, many think potential employees should "go back to Howard" after graduating.

According to the Department of Education, 14 percent of all black college students attended HBCUs in 2003. This was the smallest percentage of black students choosing HBCUs since their founding in the 19th century. There are more than 100 HBCUs in 24 states, mainly in the South, enrolling more than 350,000 African Americans annually. Before the 1964 Civil Rights Act, 85 percent of all blacks who attended college went to HBCUs. But in the past two decades, 12 of the schools have closed.

A Howard University might be well-known and accepted, but compared with Ivy League schools such as Harvard or Yale, many think it doesn't match up.

Faith Ohai, a junior public relations major at Howard, recalls a conversation this summer.

"I was at a seminar with students from Harvard, Penn State, John Hopkins, University of Maryland and Fordham University. We were talking in a group discussing the rigor of our course work," Ohai said. "I told them of my communication law class that I took and that despite its high demands, I was able to earn an 'A' in the course. The girl from Penn State was like, 'Oh well that's like a C at Penn.' I asked for clarification because I was extremely puzzled," Ohai said.

"She explained how students at her school are told that the academic grading at HBCUs is below the standards at other schools. The other students chimed in and agreed."

Ohai added that an employee at Penn State joined in the conversation and supported their point.

"Being the type that likes to debate, I posed the question: 'Is that an assumption or something that was concluded from experience?'" Ohai said.

Ohai explained that black institutions are not inferior. "I loathe the remarks I get from my friends who chose to go to white majority schools. They rationalize why they specifically chose not to go to an HBCU and act like I can't get a good job if I graduate from an HBCU," she said.

"Government policy or not, what students need to look at is the positive aspect. They need to think about where they can get in and make an impact or just move on," Ohai said.

Morris Mann, an investment adviser in Washington and a 1994 Morehouse College graduate, said it is an advantage to come from an HBCU.

"We need to look at the facts; not every industry is looking to hire minorities, but the world is becoming more global and a lot of companies understand that," Mann said. "It can even be an advantage to come from an HBCU because companies are looking for diversity. Three main reasons are because they need a different perspective, their clients may be from a different ethnic background and they may know the excellent quality from past experience with working with minorities."

Danielle Kwateng, a student at Howard University, writes for the Hilltop.

Posted Oct. 16, 2006