As the nation's classes of 2002 graduate in unprecedented numbers, throughout
America the beautiful, a quiet revolution that's taking place in Black America suggests
our children are beginning to grasp the concept of returning to their traditional and
cultural roots. Denial notwithstanding, made in America Africans' intelligentsia
unwittingly brained-washed our progeny with the misconception that "The White man's
ice is colder," therefore they instilled in their minds that education translated to
alienation from their roots.
Education, just as every thing else negatively impacting a people who had been
"niggerized" (by Willie Lynch's "How to make a slave" blueprint),
became a prestige symbol. Ergo, the value placed on an education in predominately White
schools far exceeded the value of degrees from a Historical Black College or University
(HBCU), therefore education promoted alienation from Black America. Roy Douglas Malonson,
chairman of the Acres Home Chamber of Commerce, often says, "All of the outstanding
things African-Americans did or do is Black History, while White folks' great deeds and
accomplishments are considered education."
As true as that proverb rings, there is a preponderance of evidence that the best and
brightest African-American students aren't as impressed with White institutions as their
parents and/or grandparents once were, therefore they have begun to embrace the unique
educational experience that can only be attained at HBCUs. Needless to say, HBCUs revival
translates to Black America's survival. And that revival makes nobody happier than the
offspring of first generation Black college grads who had been fighting a losing battle to
preserve the rich tradition of our Black institutions of higher learning.
People like the late Charles Johnson, who gave his children no option but to attend
Hampton Institute in Virginia quickly comes to mind. Although Rev. Ray Martin admits that
his daughter, Serlena fulfilled his dream by graduating from TSU, he allowed her to choose
the school of her choice. "I'm happy to my soul, that she chose TSU," Rev. Ray
beams however. Surprisingly, more and more future leaders--like PVAMU sophomore Sharlecia
Wiley, whose GPA and test scores qualified her for the Harvards and Yales, are choosing
HBCUs without any coercion from tradition-oriented parents.
Reviving HBCUs notwithstanding, the current generation of Black youth seems to have become
more cultural and traditional conscious and not only are leaning toward Black schools, but
are looking for ways to use their education to make their community better. "I think
many of our values have gone full circle," says retired TSU law school dean Otis
King, who shunned an offer from Ivy League schools to return to his beloved alma mater.
"Many of my contemporaries were the first in their family to finish high school, not
to mention attend college, so they really didn't have any tradition to draw from."
An article found in the periodical "Black Issues in Higher Education,"
(www.blackissues.com), validates Dr. King's theory, inasmuch as it reports that HBCUs were
guilty of fostering the misconception that prestigious White schools offered the best
education. Invariably, when a culture embraces other culture's values they become
alienated from their own. African-American News&Issues has long preached that a good
school influences students' mindset and philosophy. Consequently, as prestigious as it is
to be a "Yale man," it translates to an elitist, European American value system.
Unfortunately, when far too many made in America Africans are educated in prestigious
White schools, they become alienated from their own families. On the other hand, it's
nobody's fault but our own if we still glory in raising pickannies for America's 21st
century plantations. Fortunately that trend is being reversed as more and more Black
students are exposed to White schools. They suddenly become aware that the White schools
are basically no better than Black schools. Conversely, when you factor in getting back in
touch with your roots, most White schools come in a distant second to HBCUs.
Ironically, HBCUs did little to challenge the misconception that White schools were
better, until Black Enterprise Magazine researched data to determine the "Top 10
Colleges for African Americans" in 1998. The results of the survey was shocking,
insofar as HBCUs stood out like a beacon cutting through the intellectual fog created by
mainstream media propaganda. Misconceptions that had brainwashed malleable-minded Black
Americans into taking for granted that ivy covered walls, and mega resources guaranteed
their children a better education.
A Dec. 13, 1998 Cox News Service article revealed: "Black students struggling to
balance academic excellence and cultural diversity gained a new tool last week as Black
Enterprise magazine unveiled a ranking of the top 50 colleges for African-Americans.
Historically Black institutions, such as Spelman College and Morehouse College in Atlanta,
dominated the top spots. Stanford in California was ranked No. 10, the highest of any
predominately white institutions. The survey's questionnaire results, plus data on Black
enrollment and graduation rates were run through a weighted formula-which the magazine did
not release-to produce the ratings."
A more in-depth study by the U.S. Department of Education revealed that Howard, with 79
was number one in merit scholars; FAMU, with 51, was number 3 and Xavier University sends
the greatest number of Blacks on to medical college than any other university in the
country. And if you was shocked when Hampton University's basketball team whipped the
North Carolina Tar Heels, you might be inclined to believe more and more blue chip Black
student/athletes are choosing HBCUs. Ironically Hampton had the highest overall graduation
rate at HBCU's with 54 percent. More succinctly, an article in the January 2002
University Faculty Voice (on the nation's Historically Black Colleges and University's
published by Dr. Nancy and Otis King), it was revealed "Student-athletes enjoy a
nine-percent greater rate of graduation than non-athletes at HBCUs. The number becomes all
the more striking when contrasted with a mere two-percent advantage among Division I
Institutions over all."
Meanwhile, Malonson Company, Inc congratulates America's class of 2002. And God bless our
Afrocentric, cultural conscious graduates who are vigorously participating in HBCU's
revival to assure Black America's survival and our younger generation that realizes
education mustn't translate to alienation from their cultural roots. |
