The Black Informant | African American Commentary, News and Community Building

Well that is assuming that just because a student attends a standard university that they will still interact equally with the other students. I went to a state university and while I was “exposed” to students of different ethnicities, orientatations and nationalities, I can’t say that there was a alot of intergration between the student bodies much. We all had our associations and groups, the black sorors/frats didn’t interact with the white sororities/fraternities and vice versa. While on the surface it seemed like a cultural utopia, I must admit that I learned more on different lifestyles from my co-workers (at the university), than anything in a classroom (also because I’m just a tad inquisative [sp?]).

Though many of my classmates were constantly exposed, I doubt they expanded beyond their comfort zones also.

“On the other hand, HBCUs offer fewer opportunities for students to grow beyond their cultural comfort zones, in my mind, a critical aspect of postsecondary education.”

What does this mean? I graduated from an HBCU and live in a black neighborhood. Nearly all of my friends are black… no, wait a minute… All of my friends are black. That does not bother me. My job offers substantial contact with whites but I miss my old job which was in a black neighborhood, with an all black staff, with a student body that was 95% black. Who cares about a cultural comfort zone, I’m happy. Why should I have to live MY life according to someone’s socio-political terms? After all, it is MY life and I’m quite happy.

The HBCU offers an experience like no other. Sure, you can go to Georgia Tech and watch an ACC matchup that is on ESPN. A huge crowd in a big arena. Noise and fanfare OR you can go across town to Morehouse. Sit amongst a substantially small number of people and watch the Maroon Tigers take on the Clark Atlanta U. Panthers and do the wave – in slow motion. The cheerleaders are black, attractive, poised, and there’s rhythm in their cheers. Or maybe you can catch the FAMU Rattler’s band play a selection by 50 Cent or Usher or T.I. or Mary J. Blige. Where else will you see a step show? Surely Tau Kappa Epsilon cannot come close to the Q-Dogs or Nupes. Then there is homecoming. There is nothing quite like seeing those older, beautiful black women crowding the bookstore by Manley to get a Spelman T-Shirt to bring back home. And on what was once the yard, nothing but black folks. A lot of students but many more 30 and 40 somethings holding plastic cups with a mysterious concoction in one hand and a plate of soul food in the other – and everyone is happy to see old friends and classmates. When was the last time you heard a black person say “See you at the Harvard homecoming”? Never. However, I can take you to a place where you can get a T-Shirt that says “Harvard: The Morehouse of the North”.

The issue is about culture – MY beloved black culture. It’s about the way it seeps into all aspects of life at a Black college – the place where I learned to capitalize the letter “b” when spelling “Black”. Where else will you get grits for breakfast and collard greens for lunch and dinner.

I’m sorry y’all but questioning the HBCU’s existence seems a bit faddish and trendy. I don’t care about the Brandeis’s, the Yeshivas, or Notre Dames. I don’t need their existence to justify that of my beloved Morehouse, Spelman, Clark, or any of the other HBCU’s. They are needed because black people have a culture all their own. We have a culture that is distinct and that justifies the existence of the HBCU. My culture is my comfort. Why should I leave my “comfort zone” when I am comfortable there? That seems a bit masochistic as well as completely illogical. You must be out of your mind or may have had too much to drink when you issued that post.

Al, I assure you that I was not drunk when I posted that. As you can see from my comments on my blog (I’d be happy to continue this discussion there or here), I do not believe that HBCUs should be eliminated. They should definitely continue to be an option especially because of the cultural affirmation they provide and the sheer number of black professionals they produce (see comments by Darnel to this point). Furthermore, if people such as yourself choose to only interact with other black folk and are happy doing so, they should have that option. But should that be what we strive for as a general goal for the postsecondary experience? I am of the mindset that it should not. To me, it is not “masochistic” to expand one’s worldview through the interaction with those from other cultural backgrounds.

By the way, I share your love for the HBCU experience and for black culture. I also, have a love for learning about and interacting with others’ cultures.

QUOTE:”They also serve as important centers for cultural affirmation in a world where blacks continue to be the most stigmatized. On the other hand, HBCUs offer fewer opportunities for students to grow beyond their cultural comfort zones, in my mind, a critical aspect of postsecondary education.”

I disagree that there are fewer opportunities for students to grow beyond their cultural comfort zones. Every campus is different and every individual is unique as well. Many of my friends had to attend an HBCU to even know WHAT this cultural comfort zone entailed. My high school and junior high school experience was in majority white environments. Being the only black girl in the classroom did not necessarily ensure much growth in being able to take charge, speak out and lead initiatives and efforts.

However, the growth and the stretch opportunities nurtured on my HBCU campus enabled me to be the 1st Black District Sales Manager for a $13 billion pharmaceutical company to lead a team to a #1 National Ranking. Not too bad in my humble of opinion of learning how to grow beyond a cultural comfort zone.