When my sister applied to Clark Atlanta in 2004, she asked me why they would want a picture of her, to which I said maybe they wanted to know what you looked like.... The thought did cross my mind that maybe they were admitting people based on looks. A brother told me once that Bennett College, where his sister attended in the 80's or 90's did the same thing.

thank you for stating this! That is one of the experiences I try to convey to people who are stuck in the mindset that HBCUs are for students who couldn't get in anywhere else.

Always good to run into a fellow Saluki
 

What's going on fellow Saluki and hats off to you as a charter member!:DThose are women about business down there. We collaborated together for National Aids Awareness week to bring your Soror Rae Lewis Thornton (phenomenal) down to speak, when I was vice pres of the Black Student Union or what is now the Black Affairs Council. You know I had no idea what a saluki was when I first got there. Your right we still think of ourselves as a little HBCU within a PWI and we still have weight on the campus. Enough that we can bring quality programs for AA students to Carbondale. They still scared of us:D, but what we are doing now can't compare to what your generation did when you were there, I seen the pictures, you guys on BUSINESS big time.:cool: Ladygreek are you coming down for black alumni weekend in July??

Morris Brown
 

Does anyone know if Morris Brown College is still functioning? I heard they are, but just that enrollment is low. I wonder how long it will take for the school to be restored to its former glory?

That is exactly my point. I don't either.

I've "heard" it too, usually from folks who either did not get accepted or had some chip on their shoulders regarding our fine alma mater. I honestly don't recall submitting a photo in 1984 when I applied. *shrug* What is the point of recounting something like that when there is really no evidence that it happened? I am sure our Spelman Sister Esther Rolle would have an issue with that.

TYeah, I had Gebre-Hewitt too. The memories....
That is not some obsure fact though. Most Spelmanites should know that part of the Spelman History. I thought you were connecting it to the "paper bag" test and going to repeat another unsubstainated story that I "heard" about how Spelman came to be. I certainly won't repeat it here.


I think we all know that paper bag tests have happened in the past. There is a historic church in Savannah (the name escapes me right now) that had a board next to the door and potential worshippers had to compare their arm to the board to see if they were light enough to come in. I remember visiting that church as a child and being dismayed that I would not have been able to attend that church. It is important to remember from wense we came, but why pass along things that might not be true?

She put her faith into HU and got what she wanted. I know people who applied for a faculty position at one university and got it. I, however, need Plan Bs. :o:D

Very true. I forgot about that.

It looked like your point was that having darker hued blacks present meant there wasn't a paper bag test.

Quite a few schools (both PWI and HBCU) ask for photos. This allows them to judge you based on your looks and whether they think you'd "fit in" with the campus climate.

There's no other logical explanation for it.

What was its former glory?

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I think requesting a photo is more of a precaution if something happens. The school will have a recent photo of you on file to give to authorities.
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Sure, that may very well be the formal excuse or reasoning given by some schools. But discrimination is based on outcome and not intent. ;)

MBC is still in operation with around 50 students. From what I understand they began the accreditation process in October 2006. (according to this).

Bless their hearts. They are starting from scratch.

You have to either have a lot of faith in MBC's potential or be a .01 GPA student who can't get in elsewhere. My child wouldn't be allowed to waste a degree like that.

I agree with you. I don't know if that's the reason given or not, and really didn't know the practice existed until today, I'm just sayin'. :)