Stereotyping HBCU's

[AKA_Monet]

Coming from an HBCU-attendee family, where my grandfather graduated from Knoxville and became the president of Bethune-Cookman, my parents graduated Fisk, my father graduated Meharry, several cousins graduated FAMU, my in laws graduated from Morehouse and Morris Brown; and I graduated from Spelman, that maybe I actually do know a thing or 2 about collegiate and university funding and education.

It takes a lot to educate people. There are several societal reasons for that, such as slaves not being allowed to read, why? The key to Spelman's education was to teach former children of slaves how to read the Bible and write their families in the North. It is my understanding that Spelman had a "paper bag" test as to who had lighter-skinned features than other darker-skinned individuals. In fact there are reasons why Spelman is named Spelman rather than Rockafeller, since he funded the school.

So, when we think what it takes to fund HBCU's outside of the UNCF, then it has been extremely tough. Yet, we still educated some the most prolific people in history:

Dr. Martin Luther King and the entire King Family
Thurgood Marshall
Mae Jemison - spent some time at an HBCU, 1st Black Female Astronaut
7 affliates of the D9 whose founders attended these schools

So when one belittles and stereotypes an HBCU and does not attempt improvement backed up with money has very little respect in my eyes.

And yes, my husband and I donate large sums to our respective HBCU's...

[ladygreek]

^^^^The best decision my daughter and I made was to send her to an HBCU. When she came home for Christmas break her first year, the change in her was dramatic. She was more self-confident and full of energy for her future after just a few months.

Don't get me wrong--she was a HNIC her PW high school here in MN., but going to Howard and finding out that everyone there were HNICs humbled her and boosted her at the same time.

There is something to be said about walking the halls of a school and seeing historical pictures of accomplished Blacks on the wall, and to walk into a classroom and your prof looks like you. Not to mention the scores of Black students all striving to achieve greatness.

After growing up in Minnesota it was exactly what she needed. It also changed the mind of my mother who would not let me go to a HBCU, because she thought they were inferior.

*sidenote* My step grandmother told me the story of not being accepted to Howard, because she did not pass the brown paper bag test.

[christiangirl]

Originally Posted by ladygreek

When she came home for Christmas break her first year, the change in her was dramatic.

When my mom came down to surprise me at Thanksgiving, she told me how much I'd changed, too. I was, not ghetto....GHET. TO. Two words.

[AKA_Monet]

Originally Posted by ladygreek

^^^^The best decision my daughter and I made was to send her to an HBCU. When she came home for Christmas break her first year, the change in her was dramatic. She was more self-confident and full of energy for her future after just a few months.

There is something to be said about walking the halls of a school and seeing historical pictures of accomplished Blacks on the wall, and to walk into a classroom and your prof looks like you. Not to mention the scores of Black students all striving to achieve greatness.

Well, if you have EVA gotten caught by one of your professors after skipping his or her class...

Really, it doesn't suprise me. I am glad you and your daughter were happy with the outcome. It is good to hear such things.

After growing up in Minnesota it was exactly what she needed. It also changed the mind of my mother who would not let me go to a HBCU, because she thought they were inferior.

*sidenote* My step grandmother told me the story of not being accepted to Howard, because she did not pass the brown paper bag test.

How come your mother thought these schools were inferior? Just asking. I really like to know what goes through people's mind when they say such things...

In fact my aunt and uncle were like that, but when my mom came to live with them, she stayed 2 years at a Junior College, then they sent her down to Fisk, where she inevitably pledged the Pi chapter, and met and married my dad...

And I did hear of Paper bag tests at Fisk, Spelman and Howard... It all changed in the late 60's, early 70's.

[WenD08]

it's so sad that so many Blacks felt/feel that way about HBCUs. my mother wanted so badly to go to Howard but her father was completely against it. as a result, she supported my brother (a FAMU alum) and i as we applied only to HBCUs. in a way, she got to live through us and went every year to parents' weekend.
if people would only do their research and see that our schools prepare us for life just as PWIs. we need to stop downing what is ours, it's really hurting us

[Still BLUTANG]

Originally Posted by ladygreek

Don't get me wrong--she was a HNIC her PW high school here in MN., but going to Howard and finding out that everyone there were HNICs humbled her and boosted her at the same time.

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.

[1908Revelations]

Originally Posted by ladygreek

but going to Howard and finding out that everyone there were HNICs humbled her and boosted her at the same time.

There is something to be said about walking the halls of a school and seeing historical pictures of accomplished Blacks on the wall, and to walk into a classroom and your prof looks like you. Not to mention the scores of Black students all striving to achieve greatness.

That was one of the things I loved about attending Tuskegee!!! When I had to transfer I was x100! But I LOVED being there and knowing that BTW and other influential AfAm's put that school together. I may have lived in the oldest dorm on campus, but I loved every minute of being there.

[nonchalant]

Originally Posted by 1908Revelations

That was one of the things I loved about attending Tuskegee!!! When I had to transfer I was x100! But I LOVED being there and knowing that BTW and other influential AfAm's put that school together. I may have lived in the oldest dorm on campus, but I loved every minute of being there.

I love Tuskegee. I feel like an honorary student because I was there so much. "Don't need no competition. All we need is pride, so get on that Skegee train and ride ride ride ride. Get on that Skegee train. Hey Hey Hey!!!"

"The T, the U, S-K-E, the G double E. Tuskegee. Wooo, wooo, woo"

I also love those Gamma Kappa AKAs strutting their stuff by their tree.

[Animate]

Originally Posted by nonchalant

I love Tuskegee. I feel like an honorary student because I was there so much. "Don't need no competition. All we need is pride, so get on that Skegee train and ride ride ride ride. Get on that Skegee train. Hey Hey Hey!!!"

"The T, the U, S-K-E, the G double E. Tuskegee. Wooo, wooo, woo"

I also love those Gamma Kappa AKAs strutting their stuff by their tree.

<---------- Tuskegee graduate!

[NinjaPoodle]

Originally Posted by christiangirl

I know, right??? My mother and sister went there and both were when I turned down my acceptance.

I turned mine down from Sk'eegee too. I got the same reaction from the HBCU'ers in my fam.

[DSTCHAOS]

My parents, brother, and aunts and uncles went to HBCUs.

That doesn't make me feel passionate about HBCUs or lead me to overlook the changes in the caliber of administration and students that even alum from some HBCUs criticize.

If I have a child who wants to attend one, I'd have to see what the particular school is about just as I would for PWIs. It will definitely have to offer more than just being an HBCU, which is enough for some people. I feel that HBCUs have a lot to offer but some of them need to tighten up the academic experience as much as they tighten up their cultural/social experience. If that doesn't apply to any of your HBCUs, don't attach the comment to your ass.

[ladygreek]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

My parents, brother, and aunts and uncles went to HBCUs.

That doesn't make me feel passionate about HBCUs or lead me to overlook the changes in the caliber of administration and students that even alum from some HBCUs criticize.

If I have a child who wants to attend one, I'd have to see what the particular school is about just as I would for PWIs. It will definitely have to offer more than just being an HBCU, which is enough for some people. I feel that HBCUs have a lot to offer but some of them need to tighten up the academic experience as much as they tighten up their cultural/social experience. If that doesn't apply to any of your HBCUs, don't attach the comment to your ass.

I agree totally, which is why we did serious research before we settled on Howard and a few others. After visiting HU, my daught decided only to apply there (which caused me a few stressful moments, I mean only applying to one school.) LOL

[Eclipse]

Originally Posted by AKA_Monet

It is my understanding that Spelman had a "paper bag" test as to who had lighter-skinned features than other darker-skinned individuals. In fact there are reasons why Spelman is named Spelman rather than Rockafeller, since he funded the school.

Where did you "hear" that Spelman did the "paper bag" test? Based on early photographers of the first graduating class (before it was even "Spelman") there were women of all hues represented (you should be familiar with the picture I am speaking of) I have also seen other pictures from the late 1800s until now and there certainly is not evidence that this was the case. AS a matter of fact, the first African students arived at Spelman in before the turn of the century. Most sub Saharan African would not be able to pass a paper bag test

And what is the reason that Spelman was named Spelman versus Rockefeller? It seems that you tie this to the 'paper bag' test. I am only aware of his desiire to honor his wife and her family after he saw that Sophia Packard and Harriet Giles would "stick" with their mission to educate newly freed slaves in the south. If you have more information, please share!

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by Eclipse

Where did you "hear" that Spelman did the "paper bag" test? Based on early photographers of the first graduating class (before it was even "Spelman") there were women of all hues represented (you should be familiar with the picture I am speaking of) I have also seen other pictures from the late 1800s until now and there certainly is not evidence that this was the case. AS a matter of fact, the first African students arived at Spelman in before the turn of the century. Most sub Saharan African would not be able to pass a paper bag test

And what is the reason that Spelman was named Spelman versus Rockefeller? It seems that you tie this to the 'paper bag' test. I am only aware of his desiire to honor his wife and her family after he saw that Sophia Packard and Harriet Giles would "stick" with their mission to educate newly freed slaves in the south. If you have more information, please share!

I don't know if there was or wasn't one, but to put it in perspective:

Early photos of the "black elite" and of some sororities showed that there were darker hued people as members. But the proportion of darker hued to lighter hued is what the accusation of colorism and intraracial discrimination is based on. So a paper bag test (either literal or figurative) doesn't prevent some darker hued people from getting in and even being photographed.

[Animate]

Interesting. I was having a similar conversation with a friend of mine the other day and lets just say she made me want to punch a whole in the wall. Other than the fact that she couldn't stick to one thing and was jumping all over the place (extremely frustrating), she never had a solid point. She was essentially expecting HBCUs to do things that PWI do with, say a million dollar budget, with one hundred thousand dollars.