1. How have HBCUs contributed to American History?
Along with all other aspects of black history, HBCUs have contributed greatly to American history. The establishment of HBCUs broke barriers that the world thought could not broken. As slaves, we were not able to learn or teach, or be taught. A **** could not even so much as pick up a book or he would be **** or beaten. Blacks had to sneak and learn how to read and write and if caught, they were ****. As time went on and slavery was no longer an issue, blacks were still withdrawn from receivng an education. We had those like Frederick Douglass learned how to read and write on their own.The establishment of HBCUs has been one of the most important and significant contributions ever made in the United States of America. The establishment of HBCUs, just like black inventions such as traffic lights, has made it possible for African Americans to be recognized and leave a mark in history in America. I attend an HBCU and just this first year, my thoughts on life has changed. Just by being in an environment with my people only, made me see how beautiful a race we are. I always loved me and my color, but knowing more about me and my color makes me appreciate and love it even more. In my mind, HBCUs is the best thing that could have ever happened to
African Americans. The option to go to a school and get a good education where you are you going to learn and know what you never knew. Each decade, the rate of black college attendees rises, which means more and more African Americans are attending college. HBCUs is one main factor that has had input on this. A little over 60% of all African American college students attend HBCUs, which is a high number but needs to be higher. These statistics alone shows that we are progressing in America. The more of us in school,the less of us incarcerated and/or ****.
2.How are HBCUs relevant today?
Since its beginnings, HBCU'S have always been relevant, but now more than ever. Black youth are targeted from all aspects and many are not going to school. For most black students, it is hard choosing what they feel is the right school for them. In choosing schools, there are different factors that play a part in how you choose schools. The school must be offering the major of choice, it must be a comfortable environment, inside and outside the classroom, and must be affordable for the individual. For a lot of African American students, HBCU's is the ideal thing. HBCUs provide a haven for black students which causes the rate of attendance to rise. This is one thing that make HBCUs relevant. HBCUs also teach more about black history and its beginnings, the TRUTH. Most students throughout grade school went by the same curriculum which had limitations on the amount of history that was taught, especially black history. Our knowledge was limited on our people and our roots and HBCUs break those boundaries and go deep into our history. One reason most of our people display ignorance is because they DO NOT KNOW. They were never taught about their true history. At HBCUs, knowledge of those things that were missed will help the new generation of black students better understand and be able to pass the knowledge down and keep the legacy alive. Many lessons can be learned throughout the duration of learning. In the past, people had to die and fight for education. That should already be a lesson to us and make us want an education because of that. There are many lessons to be learned because it is not over yet, it is just the beginning. Since the early nineties, the rate of black students to go to college has tripled. This should also be taken as lesson. just in a little over a decade, there are more blacks going to college. The rate of black males to go to college has also risen. We must use this as a threshhold to cross and rise even higher. Through all the hardships and denial of education in the black community, to having HBCUs all across the country just proves to us and teaches us, no matter what the circumstances, anything is possible with hard work and perseverance.
