Do HBCUs Focus on Teaching Students How to Assimilate into White Corporate America? SU Alum David Banner Seems to Think So
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Posted By: Kennedy Williams on September 13, 2021 Rapper and Southern University alum David Banner has always been a champion for Historically Black Colleges and Universities. From proudly representing HBCUs whenever he can to being a hands-on activist in his community, Banner is, and always has been, about that action. That is why he is being honored for his works as a Community Activist honoree at the third annual Salute THEM Awards. When asked about this special honor, Banner told Madame Noir, “When it comes to when it comes to activism, my father told me a long time ago that you don’t look for the accolades. That’s the case with things that you’re supposed to do. You know, I’ve been blessed by my community, you know, with my career, and things that I do, I come from a place where most people don’t have like those types of opportunities. You know, it does feel good. Most of the time, the real truth is, giving people their flowers is usually directly connected to how well a person’s doing in entertainment and not necessarily what they do in the community. So, you know, to be recognized it feels good.” Though Banner's commitment to helping HBCUs succeed is obvious, he did offer some critique for the institutions in the way they are cultivating new generations of black students. “The problem is the leadership at HBCUs are not doing what HBCUs are supposed to do,” he said. “They were supposed to teach Africans how to be African again. The 350 years that was taken away from them. We haven’t been out of slavery for that amount of years, right? So an impression is still here. So it’s supposed to be about being African again. Not to send your brightest kids off to work for white corporations and that’s what most HBCUs do. They’ll teach you how to build a business then they put you off on white folks.” What do you think? Do you feel that HBCUs are teaching their students to assimilate into a white-dominated culture as opposed to forging their own path? Let us know in the comments! If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
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Kennedy Williams
From Loganville, GA Spelman College class of 2020 Member Since July 2016 |
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