Essay #4

HBC-Who: Are Historically Black Colleges Still Relevant?

“They (HBCU’s) are the campuses where a people were educated, where a middle class was built, where a dream took hold. They're places where generations of African-Americans have gained a sense of their heritage, their history and their place in the American story.” (President Barack Obama, “You’ve Got a Partner in Me” 2010)

Never have the relevance of those words rang truer than today and the birth of black colleges forever cemented in the success of a people. Now is a time when young black women and men are faced with a struggling socio and economic future in an ever increasing divide between law enforcement, underfunded urban high schools, and a persistent racial graduation gap between whites and blacks. Many in our community once again look to our historical black colleges as a beacon of hope.

While these challenges seem insurmountable, the historical black college has been a constant conduit for the students that would and could not have been considered at a traditional white institution. This was due to race relations and in many cases due to a lack of preparedness for many black students.  We shouldn’t forget that it was only 52 years ago that James Meredith was the first black student to enroll at the University of Mississippi and on the day he entered the university, he was escorted by U.S. marshals for his own protection. The HBCU has also been a place that prepared many of our most notable and influential leaders/professionals of African descent.  In Karin Chenoweth’s article in Black Issues in Higher Education Vol. 14 Issue 16, published 10/02/97, she discusses the study made by the ETS showing how HBCUs prepare black students better for careers in science and math.

The Educational Testing Service (ETS) is about to issue a study that says that HBCUs do a better job than traditionally White institutions in several areas -- most notably in steering African American students into the fields of engineering and the hard sciences, and in shepherding them into and preparing them for post-baccalaureate study.

Through a plethora of studies conducted by the Educational Testing Service, results prove that HBCUs continue to foster growth of African American students in a modern and developing world; HBCUs do a better job of preparing black students than predominantly white institutions. HBCUs are institutions which best provide the resources and learning environment for black students from any background to flourish. This is exemplified through HBCUs success in developing students in the fields of math and sciences.  

The pressures and prejudice are quite palpable for black students on white campuses. It can not be denied that going to a white college for most black men and women will be extremely difficult day to day. I attended a mostly white Prep High School and although my experience was an overall positive one, my black classmates and I could not escape the basic prejudices and scrutiny of our peers as well as, unfortunate as it may be, sometimes our teachers.  

I was accepted to several private and state predominately white colleges.  The significance of attending an HBCU was something that was important to me and my family because of all the paramount milestones in African American history made through HBCUs. This history will lead you back to our first educational institutions established for black students. It is unfortunate that the HBCU’s are not regarded, by more African Americans, as a beacon towards unified success.  We as college students should not turn our backs on the HBCUs that have traditionally given us opportunity when predominantly white colleges would not.     

Although there is an apparent decline in interest for HBCUs in the black community and the dismal 42% graduation rate for African Americans overall, it can’t be denied that the 107 HBCUs have given many students opportunities to graduate. HBCUs must also deal with the ongoing issues that plague our communities which have been handed down since the legacy of slavery. Despite these obstacles HBCUs can lay claim to the many accomplishments they hold.

More than 80 percent of all black Americans who received degrees in medicine and dentistry were trained at the two traditionally black institutions of medicine and dentistry--Howard University and Meharry Medical College. HBCUs have provided undergraduate training for three fourths of all black persons holding a doctorate degree; three fourths of all black officers in the armed forces; and four fifths of all black federal judges. HBCUs are leading institutions in awarding baccalaureate degrees to black students in the life sciences, physical sciences mathematics, and engineering. HBCUs continue to rank high in terms of the proportion of graduates who pursue and complete graduate and professional training. (US Department of Education, March 1991)

The accomplishments made by these African American students would not have been possible without the support and education they received from their respectable HBCUs.

Historically Black Colleges represent a strong and allied yet evolving community. The historical black college has provided a chance for those who need unyielding support yet it is also an environment where we are surrounded by students and professors who strive for higher learning excellence.  It is indeed a mecca of sorts, ever evolving, struggling and persevering as its students are.  To support and protect the very existence of our HBCUs is critical to our continued success as a people. This why we must give what we can, and educate our youth on these pillars of black education in the United States.

Works Cited

Chenoweth, Karin. "Black Issues in Higher Education." 14.16 (1997): n. pag. Print . 17 Nov. 2014.

US Department OF Education, comp. Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Higher   Education Desegregation. Washington, DC: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, 1991. Print.

President Obama to Historically Black Colleges and Universities: “You’ve Got a Partner in Me”. Perf. Barack Obama. 2010. Youtube.

Reflection

Attending my first collegiate english course I had no idea what to expect. I wondered what the course load would be like, no idea what texts we would read, no idea what exactly we would be learning. I had heard many rumors about college english classes, or college classes in general. I heard the professors would be dogmatic and apathetic, that I’d be up all night studying and that writing 15 page essays would be a weekly ritual.  I am happy to report that my freshman composition class has been none of the aforementioned. I have read many great articles and narratives thus far which have expanded my understanding of not only the english language but literary culture as well.  I have also been edified about imperative grammar, punctuation, and sentence techniques which have only ameliorated my writing abilities. However what has surprised me the most does not just apply to my english course. The thing which i expected the least was the eagerness and wisdom of my professors. I have been so used to learning things in school with no practical application. In every one of my classes which I have taken thus far I learn things from professors who are eager to teach and who are very wise in their individual fields. Everything I have learned are concepts which can be applied to not only a myriad of career options but to everyday life. The fact that these lessons are so applicable enables me to remember what I learn and gives me a desire to partake in my own education. The fact that my teachers are so wise and all my lessons are so useful make me eager to be at Howard University and to learn even more.

Each assignment I have completed in this course has bee challenging and educating in its own respect. The variation of styles of writing we had to complete taught me a plethora of tools and strategies I can now use to enhance my writing.

English Essay #3

Mr. Rice: Do You Know What Dr. King Actually Did?

The diary Most of You Have No Idea What Martin Luther King Actually Did was written by Hamden Rice. Mr. Rice is an independent author and professional editor from the greater New York region. His diary is a comprehensive and very personal, subjective perspective, of Dr. King’s legacy. Mr. Rice firmly believes that Dr. King’s “...main impact was his effect on the lives of African Americans, not on Americans in general.”(Rice 1) However after a critical review of the diary Mr. Rice’s beliefs are not only contradictory to Dr. King’s message but Mr. Rice’s opinions are not based in any evidence. Mr. Rice’s argument is both illogical as well as dogmatic, two traits which do not bode well for a diary or editorial.

Dr. Martin Luther King’s legacy is solely based on the message he left after his passing. Dr. King’s message was one of love, equality, and does not belong to African Americans alone.  Dr. Kings battle for civil rights, his battle for equality, for respect is a concept for not only Black people but all people. To say Dr. King’s legacy belongs to only one people would be a contradiction to everything Dr. King stood and fought for. Mr. Rice claims Dr. King’s

“...main impact was not to make white people nicer or fairer. That's why some of us who are African Americans get a bit possessive about his legacy. Dr. Martin Luther King's legacy, despite what our civil religion tells us, is not color blind.” (Rice 1)

Mr. Rice’s claims are irrefutably contradictory to what Dr. King fought for making Mr. Rice’s opinion illogical.  Dr. King clearly states in his I Have a Dream Speech that he wants all people united.

‘ I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.’ (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.)

Dr. King desired a reality where all people were united therefore his dream and legacy belongs to all people.  

The fact that Mr. Rice has no solid evidence for his reasoning, besides his personal bias, fails to validate his thesis and arguments.  “This will be a very short diary. It will not contain any links or any scholarly references. It is about a very narrow topic, from a very personal, subjective perspective.” (Rice 1) Without any scholarly reference an editorial cannot persuade readers to think like the editorial's author--persuade readers of their beliefs, persuade readers to take action in the manner the author sees fit, persuade readers to actually believe that the author is a credible writer. Mr. Rice’s reasoning is well thought out and understandable because Dr. King's efforts did begin with changes for African Americans.   

“What most people who reference Dr. King seem not to know is how Dr. King actually changed the subjective experience of life in the United States for African Americans. And yeah, I said for African Americans, not for Americans,...” (Rice 1)

Unfortunately Mr. Rice clearly fails to give tangible or validated evidence. This diary entry is entirely his opinion, albeit legitimate at certain points, the editorial fails to persuade the readers due to a lack of authentic evidence. In addition to this, the Mr. Rice uses colloquial language in a professional and public editorial which further discredits his reputation as a writer. Without professional language, especially in an editorial, the piece does fall short in its attempt to convince the reader of the Mr. Rice’s beliefs.  In this case Mr. Rice’s argument, due to his use of colloquial language and lack of evidence, fails to prove his point to the reader.

Mr. Rice, throughout his diary, is immensely opinionated and dogmatic. He also comes across as very close minded and biased due to many of his statements. Having a bias and an opinion are two separate concepts, especially when it comes to a persuasive argument. Having an opinion is holding fast to a belief because you have prior knowledge and facts behind your thesis. A bias is an emotion which disables an author to respect reasoning and evidence; a bias causes people to walk blindly behind a belief, a bias does not convince readers of anything besides an author's ignorance. Personal accounts in an editorial have no place due to the fact they are not fact or proven testimony. “So anyway, I was having this argument with my father about Martin Luther King and how his message was too conservative compared to Malcolm X's message.”(Rice 1)  Mr. Rice is aggressive in his language and uses too many personal accounts which testifies to his thesis actually being a bias. Overall Mr. Rice is very dogmatic in his diary/editorial which fails to persuade readers although some of his points are, in fact, candor.

Mr. Rice ultimately fails to rally support with his diary due to three facts. Mr. Rice’s belief that Martin Luther King’s legacy solely belonging to African Americans is contradictory to Dr. King’s actual message of equality and love for all. The author also uses an abundance of colloquial language which is inappropriate for the context in which this article is being written. In addition to this Mr. Rice also has a lack of evidence which makes readers question the validity of the authors thesis. Mr. Rice is far too biased and dogmatic, too opinionated and stubborn, too aggressive and domineering in his editorial which proves nothing but his ignorance of factual testimony. In closing,  there is this to be said about Mr. Rice’s attempt to prove his thesis. Due to Mr. Rice’s lack of evidence and his use of colloquial phrases and his dogmatic writing and his contradictory thesis: he has failed to prove his point. After this critical review of scholarship it is fair to say that Mr. Rice does not comprehend what Dr. King did; this editorial (or diary entry) is an example for other writers that professionalism and solid evidence is always imperative to any essay.

Works Cited

"Martin Luther King I Have a Dream Speech - American Rhetoric." Martin Luther King I Have a Dream Speech - American Rhetoric. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Oct. 2014.

Rice, Hamden. "Most of You Have No Idea What Martin Luther King Actually Did." Most of You Have No Idea What Martin Luther King Actually Did (2011): 1. Dailykos.com. Web. 1 Oct. 2014.

Annotated Bib

Albritton, Travis. "Educating Our Own: The Historical Legacy of HBCUs and Their Relevance for Educating a New Generation of Leaders." Urban Review 44.3 (2012): n. pag. Howard University. Print . 16 Nov. 2014.

Travis Albritton gives through information on historically Black colleges and universities, such as how and why they were founded, their needs over time, as well as the relevance of HBCUs in the current twenty-first century context. Also, he offers HBCUs suggestions for the significant challenges ahead.This article assisted my research paper by providing argument as to why HBCUs are still paramount in the modern world.

Boyd, Robert L. "HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES AND THE BLACK BUSINESS ELITE." Sociological Perspectives 50.4 (2007): n. pag. Print . 16 Nov. 2014.

This article explains the importance the role of HBCUs and their creation of an upper class of black entrepreneurs, this shows HBCUs produce a strong leadership class, This article shows how HBCUs continue to develop and produce top prospects for careers in the business world making HBCUs very relevant in the modern world.

Chenoweth, Karin. "Black Issues in Higher Education." 14.16 (1997): n. pag. Print . 17 Nov. 2014.

This article exemplifies how HBCUs continue to foster growth of African American students in a modern and developing world, and do a better job of it than predominantly white institutions. The article discusses How HBCUs do a better job in steering african american students in the right direction better than PWIs.

Reid, Karl. "Historically Black Colleges and Universities: A Vital Resource for a Diverse Workforce." Diverse: Issues in Higher Education 28.14 (2011): n. pag. Howard University. Web. 16 Nov. 2014.

The article discusses the importance of historically black colleges and universities. Karl Reid addresses problems of HBCUs such as low graduation rates and poor accreditation. I decided to use this article because it provided pertinent information on HBCUs as well as their importance. This information is relevant to my research topic because my essay is answering the question of whether or not HBCUs are still relevant.

Stevenson, Joseph. "FROM FOUNDING PURPOSE TO FUTURE POSITIONING: WHY HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES MUST MAINTAIN BUT MODIFY MISSION." Jackson State University Researcher. 21.3 (2008): n. pag. Print. This cover story from Jackson State University written by Joseph Stevenson stresses the importance of HBCUs in the African American community, for this reason I used this article to support my thesis that HBCUs are still extremely relevant in the modern world. He also stresses the messages HBCUs teach all people regardless of race, that equality is key.

Tobolowsky, Barbara. "The Role of HBCUs in the College Choice Process of African Americans in California." Journal of Negro Education 74.1 (2005): n. pag. Web. 16 Nov. 2014.

It is crucial that every black student to understand the unique role played by HBCUs in the African American community in the educational plans of those students and their families. This article support the notion that black students belong at HBCUs and that HBCUs are still very important.

Essay #2

Welcome to The Steel Jungle

Beginning at childhood the minds of human beings have been captivated and fascinated by wild animals. Man’s intellect has been girded by thoughts of the feral beasts whom roam the myriad of biomes throughout the world for years. In Washington, DC a practical way to quench this desire to experience these animals first hand is to visit the resplendent, National Zoo. The National Zoo is the epitome of human fascination and the inclination to learn about the world.

The dual stone lions are lay at the entrance of this steel jungle parallel to one another on either side of the massive concrete letters which spell out Zoo. (SP5) This is where families and friends, teachers and classes, teams and organizations, pour in and out all day yearning to feed their compulsion to be in touch with the wild. The mellifluous sound of laughter circulates throughout the air. (SP20) Whereas tears of despair riddle the the pavement as other children leave. Friends come and go for a jovial day into what for them, is as untamed as their worlds will get.

Venturing deeper into the Zoo, it’s winding concrete paths lead inquisitive guests on a plethora of different animal based adventures. The asian trail, as its known, takes visitors into a slab of Eastern Asia where gigantic and round, black and white, silly and lazy, Panda bears lie contently on their behinds. The Pandas slowly chew bamboo between their teeth. (SP1) The smaller red pandas, which almost resemble a fatter shorter fox or orange raccoon, scurry across their exhibits after one another; their small ears perk up as they freeze after every click of a camera. (SP1) The Elephant  outpost is next; the scent from their enormous excrement suddenly wafs throughout the air as these massive grey titans walk sedately among their dry habitats. Make your way past the elephants and you’ll find yourself lost in a world of flight. The bird house contains a myriad of species of feathered beasts. (SP2) From the owls whose heads turn in 180 degree patterns, to the Hawks and cranes of the great flight exhibit; the avian animals preen their feathers and take flight. Flamingos are perched on one leg in shallow murky pools, their feathers are as pink as petals, their beaks hooked, you can feel their elegance can be felt from a mile away.  The American trail comes next with an onslaught of woodland creatures and North American animals. Starting with the majestic bald eagle whose wingspan is the size of a full grown man, its beak has been bronzed by the sun's rays, his eyes are piercing blue, feathers snow white and autumn brown, the Bald Eagle reigns supreme over the bird exhibit. Further down the trail visitors see frolicsome sean lions and seals. Their smooth blubbery grey bodies are sliding in and out of pools. Their marbly black eyes stare at the visitors whose breath fogs glass, noses and hands alike pressed tightly to the tanks. Although all the animals get plenty of attention, the Great Apes seem to dominate the show as everyone crowds together to look at the jet black, muscular, and shaggy Gorillas. They walk on their feet and fists but at times rise up with their brows furrowed as they beat upon their wide chest to show their dominance. Towards the back of the Zoo you have the slithering reptiles. Snakes ranging in all sizes, such as the anaconda whose body is as thick as a tire to the copperhead who is as thin as a ruler. Their forked tongues popping in and out between their curved mouths tasting the air.  Monitor lizards move cautiously along the ground as they take each step, their long tails dragging behind them.  Last but not least guests follow this winding path to the kings of this steel jungle, the big cats. Lions and tigers roam their mountainous terrain wrestling one another as others lounge in the warmth of the sun. The big cats’  feet overhang edges as they lay on their sides. The tigers black stripes and orange fur is brownish because of the dirt he lies in. Licking her lips the lioness watches her cub vigilantly as they play near water. There is no show today, only relaxation as the big cat family plays and lays as they watch visitors snap photos on their phones or with their cameras. The flash does not bother them, this is routine.

As the day comes to a close and the animals go to rest, visitors make their way back to the dual stone lions and leave the park before closing. (SP10) Everyone loves the zoo for two primary reasons: the animals and memories. The visitor’s fascinations have been fed and their minds are content, the National Zoo in Washington,DC has quenched the human thirst for a wilder more natural world. (SP4) Visitors have been educated and awestruck and mesmerized. This mecca of learning and adventure has once again educated the masses from all over the Metro area.