| Imagine a time when equality was not available to all. | | | | classmates. |
| Imagine a time when the realization of one's dream | | | | Although faced with seemingly insurmountable |
| depended solely on the color of one's skin. | | | | obstacles, Meredith persevered and eventually |
| The dream of achieving a college education and | | | | graduated from the University of Mississippi in 1963 |
| reaching for the stars in an attempt to achieve lifelong | | | | with a degree in History and Political Science. James |
| dreams became a dream deferred for many African | | | | Meredith's success at Ole Miss provided inspiration to |
| Americans in the early years of this great nation. | | | | many African Americans who succeeded him at other |
| Dreams of becoming a doctor, an attorney, or an | | | | previously segregated schools, and ignited a shift for |
| engineer were completely off limits for African | | | | some Black students, away from HBCUs to larger |
| Americans because of this country's rigid caste | | | | flagship universities that had previously been off limits |
| system. Because of slavery and Jim Crow laws, | | | | to people of color. |
| society forced Blacks to do menial jobs, which kept | | | | Because of the acceptance of Blacks at |
| the majority of them stuck in the country's lower class, | | | | predominately-White colleges during the Civil Rights |
| praying for a day when equality would be available for | | | | Movement of the 1960s, the number of African |
| all. | | | | Americans attending HBCUs experienced a |
| From the Middle Passage to the emancipation of Black | | | | tremendous decline. At one point, it was estimated that |
| slaves in 1865, African Americans were denied basic | | | | approximately 70 percent of all Black college students |
| education by their slave masters for fear that | | | | received their education at a HBCU. Not only did |
| education would lead to upheaval and rebellion. Despite | | | | HBCUs experience a drastic decline in enrollment, but |
| their efforts, many African Americans, such as | | | | also many top-notch institutions began competing with |
| Alexander Lucius Twighlight, an 1823 graduate of | | | | HBCUs for the brightest African American students by |
| Middlebury College, received college degrees. | | | | offering scholarships and a broader curriculum. |
| After the abolishment of slavery, White philanthropist | | | | As many teenagers prepare for higher education, the |
| began opening the first Historically Black Colleges and | | | | process of choosing the right university can be a |
| Universities as a means of providing minimal skills to | | | | daunting task. Many seek a university for the sole |
| freed slaves. Schools such as Cheyney State | | | | purpose of enhancing their education, while others |
| University and Wilberforce University began training | | | | seek a college that will also enhance their social |
| Blacks in such fields as religion and various manual | | | | development. |
| trades that the masses believed suitable for African | | | | For young African Americans, the choice can be |
| Americans. | | | | extremely difficult as they choose between a |
| The training that the first generation of Black college | | | | traditional school and a HBCU. |
| students received was skills that Whites believed | | | | Some critics believe that HBCUs are outdated and |
| would help them become more accepted in the larger | | | | that young Black adults will fair better at |
| culture, such as etiquette, speech and dress. | | | | predominately-White institutions because its |
| The lack of opportunities afforded to African | | | | demographics prepare them better for the "real world." |
| Americans led to many student protests by the next | | | | However, proponents of HBCUs believe that four or |
| generation of Black scholars who never experienced | | | | more years amongst one's peers provide cultural pride |
| the horrors of slavery like their predecessors, and | | | | an improved sense of self. |
| were determined to achieve first-class citizenship and | | | | This debate has led many scholars to question: Are |
| first-class opportunities. Because of the growing | | | | HBCUs still relevant, and are they the best institutions |
| dissatisfaction among the younger generation of Black | | | | to train our next generation of leaders? |
| scholars, HBCUs began to undergo a transformation, | | | | For Tisha Smith, who attended both a HBCU and a |
| similar to White institutions, which included a more | | | | traditional university, the experience at a Black college |
| diverse curriculum, more student activities, and more | | | | was the best. Growing up in a predominately-White |
| Greek-letter organizations. | | | | neighborhood, Smith's environment taught her very little |
| Although African Americans had enrolled at | | | | about her own culture. Growing up as a minority in an |
| predominately-White universities in the North for years, | | | | affluent neighborhood, she experienced many |
| Jim Crow laws had prevented their enrollment at | | | | instances of bigotry and intolerance from her peers. |
| many top universities in the South. However, through | | | | She often found herself the only Black face in her |
| protest and perseverance, African Americans began | | | | classroom, and sometimes felt she did not fit in with |
| seeing doors open for them that had been closed | | | | the larger culture that surrounded her. |
| since their arrival in this country, hundreds of years | | | | However, by attending a HBCU, she became more |
| earlier. | | | | aware of her culture and felt a sense of security and |
| In 1862, James Meredith became the first Black | | | | belonging that she did not feel while attending a |
| student to enroll at the University of Mississippi despite | | | | traditional college. Attending a HBCU also shielded her |
| the protests of many Mississippi residents, including | | | | from the racism she experienced as a child, and |
| Governor Ross Barnett, who blocked the entrance of | | | | allowed her to experience life as an individual and not |
| the registrar's office to prevent Meredith's enrollment. | | | | a color. |
| Despite Barnett's actions, Meredith was secretly | | | | Although doors have opened because of the triumphs |
| enrolled at the university amidst student protests that | | | | of past generations, the struggle for equality in |
| left two people mortally wounded, and left Ole Miss | | | | education continues. The discrepancies between |
| littered with bricks, burned automobiles, and empty | | | | affluent and underprivileged school systems across |
| tear-gas canisters. | | | | America have many minorities falling behind other |
| Despite Meredith's success enrolling at Ole Miss, his | | | | groups. However, by educating the next generation of |
| matriculation at the school was anything but normal. He | | | | leaders, the achievement gap should become equal, |
| was escorted to class everyday by federal marshals, | | | | regardless if those leaders are educated at a |
| and almost completely ignored by his fellow | | | | traditional school or a HBCU. |