Reynolds Graves, University of Massachusetts - Boston, Class of 2011
On December 10th, I decided to take a break from reviewing for final exams and head across the street from the University of Massachusetts Boston campus to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. My mission was to attend another great forum.
In the past I've had the opportunity to meet people doing great things in politics and society at these forums, including but not limited to: presidential historian and bestselling author Doris Kearns Goodwin, Caroline Kennedy, Charlie Rose, Madeleine Albright.....the list goes on. I never attend these forums solely for the stardom, but also to learn quite a bit from the featured experts – it's really like a live op-ed column.
Past experiences have always steered me back, in addition to the fact that the events are free. On this day, I was especially interested in the topic, “Civil Rights: Then and Now.”The forum was to focus on the 100th Anniversary of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and would feature the organizations “then”: current Chairman Julian Bond, and “now”: current CEO and President Benjamin Jealous.
The “Who’s Who” of Boston’s Black community was in attendance, complete with VIP seating in the front. I took the student seat to the side, after shaking hands with familiar faces from the Governor’s office, City Hall and the Bay State Banner. The decibel level in auditorium, complete with a 20ft high ceiling was high, and we were all anticipating a concrete discussion about our people.
Perhaps it's ironic that Jealous and Bond showed up late to their own "party", but I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt – I think it was snowing that night.
As the conversation began, moderated by Patricia Sullivan, Professor of African American History the University of South Carolina and author of Lift Every Voice: The NAACP and the Making of the Civil Rights Movement , a wide range of topics were on the table.
What they said, and didn't say
Naturally, President Obama was a topic of discussion, followed by solid points on the future of the black family, and the astronomical incarceration rates of African Americans in the nations prison system.
On that topic, Jealous mentioned that upon a recent visit to a prison, he found that the common characteristic of the prisoners was that "almost all were poor". My "boss" (really more of a mentor) Melvin Miller, Owner and Publisher of the Boston/Bay State Banner, noted in the paper's editorial column that the comments made by Mr. Jealous "suggest a broader strategy based upon the treatment of the poor rather than race". "While racial discrimination still persists in America, it is no longer the problem it was during the heyday of the NAACP. The greatest challenges now are to enable African Americans to understand the importance of building wealth and political power", concluded Miller.
I wholeheartedly agree with Mr. Miller's statement, and in addition to the issue of disproportionate incarceration levels, I feel that African Americans are at the risk of becoming a race surrounded in our own debt. As students, many of us will be graduating soon and will walk across the stage to greet the Dean of their college and receive a degree, only to walk off the stage and greet the next challenge life throws our way-student loan payments. That, coupled with the number of minorities on public assistance, is the prescription for not just a generation in debt, but the majority of an ethnic group in financial debt as we suffer to establish our own wealth.
What I do not agree with was the lack of either Mr. Jealous or Mr. Bond to focus on education during the forum. By now we all recognize that graduate and professional degrees are vital tools to establishing oneself in a career. In today's job market, a Bachelor's degree is barely making the cut, needless to say the uphill battle for those with High School or General Equivalency Diploma's (GED).
The Future of Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the United States
Decades ago, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU's) recognized the educational disparity in this country amongst African Americans and to this day make it their mission to graduate the eager young minds that attend these schools. Throughout their history, HBCU's have gained national and international attention as intuitions for higher learning where African American's can go and become leaders in the world and reach new heights using the tools of a formal education - as opposed to a microphone, snare drum, dance move, or one's athletic ability.
The problem that I see today is how HBCU's are educating their students in the 21st century. I witnessed many of these problems first hand during my first two years of college at Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia and later raised them in a question to Mr. Bond and Mr. Jealous at the JFK Library forum once Professor Sullivan opened the discussion to questions from the audience.
As I approached the microphone, I offered up something that went something like this:
"Good evening Mr. Bond and Mr. Jealous, my name is Reynolds Graves and I am a 21 year old Junior at the University of Massachusetts Boston. I would like to thank you both for taking time out of your schedule to participate in this forum.
I rise to inquire about the NAACP's educational initiatives, specifically for higher education, and to be even more specific - HBCU's. In the fall of 2008 I transferred from Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia for a few reasons, but mainly - and most importantly- because I was disappointed with the lack of academic caliber I witnessed in Hampton's curriculum and instruction.
Among the students, there is an obvious lack of intellectual stimulation, or ambition applied to academics. Scholarships are few and far between, and the endowment is far less than half of other private colleges or universities of comparable size. I never once studied under a professor who had published or working papers, field experience, or extensive research, and the curriculum seemed to lack courses that are vital for students within their specific academic programs.
In addition, the Cornell West's, Michael Eric Dyson's, and Julian Bond's of the world teach at Princeton University, Georgetown University, and the University of Virginia. So once again, I ask: What are the NAACP's initiatives towards higher education, specifically HBCU's, in a concentrated effort to level the academic playing field with other colleges and universities in this country?"
Yes, I really said all of that. And yes, I meant every word. Don't get me wrong, I appreciated my time at Hampton University, and as I stated earlier Hampton and other HBCU's are geared towards giving African Americans all the benefits of a formal college education which will forever benefit our race and culture.
However, Hampton and other HBCU's cannot be degree factories. One should not just be able to get a degree by showing up passing with a gentleman's or ladies C average. HBCU's most work to stimulate the academic ambition and prosperity of its students through the curriculum and instruction by professors on campus and visiting scholars.
Not a single HBCU has a syndicated publishing press (i.e. Harvard University Press, Yale University Press, University of Massachusetts Press, Cambridge University Press etc), that institutions and university's utilize to publish works by professors, visiting scholars, and students. The lack of academic composure and initiative within HBCU's is disappointing, especially when there is so much potential on each and every campus. I have met bright, creative and intelligent students on the campuses of Hampton, Morehouse, Howard, Fisk,etc, but the difference I see between them and black students at schools that are often referred to as PWI's (Predominately White Institutions) is the ability of their host institution of higher learning to support their academic ambition, endeavors and achievements.
Today's college students can dream about studying abroad in China and make it a reality the next day. They can willingly pursue biomedical research in India and gain the full support of professors, researches, and their host institution - and make it happen. They can travel to France for a semester and study the language and culture with similar ease as registering for next semesters courses. Visiting scholars from across the globe often visit for a semester. New medical discoveries originate in buildings just down the street from their residence hall that change the world - and that students assisted with. Similar opportunities are not available at the nation's HBCU's. As I began to notice this during my time at Hampton, I asked myself the question: why? While sitting in my dorm room I felt the obstacle was money, for which I have a descent argument.
"Money ain't a thing", or is it?
The endowments of Hampton University ($256,990,000) with 4,500 undergraduates and Morehouse College ($128,900,000) with 2,933 undergraduates are trumped by comparable liberal arts institutions like Dartmouth ($3,000,000,000) with 4,196 students and Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut ($440,000,000) with 2,188 students. Whatever arguments one may prefer to make about the past: family legacy, location (north vs south), wealthy donors, etc. We as African-Americans, and especially the NAACP must look towards the future.
We now live in a time where schools with larger endowments are able to offer full rides to outstanding students, of any color. A majority of these institutions are now attracting a significant amount of the applicant pool that apply to HBCU's. In reality: when students, parents and high school guidance counselors sit down to pick a school for Jr to attend that will cater to his desired major in Chemical Engineering, why go to Howard, Morehouse, Hampton, Fisk, Florida A&M etc when they don't offer a major of study that caters to his interests, no scholarship exists, and M.I.T. just offered a full ride? Sure, the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) makes situations like this a large part of their aim in their attempt to fill the education void, but they cannot do it alone. This is why I called upon the NAACP to get on board.
Not only did Mr. Bond ignore me at the JFK Presidential Library forum by not offering any concrete examples, but the only comment he made on the matter went something like this: "I was just at Morehouse for four days last week, and I am a proud alum". "We are referring to full-time professors, Mr. Bond", interjected Professor Sullivan (thank you for "putting him in check"). As Bond walked off stage, he looked at the ground and gave me a handshake that had about the strength of a five year old.
This prompted me to think: "Wow, do I apologize? Have I in some way offended this great civil rights leader?". "Don't worry about that, young blood, thats just the way he is", expressed a thirty-something brother who witnessed Mr.Bond's rude exchange of pleasantries. I took a deep breath and wiped the perspiration from my brow. He then complemented me on they way I addressed the panelists at the microphone by asking a concrete question which demanded a concrete answer, and further inquired about my feelings toward the education of what he called "the 21st Century black college student".
Disclaimer: I am not saying, nor do I feel that HBCU's are irrelevant!
Obviously, otherwise I would not have attended one. Unfortunately, a woman in the crowd did get the wrong impression and approached me with a nasty attitude, saying: "As a Howard graduate, I am very disappointed by what you had to say this evening, and I don't know who you think you are young man, but HBCU's are not irrelevant, and they still serve a purpose" (she said waving her finger in my face). "Wrong! Wrong! Wrong!" I replied. "I was commenting on the academic caliber of these institutions, and relating it back to financial problems. I had some of the best times of my life at Hampton, and made a bunch of friends after not knowing a single soul on day one. Coming from a predominately white and affluent suburb of Detroit, culturally I benefited from breaking bread in the cafateria with African-Americas from Alabama, Compton, the Bronx, Seattle, Ft. Lauderdale, Maine, Virginia, and Dallas all at the same table. Don't come around and judge me because of your misunderstanding. The social aspect of my experience was exactly what I wanted, but it wasn't anywhere near what I demanded, academically. HBCU's graduate a lot of first generation college students - which is the best thing they could offer this country and the world. But I wanted more out of my college experience and I had to make a difficult decision. And yes, I am glad I did!"
Before walking away the woman (circa 50 years old - for sake of the argument) said: "peace, brother, peace".
I really didn't mean to go off, but the fact is that I care about the future of HBCU's a great deal, and how African American college students are educated in the future so much that I felt the need to get out of my seat and address those in power - face to face- on the issue. I urge everyone reading this to write your members of Congress, President Obama and the NAACP urging them to revisit federal funding for HBCU's (Howard get's most of the cash - endowment = $490,600,000), but also the United Negro College Fund, and other scholarships and fellowships that are geared toward educating African-Americans. Properly educated individuals have the power and know-how to benefit their community, the United States, the world and ultimately the race.
Where do you see yourself in ten years?
Since you asked: (tenured) Professor of Political Science and Economics at an HBCU (pick one), among other things.
Thursday, January 21, 2010 at 12:20PM 
Happy Applying!!!
