Dear Sticky Wicket,
Why are there still “black only” colleges and universities? If there were still a “white” only college, the ACLU, NAACP, and other “pro black movement” organizations would be all over them.
~Not Understanding in Pennsylvania
Dear Not Understanding in Pennsylvania,
There are no “black only” colleges. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), the proper designation for the colleges to which you are referring, were established in an era when segregation was the law of the land. Students of color were prohibited from entering institutions alongside their white counterparts.
White civic and political leaders created many of these institutions. Bluefield State College, ranked among the top liberal arts schools in the nation, was established as a black teacher’s college in 1865 by white Virginia state lawmakers. In addition, whites founded both Spelman and Morehouse Colleges, two of the most widely known HBCUs.
It is true that desegregation has widened the window of opportunity for students of all races/ethnicities. However, minority enrollment in some state colleges and universities provide a different perspective. Many of the HBCUs have diverse student populations. Eighty-seven percent of the students at Bluefield State College are white. The remaining 12 percent are students of color. Sixty-seven percent of students at the Lincoln University in Jefferson City, MO, are white. Other examples include Kentucky State University, with a 42 percent white student population; and West Virginia State University, which is 87 percent white.
Contrarily, enrollment at institutions that do not carry the HBCU designations rank low among diversity standards. Eleven percent of students enrolled at the University of Missouri-Columbia are students of color. The numbers prove to be lower at other institutions. Only nine percent of students enrolled at the University of Kentucky are students of color, and only seven percent at West Virginia University.
Although we live in different times, diversity is still a point of contention in many areas of American life—education included. The reasons for low minority enrollment in many colleges and universities may not be evident, but the numbers show a void that may justify a need for institutions oriented toward educating students of color.