The importance of HBCUs in the modern world - Research Paper Example

Equality was often the cry. Nowadays, when people think they have achieved the desires of their old folks, social issues such as discrimination or racism are seriously examined on every corner of the world. With the acceptance of the merging of different races towards a global goal, it is being considered if racism has indeed been eradicated or if there is still the scars of racism that show that in the modern world, racism still exists. One of the things being closely examined in relation to this issue is the existence of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in a world wherein such racist impositions are greatly criticized.

In this paper, it will be studied if the HBCUs are still relevant or if they should be dissolved just as slavery has been dissolved in order to get rid not only of the pains of racism but also its memories and scars. In order to consider well the different angles of the HBCUs, it is important to learn about the history of the colleges and universities. According to the title III of the Higher Education Act of 1965, an HBCU is a school of higher learning whose principal mission was and is the education of African Americans accredited and established before 1964 (thurgoodmarshallfund.net). The Higher Education Center on the other hand specifically mentions that it is any historically black college or university (higheredcenter.org) and continues with the definition mentioned earlier.

The first HBCU was established in 1837, twenty six years before the end of slavery (Coleman), in Pennsylvania and named Cheney University. The school catered to African Americans who have just earned their freedom from their slavery, who wanted to earn an education which they believed would grant them better lives. It was birthed by a Quaker who was also known to be a philanthropist, who yearned to educate and train free Blacks to become teachers (Coleman). For years, HBCUs stood for the educational rights of African American citizens and provided them with quality education that helped them actively participate in their communities.

Among them are Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University organized in 1875 through the efforts of a former slave, William Hooper Council; Bowie State University which boasts of its dedication to the advancement of knowledge through teaching, research and service; and Lincoln University, known as the oldest historically black university founded in 1854 (thurgoodmarshallfund.net). The Historically Black Colleges and Universities boast of quality education that made way for a lot of African Americans and other cultures alike to succeed in the educational arena not only for undergraduates but also for graduate studies.

It is claimed that nine out of ten of those who earn doctoral degrees are from HBCUs. Moreover, the HBCUs also boast about the high percentage of practicing professionals to be their graduates and African American Medical school applicants from HBCUs to have outnumbered the applicants from Johns Hopkins, Harvard and the University of Maryland, combined (thinkhbcu.org). Among others that make HBCUs proud about their achievements are the significant number of their African American degree holders and doctorate degrees awarded for communications.

HBCUs also boast that they are excellent institutions falling in line with the top ten colleges and universities for African American, even placing in the top six