What's with white hostility towards colleges?

Question

I'd like an honest answer. Why are so many whites so bent out of shape by the existence of historically black colleges and universities ("HBCUs")? Is it just the name? Would "Historically Black Due to White Racial Exclusion and Now Open To All" be a better name? EVERY HBCU welcomes students of all races and each has white and other non-black students, including increasingly many from overseas. There are over 35,000 white students attending HBCUs and approx. one third of the faculty are white. http://www.bet.com/News/hbcus.htm
Clearly these schools are not excluding non-blacks and it's very easy to find this out with a couple of net searches. So what's the beef? Looks to me like those who claim that HBCUs are evidence of reverse racism are wilfully ignorant. Maybe they're just looking for an easy excuse for their own racism. If you aren't a racist and have a principled objection to HBCUs speak up.

Answer 1

I spend a lot of time on Y!A! explaining the historical underpinnings of things like HBCUs, how racial categories were developed by white judges and enforced by jim crow laws, etc.
they are young and haven't studied history. so they don't know.

personally i can remember my own son, when he was 12 applying for some program at school. and the application asked lots of questions about race. and he said to me "mom, why are they asking us this, they should not be choosing based on these things, these things shouldn't make any difference" and i had to start explaining to him about attempts to correct historical inequalities.

i used to teach at an hbcu. anyway, so i understand that they came about because of a totally segregated society. at the one where i taught, they were also under pressure to integrate so you could get a scholarship just for not being black. ha ha ha.
it was true. the whites were a minority.

but you know all this. please join me in educating the younger folks who are asking these questions, because they really don't know about the history.

Answer 2

In very recent history, Blacks were not allowed to go to all colleges. My parents went to Prairie View A&M in Texas. Were well trained and had great careers. The schools have remained historically Black because typically Whites choose to not go to them. Therefore because Whites tend to not go to historically Black colleges, should the colleges close down? No. In conclusion, historically Black Colleges remain that way because typically whites do not consider attending them. My argument is that bigotry on behalf of some Whites support the continuity of HBCUs. It is important to mention they are outstanding institutions and produce world class scholars. There is one I know of where non-Blacks came to in droves. That is, St. Philips College in San Antonio. My great aunt attended in the 40's to become a teacher. It is now a major college attended by a diverse population. So the next time someone tries that lame argument that Historically Black Colleges are racist...tell them the schools remain Black because typically Whites avoid them.

Leavemeth...sounds like you have never walked through the doors of any college... BTW...I earned my second master's (my second one) at a university my parents would not have been admitted to when they were attending college. prior to the 60's. UT...and made a 4.0 GPA. The only segregation I endorse is to make sure people like you are not around to influence people who are interested in seeing the world progress. My White colleagues and friends would agree with me wholeheartedly.

Answer 3

Would you accept that colleges today be sectioned off as white colleges but not exclusive to white applicants?

Anyway, I don't care if you people have black colleges. I'm all for you people confined to your area. too bad there aren't any "historically" black public schools that you people only went to.

do they have "historically" black apartments/neighborhoods/malls/movie theaters, etc? just wondering.

btw.........I'm not racist I know black people.

Answer 4

Oh I don't know, maybe becasue if I had a college that was all white the blacks would riot like Rodney King. Just a guess, but why is exclusion okay for you and not me?

Answer 5

I have no problem with HBCU and neither does my white best friend. We're both going to one after graduation, I'm glad to say! :)

Answer 6

That last fool is racist! I always get nervous when I am around all whites....so many are racist and don't even recognize it! White hostility towards black colleges result from whites being very, very scared ...................sad isn't it!

Answer 7

Mainly because if we had a Caucasian college, or labeled one month a white history month, We'd be labeled racist.