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Elese Brown

Professor Malcolm Campbell

UWRT 1104

February 6, 2017

The Black and White Ladder to Success

Introduction/Overview

I will be exploring the motivation for which African American students pursue a college

degree, specifically at a Predominantly White Institute (PWI). Many African American students

here in the United States weigh their options concerning their future endeavors after high school

graduation. For some students, their parents expect them to go to a four year university, no

matter the cost, while others simply do not have the means by which to go to college. Numerous

African American students are adamant about going to a Historically Black College and

University (HBCU), while others seek the challenge and diversity of a Predominantly White

Institute. A Black students climb to success is on the black and white rungs of the PWI ladder.

Each students ladder is of a different length and magnitude. It is up to each student to use the

ladder theyve paid to obtain. As for the African American student, the length and magnitude of

their ladder is insignificant compared to the motivation in which they use to climb it. What this

motivation is exactly, Ill discover as I embark on this inquiry journey.

People of the black community were not allowed to attend school until the 1890s.

However, schools were racially segregated. Prior to the opening of coloured public schools,

the education of black people was a criminal offense. The Supreme Court case, Plessy v.

Ferguson ruled in favor of separate, but equal. This case validated the segregation of black and

white schools. African American public schools were at a great disadvantage. The educational
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system compared to that of the white schools was unequal. The buildings, materials, books, etc,

were not up to par. As for the black educational system, they had to make do with that they had.

Fortunately, by 1954, the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court case overturned the

Plessy v. Ferguson case. Thusly, schools were desegregated. Children of the black community

were afforded the opportunity to receive a quality education. However, this great achievement

came with a great cost. Despite the extremely harsh treatment, black students took advantage of

the education provided them. The hardships and trials endured by African Americans during this

time, leads me to believe that this serves as much motivation for African American students

today.

To learn more about my topic I checked out books from the library. The 1st book I am

using to gather information is entitled, A dream deferred?: examining the degree aspirations of

African American and White College Students by Deborah Faye Carter. The 2nd book is

entitled, College in black and white: African American students in predominantly white and in

historically Black public universities by Walter Recharde Allen. The last book I am using to

collect information is entitled, Between two worlds; a profile of negro higher education by

Frank Hamilton Bowles. Ive also used forbes.com to collect information for UNC Charlottes

demographics. I received helpful comments from my peers during the time in class when we

shared our topic interests with each other. The research Ive done so far has been beneficial to

me gaining an even better understanding for my topic. By doing this research, I was prompted to

focus on a more specific aspect of my topic. The entire process has helped me hone in on the

education of African American students attending PWIs.

My topic is very complex. African American students are somewhat expected to attend

HBCUs. In most cases it is seen as out of the ordinary, for a black student to want to attend a
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PWI. However, people are becoming more accepting than they were of this new trend. NY

Daily News interviewed African American students to get their point-of-view of their college

experience from HBCU to PWI. The opinions were from one end of the spectrum to the other.

However, many students felt more was expected of them from a PWI

(http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/graduates-hbcus-pwis-share-pros-cons-article-

1.2434280). Inside Higher Ed surveyed African American students attending HBCUs and PWIs.

The results from the survey displayed a higher rate of educational satisfaction from the students

attending HBCUs (https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2015/10/28/survey-finds-big-

differences-between-black-hbcu-graduates-those-who-attended-other).

As I continue to do research, I want to bring to light the benefits and satisfaction of

African American students attending PWIs. Seeing as how I am an African American female

attending a PWI, I can directly relate to the impact and educational and social experience of my

university.

Initial Inquiry Question(s)

My initial inquiry question is: What tactics and sense of motivation do African

Americans attending a Predominantly White Institute use to climb their individual ladder of

success?

My Interest in this Topic

I am interested in this topic because I am experiencing it first-hand. While in high school,

many of my friends were adamant about going to HBCUs. A PWI was out of the question. I

wanted to get the PWI experience. Its not that I was too good for an HBCU. I felt the need to

attend UNC Charlotte because I knew this was where I was supposed to be. I was and still am
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ready to face any challenge that comes my way. I knew Id be challenged here academically

more than I would at a HBCU. My reasons for attending this school is a long list. However, it

mainly has to do with the fact that I wanted to defeat all odds and stereotypes placed against me

as an African American. I knew it wouldnt be easy, but Im ready for anything that comes my

way.

1. I already know there are far less African American students attending PWIs than

there are attending HBCUs. I know the demographics of UNC Charlotte.

2. I hope to learn the motivation of African American students attending UNC

Charlotte (PWI).

Next Steps
Per forbes.com, UNC Charlottes demographics include 16.9% African Americans. This

set of statistics ranked the African American enrollment rate right under that of the Caucasian

party, whom ranked at 60.4%. As I continue to do research, I plan to survey African American

students here on campus. This survey will obtain information, such as, major, class standing,

motivation, aspirations, etc. I believe this survey will address my inquiry question.

From the information collected from the surveys, the books, and the databases on the

library website, I will get a solid answer to my inquiry question. The first-hand response from

students attending UNC Charlotte, will be the bulk of my research. Articles and books can infer

the reason for which African American students attend a PWI, but the actual reason can only be

received from the students themselves.