Pride Defined

   “Long live the rose that grew out of the concrete when no one else ever cared.”

                              -Tupac Shakur

              Pride is the ability to stake claim to becoming greater than your circumstance should allow. Like
the rose pressing through the concrete, people of color in America have fought to claim their birthright
of equality.

              Black learners in America have received a raw deal. They receive sub-par equipment, facilities,
and vicious pipelines that predict incarceration before ten years old. African American students are
more likely to be placed in unchallenging classes by the school systems and less likely to take honors
courses, all while receiving lower grades than their counterparts on average.

              Moreover, black students are more likely to be suspended and expelled from school, and black
students average a higher dropout rate than the national average. The successful black student, one that
excels at and through high school, is an abnormality. Anything above average is considered an anomaly.

              Even with these disadvantages, there are higher education environments dominated by black
scholars. These institutions champion rich history, with the constant development of familial bonds,
creating habitats for unfettered black success.

              Today, spread across the eastern United States, are 101 oases of education and achievement,
driven by black intellectuals.

              The first HBCUs were established in the 1860s for black students who could not attend school.
Their purpose was to teach trade techniques and raise capable black teachers. With the support of the
Freedman’s Bureau, HBCUs began to spread across the southeastern United States after the Civil War.

              Early black scholars, who often endangered their safety by seeking knowledge, foraged a path
for those in the future to follow. These Colleges keep the spirit of seeking alive for those who would not
otherwise be able to secure a similar opportunity.

              “My HBCU experience changed my whole mindset and my whole outlook on life,” said Destinee
Williams. The Shaw University graduate earned a bachelor’s degree in Athletic Training in 2016, now
owns the Beauty Garden Salon in Atlanta, Georgia. “My HBCU experience allowed me to go from first-
generation college student to business owner.”

              The HBCU experience provides scholars with an opportunity to engage with a nurturing
community that is led by like-minded students of color. This dynamic is beneficial for developing
business professionals and cultivating a healthy lifestyle.

              “There is no other place that I know of that presents this opportunity to students,” said Davril
Massey, Winston Salem State University class of 2010 graduate, and now a financial specialist. “To have
a population of primarily black scholars, and an army of alumni supporting them.”

              “A few months into my freshman year at A&T, my mom passed away from cancer,” said Simone
Stovall, who graduated from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in 2015 with a
bachelor’s degree in Psychology. “The professors and students gathered around me and created an
environment that helped me get through the situation. If I ended up anywhere else, I don’t think I
would’ve gotten that support.”

              These reasons are why thousands of alumni and students lay claim to HBCU pride. Their
experience is a result of centuries filled with bloodshed, tribulation, and victories of every magnitude.

              “To be proud, is to be excited to display something near and dear to you,” said Kaiyned Bright, a
who attended Shaw University, and is a technology and customer service professional in Charlotte,
North Carolina. “To me, Pride is being able to say ‘it doesn’t matter what happens to you or me,
but we are going to make it.’”

              “Pride is understanding where you’ve come from, and where you’re at, and understanding that
you are a byproduct of their work,” said North Carolina Central University alumnus Johnny Jones II, who
earned his Masters of Science at Hampton University in 2016.

              “That is the essence of Pride.”

              No matter the HBCU or the field of study, each student of these beacons of black excellence has
their own story. The common theme is Pride. Pride in firm foundations built in the past, and a Pride that
lights the way for the future.