Gabriella Lunceford

Venue: Student Diversity Leadership Conference

Call Time: 11 AM
Are HBCUs Relevant Still?

Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop An HBCU

We know people like Langston Hughes, Toni Morrison, and W.E.B. DuBois, right? Well, they’re
all graduates of Historically Black College Universities. Oh, that was a while ago? Well, what about
Taraji P. Henson? Stacy Abrams? Kamala Harris? They’re all HBCU graduates as well. Since their
founding, HBCUs have produced successful leaders within the black community. They’re able to do this
by taking a thorough look at African-American history and then teaching young black people how to
apply it in order to achieve their goals. It’s true that we aren’t fighting some of the problems that existed
when these institutions were first founded but things like racial injustices still exist, so it’s important to
continue that fight. Simply erasing HBCUs erases a lot of black culture and its history. Understanding the
value of HBCUs begins with education.
Let’s be real. I’m sure most, if not all of us, have experienced that one day in class where the
teacher said, “Today we’ll be talking about slavery” and everybody in the class turned and looked at
you…the one black face in the class…Yeah, that’s an incredibly awkward situation to be in, and if you
haven’t experienced that, I’m jealous! The worst part about that situation is that most likely, right after,
the teacher will begin to tell a watered-down story of African-American history; I’m sure leaving out a lot
of details. At my HBCU, black history doesn’t start with slaves on a boat. We have thoughtful discussions
about the African diaspora which is an essential piece of history. HBCU students are exposed to relevant
education that contributes to their understanding of both personal and academic life. At my HBCU, we
learn about role models and the significant historical events often left out of textbooks. We’re exposed to
the arts and blessed with black literature that explores concepts meaningful to our past, present, and
future.
In addition to the many accomplishments black people have made already, I’m sure we’re all
aware of the many injustices and tragedies that have always faced the black community, but those hard
discussions are necessary. I get it, being a young black person is exhausting sometimes but in order to
heal, we must talk about the issues, and my HBCU provides a safe space for me to do so where I am
comfortable sharing my thoughts in a community where everyone looks like me.
While society has progressed since the birth of HBCUs, the purpose still remains. HBCUs work
to give minorities an education they can use to build their futures, and they remain a haven for many,
including first-generation college students, by providing the opportunity for education.
You might be thinking, “okay, it’s great everyone would look like me, but I can take an
African-American history course at any school.” That’s true, but part of the founding of HBCUs had to do
with training the minds to compete in a world not made for us. HBCUs expose students to opportunities
in all areas and work to prepare them. There is an emphasis on professional development which can
consist of resume-building, interview guidelines, and tips for securing a job or internship. I’m sure other
schools are working on professional development, too, but at an HBCU, the audience is black. The truth
is, in corporate America, 9/10 times, the interviewer is already discounting you because you’re black, but
HBCUs work to ensure their students can compete post-graduation. We’ve all heard the argument
“HBCUs don’t prepare you for the real world.” Wrong. Preparing students for the real world is the
priority!
 A major piece of opportunity for HBCU students also comes from the strong alum network.
Within this community, we know it takes a village. People are always looking to connect with each other
and put people on different opportunities.
At the end of the day, though, opportunities mean nothing if you aren’t prepared to take them.
One of the most important things I have learned from my school is to be confident in my skills. Being
able to learn within my community hasn’t made me unprepared for the real world, it’s taught me how to
advocate for myself no matter what space I’m in.
The biggest contributor to that confidence build is 1000% the climate created by these
universities. It truly is a family where everyone wants to see each other win. Not only does everyone want
to see you win, but they’re willing to help. Seeing creatives like musicians, filmmakers, and entrepreneurs
come together to build something great is beautiful, and it happens every day. It’s hard to not stay
motivated when you’re studying in the same libraries that have seen so many influential activists,
politicians, entertainers, and more. Even Greek life continues to flourish on these campuses, allowing us
to stay in touch with our history. People look forward to events like homecomings because it feels like a
family reunion. Of course, not every family is perfect; we disagree from time to time. I remember my
sophomore year, I was at my first basketball game and an argument broke out between my school and the
opposing team’s fans right before halftime. Tensions were still high once it was broken up…but the DJ
knew how to save the day. 10 seconds later, we heard the beginning of Swag Surfin, and I know you all
know that song! Immediately, everyone had their arms wrapped around each other swaying from side to
side as if nothing had happened. And it gives me chills every time because you know everyone in the
room is happy and living in the moment, fully unified. That energy is unmatched. So much of black
culture is heavily concentrated in these HBCUs, it would be harder to preserve it without them.
As long as there are black people, Black universities will always be important. They may not be
top of mind to people outside of the community, but these institutions work to first, educate young black
students on their history. Then they produce black leaders, activists, artists, and engineers. From there,
they create something for everyone to be inspired by, leaving a legacy set up for success. And for that, the
HBCU will never go out of style.