Historically Black Schools Open Doors to Whites

Some historically known black schools are opening its doors to white students. Some may raise their eyebrows upon knowing that a white student goes to what is branded as a traditionally black college. But many of these white students do not mind. To receive education is their goal.

Yahoo News reports that white students are being recruited and given very attractive offers. These include scholarships and lower tuitions than those offered at non-black schools. South Carolina State University offers new programs and good recruitment packages. Dozens of white students have taken the bite and they now comprise about 4% of the total student population of the university. A minority affairs office handles their many concerns, similar to those who assist non-white students in traditionally white schools.

These schools actually mushroomed at that time when non-white students were barred from attending traditional schools. Because of the need for higher education and their quest for success in their lives, what is called historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) were built, with the start of Cheyney University in Pennsylvania.

Many followed Cheney University to cater to non-white students in their interest for advanced education. Other institutions actually have large number of African-American students in their student body, but were founded after the Brown v. Board of Education ruling by the Supreme Court. The court outlawed racial segregation of public education facilities.

To date, there are 114 historically black colleges and universities in the country. Some are private, some are public schools. Most are located in the Southeastern part of US; there are two each in Missouri and Ohio; two are in Pennsylvania, one in Delaware and another one is in the Virgin Islands.

Although the population of non-whites in many of these schools are still small, they seem to be growing as the years go by. Recruitment may not be very intense, but many school administrators are considering to strengthen them.

Lezli Baskerville, CEO and president of the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education, believes that being in a traditionally black school is not only about the low cost of education. It is a venue where a student is being immersed and prepared in an "increasingly black and brown world."

The report quotes Steven Schukei, an alumnus of Atlanta's Morehouse College, in saying that going to this school allowed him to gain new perspectives that he was not offered while growing up in Nebraska, Colorado and South Carolina. He called Morehouse a refuge where race does not matter.

Isn't that what education is supposed to be? It is supposed to be a right --whatever the color of your skin may be.