John G. Fee, a Christian leader and abolitionist, founded Berea College in 1855 (Baskin 109). His basic goal for the school was for it to be an interracial, Christian school where the white and Negro communities could be equal (Nelson 64). However, in 1892, President William G. Frost shifted Berea College’s original and primary goal in reaction to the realities of power and demand. Before coming to Berea, Frost was indeed not racist, in which we saw through early evidence. Yet, it was noticed through certain decisions his position had changed on the topic. But first, you must know the history of Berea before you can clearly understand President Frost. To begin, during this time Kentucky was a slaving holding state (Fee 43). According to Andrew Baskin, author of chapter thirteen, there were 1,881 families that owned a total of 6,118 slaves in 1860 (Baskin 109). Needless to say, a majority of the state were against the beliefs of Fee and Berea College. Fee was under the protection of a political leader, Cassius Clay, whom was liked by many people (Nelson 64). He believed that slaves should be freed on a gradual scale and “had no intension of incorporating freed Negros into society as equals of whites,” (Nelson 64). Due to the disagreements between Clay and Fee, Clay left with his protection and left Fee on his own …show more content…
He then made a school for the Negro, the Lincoln Institute, and supported his reasons with the purpose of campus being a school for the poor, white Appalachia (Nelson 73-74). In addition, he added the unexplainable decisions of banning Negro folk from the Union Church, which was associated with the college, and went as far to remove all black alumni from the Alumni Association rolls. I cannot defend Frost in these actions; the Day Law had not required this to be done, and in no way hinted it should be
...isely. This book has been extremely influential in the world of academia and the thinking on the subject of segregation and race relations in both the North and the South, but more importantly, it has influenced race relations in practice since it was first published. However, Woodward’s work is not all perfect. Although he does present his case thoroughly, he fails to mention the Negroes specifically as often as he might have. He more often relies on actions taken by whites as his main body of evidence, often totally leaving out the actions that may have been taken by the black community as a reaction to the whites’ segregationist policies.
For almost two hundred years, Historically Black Colleges and Universities or HBCUs have played a pivotal role in the education of African-American people, and negro people internationally. These schools have provided the majority of black college graduates at the Graduate and Post-Graduate level; schools such as Hampton University, Morehouse University, Spellman University and Howard University are four universities at the forefront of the advanced education of blacks. For sometime there has been a discussion on whether or not these institutes should remain in existence or if they are just another form of racism. There were also concerning the quality of education provided at these institutions. In my opinion, from the evidence provided in our own world today, HBCUs are very important and significant in the education of black people throughout the nation, and are essential to our society.
When it all comes down to it, one of the greatest intellectual battles U.S. history was the legendary disagreement between Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois. This intellectual debate sparked the interest of the Northerners as well as the racist whites that occupied the south. This debate was simply about how the blacks, who just gained freedom from slavery, should exist in America with the white majority. Even though Washington and DuBois stood on opposite sides of the fence they both agreed on one thing, that it was a time for a change in the treatment of African Americans. I chose his topic to write about because I strongly agree with both of the men’s ideas but there is some things about their views that I don’t agree with. Their ideas and views are the things that will be addressed in this essay.
Hurston’s outspoken letter treats the Brown decision with an indignant tone. She argues that forcing whites to associate with blacks is insulting. She uses the example of the treatment of Indians. Indians aren’t forced to associate with whites because they have too much pride in their culture. She calls for the reform of black schools instead of the insulting forced integration; saying that forced integration “spurn[s] Negro teachers and self-association.” She says that black schools are on the rise thanks to the help of people like Dr. D.E. Williams. In her view, “enforcing the compulsory education provisions for Negros in the South as done for white children” would be a better use of the
Since the beginning of slavery, African Americans have been held at a lower standard for education. American government prohibited African Americans from learning how to read, developing inequality in education and further success. White supremacists’ intentions were to allow White Americans to continue to prosper further and create barriers to prevent African Americans from succeeding. An academic journalist, Nathaniel Jackson, employed the words of John Ogbu of the University of Berkley, “…the monopolization of resources for academic enterprise (colleges, universities, foundation, and government funding agency review boards, journals, and other publishing put-lets) by the dominant group and the provisions of only limited and controlled access
Furthermore, despite the Federal government’s attempts to combat white vigilance, violence was still continuously used against African Americans. Although higher education was now available to African Americans with the opening of universities such as Howard and Fisk, many ex slaves remained uneducated and therefore maintained an inferior position in society. Like French political observer Tocqueville noted, although slavery no longer existed, ‘racial prejudice’ continued. This allows us to draw the conclusion that while the reconstruction period succeeded in aiding African Americans in the fight for civil rights, its goals were not full-filled.
Throughout the article, author Jeffrey Aaron Snyder breaks down the ideology of Carter G. Woodson’s speech “Miseducation of the Negro”. Going into definitive detail, of how the Miseducation of African Americans is mainly controlled by outside sources. Snyder explaining how Woodson described forms of “Outside Control” through harsh laws placed on African American society “a vicious regime of Jim Crow segregation. To read Miseducation as a progressive text is to recover a richer, more expansive history of progressive education, one that addresses the color line in addition to the ‘social frontier’” (277 pg. 5). Further explaining how much of an influence these “outside sources” had on the “miseducation of a negro”, where as to black organizations
Spirituals: African American spirituals are a key contribution to the creation of the initial genre of jazz. African Americans used spirituals during the earliest turmoil of slavery. These spirituals were used as songs to sing during labor and an initial way of communication for the Underground Railroad. These African American folk sounds mixed with gospel hymns were sun fused with instruments such as the harmonicas, banjos, and other instruments that could primarily be found. This initial form of the music started to separate itself from the gospel rendition. This mixture of different styles of music fused and gave birth to such things as minstrel shows, ragtime, and other forms of music. The most important that spirituals truly helped develop, was Jazz. Spirituals were the first true form of Negro expression in the form of music. Marshall W. Steams, Professor of English Literature at Hunter College states that “The spiritual was created out of nowhere by a sort of spontaneous combustion of Negro’s genius” (125). This mixture of hymns and instrumental instruction took form into one of the most versatile genres known to date, Jazz.
William Edward Burghardt Du Bois was an African American born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts on February 23, 1868 (Bois). The pronunciation of his mane is Due Boyss, with the accent on the last syllable (Lewis). Most of what is known about his life comes from his personal account, whose compelling prose recreations of the town, the times, the races, and of his own family are monuments in American history. (Lewis). Williams’s education was superior for the time, after graduating as valedictorian from his local high school; he earned his first bachelor’s degree in sociology from Fisk University in 1888. His education and accreditation continued to grow with him and in 1895 he earned his doctorate in history from Harvard University and his dissertation, The Suppression of the African Slave Trade to the United States, was published in 1896 as the first volume of Harvard Historical Studies. During 1894 through 1896 he became a teacher at Wilberfoce University, a black Methodist college in Ohio, where he met his wife, Nina Gormer. As a result of his increasing social and political awareness he helped organize the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. In 1903 he published The Soul of Black Folk, where he delineated, his social and political theory in a twofold basis: “The Talented Tenth” and “double consciousness.” His conventional opinion and left-wing politics forced an early retirement form Atlanta University and created tension that would finally get him fired from the NAACP in 1944. He passed away on August 27, 1963, but until his death he continued to publish prolific poetry, novels, history books and essays committed to racial issues. (Gallego).
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is a prime example of Woodson’s argument on “miseducated” blacks. Although Thomas benefitted from programs like affirmative action, once he reached the high point in his career he supported legislature to end such programs. Hampton University and other Historically Black Colleges and Universities must take it upon themselves to teach their students the importance of contributing to their communities once they graduate and enter into the business world. Colleges like Hampton, Howard, Spelman and Morehouse have the opportunity to produce professionals that can restructure and save the black community. Students who graduate from these institutions have the resources and knowledge that are needed to revive the African American community and their economy. Black colleges must educate their students on the need for black businesses, role models and the importance of staying connected to their culture and community.
Imagine this; the year is 1836. You are a 17-year-old student interested in learning more about the world around you; however, such an opportunity won’t come your way because you are black. Due to this fact you have no hope of furthering your education past the reading, writing, and arithmetic their slave masters taught your parents. A mind is a terrible thing to waste. The minds of many African American’s go to waste due to individual ignorance of their people and thus of themselves. Historically Black Colleges and Universities were put into effect to educate the black mind and eliminate the ignorance. The discussion of whether Historically Black Colleges and Universities are still necessary in the 21st century has taken place in recent years. Within the discussion many debate that due to the fact that the world is no longer like it was in the 1800’s, the time period in which Historically Black Colleges and Universities were created, the purpose of them no longer exists. However, the cultural significance of Historically Black Colleges and Universities seems to be overlooked by those who argue their importance and relevance in a time where blacks have the option of attending predominantly white institutions (PWIs). The purpose and grounds on which Historically Black Colleges and Universities were developed are still being served. The need to increase efforts to not only rouse, but support Historically Black Colleges and Universities is necessary now more than ever in order to preserve our past, fulfill the purpose of our present, and ensure our future.
Education played a very important part in civil rights history. Much time and effort has been spent on education for the black community. It was only right and fair that all people regardless of skin color be granted an equal opportunity to earn a decent education. Protests and other events that took place on the campuses of educational institutions all over the United States have made national headlines. The issue of equality in regards to educational has remained at the vanguard of the civil rights movement long after these events took place. By taking a glance at the changes in education between the 1950s and
Through research of the literature, this paper will explore the history of black experiences in higher education, and the effects of historically black colleges on the field.
with everything CCU abides by. Because I have now transitioned to CCU, I can see a much
Du Bois examines the years immediately following the Civil War and, in particular, the Freedmen's Bureau's role in Reconstruction. He feels the Bureau's failures were due not only to Southern opposition and "national neglect," but also to mismanagement and courts that were biased. The Bureau did have successes, and there most important contribution to the progress was the founding of school for African American. Since the end of Reconstruction in 1876, Du Bois claims that the most significant event in African American history has been the coming about of the educator, Booker T. Washington. He then became the spokesman for the ...