BOOKER T. WASHINGTON: THE AMBIGUITY OF INFLUENCE
ABSTRACT
My paper will discuss the continuing influence of Booker T. Washington's writings on historically black colleges. While my paper will focus on the ways in which the historically black college continues to adhere to the model provided by Washington, it will also explore the ways in which it diverges from the early Hampton-Tuskegee ideal. According to James D. Anderson in The Education of Blacks in the South, both contemporary observers and later historians have portrayed the white south as taking a monolithic view of black education. However, many secondary schools in the south did not emphasize the kind of industrial education advocated by Washington. In the same manner, the historically black college no longer places the emphasis on vocational training it did at one time. However, there are still advocates for Washington's model although the training under discussion is in technical fields. Washington's influence can also be found in the importance often placed on action in historically black colleges, such as mine, which can undermine attempts on the part of faculty to pursue a life of the mind. At the same time, stimulating new influences emerging from African-American studies are changing and enhancing the campus culture enriching both students and faculty. My paper will conclude by considering the influence of honors programs as well as multi-ethnic and multi-cultural student bodies and faculties on the future directions of the historically black college.
INTRODUCTION
The freedmen and women of the Ante-Bellum South had a thirst and hunger for knowledge known by few; often learning from another freedman who had just learned to read himself, freed...
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... bonds to a past and to an American tradition erase all personal feelings of self-aggrandizement and intellectual pride, a place where the self encounters the struggle of America's past, a place where the soul grows deep like the rivers.
WORKS CITED
Anderson, James D. The Education of Blacks in the South, 1860-1935. Chapel Hill: U of North Carolina P, 1988.
Du Bois, W. E. B. The Souls of Black Folk. 1903. New York: Penguin Books, 1989.
Sims, Serbrenia J. Diversifying Historically Black Colleges and Universities: A New Higher Education Paradigm. Westport: Greenwood P, 1994.
Washington, Booker T. A Sunday Evening Talk. Tuskegee Institute, Alabama. 15. Jan. 1911.
Washington, Booker T. Up From Slavery. 1901. New York: Doubleday & Co., 1963.
Willie, Charles V., and Edmonds, Ronald R. Black Colleges in America. New York: Teachers College Press, 1978.
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.
B., Du Bois W. E. The Souls of Black Folk: Essays and Sketches. New York: Dodd, Mead, 1979. University of Virginia Library. 4 Oct. 2008. Web. 23 Feb. 2014. 37.
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.
The historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are fledgling to compete with Predominately White Institutions (PWIs). HBCU were established to serve the educational needs of black Americans. Before HBCU college was create blacks were generally was denied admission to traditionally all white institutions. Since black Americans was prohibited from whites schools HBCUs became the principle means for providing postsecondary education. There are several reasons why all blacks’ schools does not compete with predominately white schools. HBCU’s most of the time do not keep their accreditation, their tests scores are very low, and do not get as much funding
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.
Clearly, HBCUs provide several benefits to African-American students. Not only have they helped to combat the cycle of discrimination that minority students experienced before the civil rights initiatives of the 1960s, but they strive to provide a warm, supportive and inclusive academic environment that addresses African-American college students as a whole person. Additionally, HBCUs are increasing their efforts to ensure that higher education is accessible, affordable and achievable for individuals with unique socioeconomic challenges. Despite obstacles, historically Black institutions will continue to play a vital and significant role in the fabric of higher education.
HBCU’s have a line of history behind them. Each Institution provides examples of dedication and determination and they offer an education for “African-American” students and students of different backgrounds. HBCU’s prepare students for leadership and successful futures. Institutions today are facing major issues that could cause them to be non-existence but they work hard and push until they get what they need. This is a source of motivation to alumni’s and prospective students. The Colleges provide history, motivation, provision, and most importantly knowledge to every student that attends.
Du Bois, W. E. Burghardt. The Souls of Black Folk. Chicago: A.C. McClurg & Co.1903. Print.
Lynch is a writer and teacher in Northern New Mexico. In the following essay, she examines ways that the text of The Souls of Black Folk embodies Du Bois' experience of duality as well as his "people's."
The time has come again to celebrate the achievements of all black men and women who have chipped in to form the Black society. There are television programs about the African Queens and Kings who never set sail for America, but are acknowledged as the pillars of our identity. In addition, our black school children finally get to hear about the history of their ancestors instead of hearing about Columbus and the founding of America. The great founding of America briefly includes the slavery period and the Antebellum south, but readily excludes both black men and women, such as George Washington Carver, Langston Hughes, and Mary Bethune. These men and women have contributed greatly to American society. However, many of us only know brief histories regarding these excellent black men and women, because many of our teachers have posters with brief synopses describing the achievements of such men and women. The Black students at this University need to realize that the accomplishments of African Americans cannot be limited to one month per year, but should be recognized everyday of every year both in our schools and in our homes.
America has come a long way from the time of slavery, after the Civil war when slavery was abolished the southern Negro was having difficulty fitting in the normal “white” lifestyle. Passionate, expectant, and placid author Samuel J. Barrows approaches the southern Negro’s lifestyle and to expand on the differences between the quality of life before the Civil war and after during June of 1891. Barrows is striving to educate and expand on the difficulties that the Negro’s are working through in order to make their lifestyle equal to the whites to the other American citizens. Dedicated and confident Barrows is educating the American citizens, both Negroes and whites, but utilizing motivational imagery to give them a sense of hope, many different
During the late 1800s and early 1900s, Booker T. Washington became a spokesman for blacks in America. The debate over whether his philosophy and actions betrayed the interests of African Americans rose after he founded a school for them which lacked in strong academic teachings. Whether Washington wanted the best for African Americans or wished to please white society was not always clear. His actions proved more so that he helped African Americans so that they would please white society during that time period. This was the argument of Donald Spivey while Robert J. Norrell chose to defend Washington in his document. Spivey made a stronger argument supported with evidence to prove that Washington’s philosophy and actions betrayed the interests
In many universities today, you will find an African Studies Department. However, this has not always been the case. In the early 1930’s, Carter G. Woodson challenged the idea of “Mis-Education” of the black race. Woodson argues on the “education system’s failure to present present authentic Negro History in schools and the bitter knowledge that there was a scarcity of literature available for such a purpose”(Woodson 1). This idea was still an issue up until the 1960’s. The book The Black Revolution on Campus by Martha Biondi explains the origin of the African Studies department as it emerged after the uprising of black students demanding equal educational rights. The introduction of African Studies as an academic discipline came from the idea
The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education. (2006).Black Student College Graduation Rates Remain Low, But Modest Progress Begins to Show. Retrieved from: http://www.jbhe.com/features/50_blackstudent_gradrates.html
This racial study will define the success of the Civil Rights Movement in the context of Affirmative action in the class-based success of higher education and access to higher paying jobs in the labor markets. Affirmative Action was a major legal victory for the Civil Rights movement, which allowed African Americans and other minorities to find access to higher education as a part of the social mobility platform of the movement. Increased diversity in colleges and universities was a major aspect of this success in terms of raising the awareness and educational background of minorities in the community. Also, Affirmative Action allowed greater access to higher paying job access for minorities that defines the political premise of the Civil Rights