GLOBALLY REINFORCING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE IMPACT, EDUCATION POLICY, AND LEADERSHIP OF HBCUS

Back to Page Authors: Shirlkeymu Lacy Winston

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Keywords: HBCU, QEP, global leadership, minority education

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Abstract: Minority serving institutions have been in existence in the United States since the nineteenth century. The original purpose for their establishment was to provide a space that would comfortably educate individuals who socially could not be shielded from the moral (and often ethical) resistance of constitutional equality. Infamous court cases, such as Plessy v. Ferguson reinforced the necessity of these establishments. However, legal references of “separate but equal” often lacked to demonstrate financial equality through governmental support or contributions. In regards to education, the legal turning point did not occur until after the civil rights movement. It was during this time that integration offered an opportunity for all ethnicities to interact socially and intellectually with one another. With special emphasis placed on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), financial hardships in some cases have led to school closures and/or loss of accreditation status. As a result, the necessity for HBCUs has come under question. Nevertheless, these hardships should not be allowed to overshadow the positive imprint that graduates from these institutions have historically stamped on American fabric.

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