Philanthropy and the Power of Community

by Mark A. Sequeira

The week leading up to October 30 this year incited some anxiety in me, as all the weather forecasts were predicting a cold, rainy day.  For vendors who sell at farmer’s markets, such a forecast is a glum predictor of the day’s sales.  Cold, rainy weather tends to keep people inside.  And who could blame them?!?  Rainy days are perfect for sleeping in or curling up on the couch and watching Netflix with a steaming cup of hot cocoa (or other libation of your choosing).  But the uncooperative weather wasn’t the sole reason for my concern.  I had chosen with great anticipation this weekend to donate a portion of Forever Homecoming’s proceeds to True Blue 1881, an organization whose mission is to “create a world where students are free of food, shelter, and economic insecurities.”  Diminished foot traffic means diminished sales, which ultimately translates into not much money for an extraordinary cause.  I could only hope that all the weather models would ultimately be wrong.  My cursory weather check the morning of the market would be disappointing.  Great for weather forecasters, but not so much for philanthropy.  The only potential silver lining was that the forecast predicted rain wouldn’t begin until around 2 PM, after the market was over.

3:30 AM.  That’s the time I wake up on Saturdays to prepare for the Dunwoody Farmer’s Market.  After noting the discouraging news about the weather, I began my usual preparatory routine, all the while clinging to some sense of optimism.  When I arrived at the market to set up, it was dreary and cold as predicted.  I also noticed some of the usual vendors weren’t there.  The farmer’s market is a “rain or shine” event, which means vendors are expected to show up, no matter what.  So, if some vendors decided not to come, that didn’t bode well for customer turnout.  As my daughter and I were setting up our booth, the founder of True Blue 1881, Tiombe Nucklos O’Rourke, arrived.  As we greeted each other and exchanged light-hearted banter, I hoped she couldn’t visibly see or sense my apprehension.  I suspected we were in for a long, slow day.

Just before setting up at the Dunwoody Farmer’s Market.

As the market began, my suspicions were confirmed by the sparse crowd and overall languid atmosphere.  And then it happened.  Jamie Bennett and company arrived, and despite the disheartening weather and turnout, their vibes were upbeat and positive.  This should not have been a surprise since Jamie has a reputation for transforming situations.  Even Tiombe remarked, “Jamie gets your life together.”   Well that sentiment must have permeated the atmosphere because afterward, several other people came to the market specifically to support our endeavor that day.  On what would generally be considered an anemic day at the farmer’s market yielded about $1,500 in contributions that would go toward sponsoring the annual “Thanks and Giving Dinner” for Atlanta students who are unable to make it home for the holidays.  It was humbling and reassuring to see people brave the elements to support a worthy cause.  It’s that type of commitment that allows True Blue 1881 to help our young people and ultimately put them in a position to win.  Sincerest thanks to everyone who showed up to support…and fellowship (because for HBCU grads a tent anywhere is a magnet for comradery).  Also, a special shoutout to those who could not make it to the market, but still contributed directly.  I am honored that Forever Homecoming was able to participate in such a noble endeavor, as we are committed to expanding and increasing our philanthropic efforts as we grow.

The first supporters to arrive, they set the tone for the rest of the day.

Spotlight on True Blue 1881

Forever Homecoming has had the privilege of collaborating with True Blue 1881 on two occasions, and those interactions have allowed me to gain some insight into the organization and some of its motivating factors.  I thought I’d share those insights here.

Forever Homecoming: How did you learn about food insecurity among students?

Tiombe: When the Spelman students were engaging in a hunger strike because the cafeteria wouldn’t allow them to donate swipes to hungry students.

Forever Homecoming: What inspired you to start True Blue 1881?

Tiombe: As a result [of the hunger strike] I started True Blue, and it grew quickly, so we became a non-profit.

Forever Homecoming: What are some of the initiatives, events, or activities that the organization sponsors/supports?

Tiombe: True Blue Thanks-and-Giving Dinner.  Regular scholarships.  Save Our Senior initiative, where we pay off [student] balances.  A monthly scholarship with GEAT Cosmetics, amongst other things.

Forever Homecoming: What is the ultimate, long-term vision for True Blue 1881?

Tiombe: Ultimately, I would love for our students to not have to worry about the necessities while in school, and I would LOVE to affect change at each of the HBCUs!

If you are interested in joining the fight against food insecurity, True Blue 1881 is looking for warriors like you.  They are the vehicle in the fight, and that vehicle requires fuel in the form of time and contributions.  Contributions can be made via the following:

Zelle/PayPal: True1881blue@gmail.com

CashApp: $true1881blue

23. Fisk University: Excellence in Rigor

Prior to the Civil War, slavery was a vital, thriving economic mainstay in Tennessee, and Nashville was no exception.  In 1860 there were over 275,000 enslaved peoples living in Nashville.  The average value of an enslaved person was about $800, so the value of the capital represented by enslaved peoples was around $220 million.  In today’s money, that would be about $6.8 billion.  As a point of reference for scale, the entire Tourism industry in the Nashville metro area represents about $7 billion of economic impact annually.  The music industry represents $10 billion.  The institution of slavery was sanctioned and enforced by the government, with the city owning 60 slaves prior to the Civil War.  Those enslaved by the city of Nashville actually built the city’s first successful water system.  While the city’s enslaved population represented a highly skilled labor force, their collective success as a free populace would also require traditional education.  In steps Fisk University to fill the void.

Since the first enslaved peoples arrived in 1619, there were various religious organizations committed to the abolition of slavery and the education of Blacks in this country.  Two prominent organizations were the American Home Missionary Society and the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions.  These organizations were not without issue, as they were often presented with the dilemma of upholding the ideals of equality versus expanding their Christian footprint through evangelism.  Many members of both groups became frustrated over the organizations’ increasingly tepid stance on slavery, wherein they would appear to denounce the institution while accepting membership and financial contributions from the slaveholding elite.  The discontented members eventually split and formed the American Missionary Association.  The AMA would eventually establish 11 HBCUs and would expend more financial resources than the Freedmen’s Bureau of the federal government.  So, it was in 1865 that AMA members John Ogden, Erasmus Milo Cravath, and Edward Parmelee Smith founded the Fisk Free Colored School in Nashville.  The school was named after General Clinton B. Fisk, Chief of the Freedmen’s Bureau of Tennessee, who donated a Union Army barracks for the school’s use and contributed $30,000 toward the school’s endowment.  The first students ranged in age from 7 to about 70 years old, and enrollment surged to almost 900 students within the first few months of opening.  The ambitions of the founders were further realized when the school was incorporated as Fisk University by 1867.

Fisk Senior Preparatory Class around 1900

Since its founding, Fisk has forged some of the most notable names in the history of America, ranging from the arts to mathematics.  W.E.B. Du Bois, one of America’s foremost Black intellectuals, was a proud graduate of Fisk.  Fisk alumna Dr. Jedediah Isler became the first Black woman to receive a Ph.D. in Astrophysics from Yale and is currently a Professor of Astrophysics at Dartmouth.  Fisk has made its mark on the highest offices in the land, a fact exemplified by Hazel O’Leary’s appointment as Secretary of Energy under the Clinton administration.  All mathematicians owe a debt of gratitude to Fisk alumna and former Spelman Mathematics Chair, Dr. Etta Falconer, as one of the first Black women to receive a Ph.D. in Mathematics.  Nikki Giovanni transformed the literary landscape forever after graduating from Fisk.  Graduates of Fisk can be found in every facet of society.

Fisk enrolls approximately 800 students, yet their graduates have an outsized impact on society.  Fisk has a distinguished reputation for employing dedicated professors who uphold exacting standards for academic rigor and moral fortitude.  Many of the professors were themselves HBCU graduates, and pride in their legacy compels them to demand excellence from their students.  Such a requirement from professors, however, is not informal or self-serving.  An unmatched passion for their field of study and a genuine love for their students fuel their unmitigated and relentless methods.  Professors, through love, inspire students to establish standards that they may have previously thought unattainable.  At Fisk, a student’s self-image is reimagined and fortified to the extent that unlikely dreams become routine accomplishments.  Excellence is in the Fisk DNA, and we would all do well to acknowledge and model it.

There are almost no words to adequately describe how special HBCU’s are.  Alumni recognize that.  It is my hope to highlight the magic that is HBCU’s so as to increase alumni giving, enrollment, and external financial investment.  For more information on ways to contribute, please visit

https://connect.fisk.edu/donate

HBCU Crisis: The Way Forward

By Mark A. Sequeira

As the country grapples with the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the most severely impacted sectors has been higher education.  To their credit, institutions of higher learning were generally ahead of K-12, businesses, and other organizations in their response to the virus.  As schools sent students home, they scrambled to transition their traditional in-person instructional models to an online one.  There have been numerous articles detailing the adverse economic impacts of this pandemic on America’s institutions of higher learning.  As has been the case historically in this country, any crisis affecting the mainstream is compounded in its effect on America’s marginalized demographics, especially Black people.  So, it is no surprise that our beloved HBCU’s are projected to be more severely impacted than the rest.

In assessing the state of HBCU’s, it is important to note that the COVID-19 pandemic is not the cause of HBCU financial distress, but is merely an accelerant.  HBCU’s have operated in crisis for nearly their entire 183 year existence, persevering in the face of intentional underfunding, political and legal malice, and state-sanctioned violence.  In absolute numbers, college enrollment overall has declined 8% from 2010 to 2018.  This decline is significantly more pronounced considering the U.S. population increased during that same time period.  The enrollment issue is an additional encumbrance heaped upon the longstanding burdens afflicting HBCU’s, the accumulation of which threaten the very existence of all HBCU’s, bar none.  Despite the notion of some, there is not a single HBCU whose financial standing is robust enough to render them exempt from closing their doors forever.  There are more than 50 individual colleges/universities with endowments higher than the sum total of all HBCU endowments combined.  Given the gravity of the situation, what must we do to ensure the survival of our illustrious institutions?

 

I. Reimagine the Educational Model

Trades as Currency

In a nutshell, the traditional college/university model is unsustainable.  From 2007 to 2017, the inflation-adjusted cost for college rose 34% at public institutions, and 24% for private institutions.  In contrast, inflation-adjusted median incomes rose only 2.5% over the same timeframe.  It should be emphasized that this increase in cost does not only affect the lower-income strata of the population.  An increasing proportion of middle class and upper-middle class demographics are unable to independently cover the costs of their children’s education.  At the rate college costs are outpacing earnings, eventually only the wealthiest of the population will be able to afford college.  Since only 10% of American families have household incomes greater than $200,000, there simply will not be enough financially eligible students available to support the 4,200 degree-granting institutions in the United States.  Most will have to close their doors.  The only way to avoid this is to reduce the cost of education.  HBCU’s are particularly impacted because they have a disproportionately high number of students from financially disadvantaged circumstances.

One possible solution is to incorporate trades such as plumbing and Information Technology into the educational curriculum.  While some may scoff at the notion, it should be noted that this has been done many times in the past, at HBCU’s as well as other institutions.  All land grant institutions established by the Morril Act of 1862 (Second Morril Act of 1890 for HBCU’s) mandated that the schools provide instruction in the “agricultural and mechanic arts”.  While those “arts” eventually became standalone science and engineering curricula, they were initially considered trades.  In fact, there was even opposition to including such trades in the classical higher education curricula of the times.  Many HBCU’s leveraged the funding from the Second Morril Act to keep their doors open.  In short, all land grant HBCU’s initially included trades in their curriculum.  Many private institutions did as well, although there was no Federal funding incentive for them to do so.  In Georgia, if you are a student pursuing “a career field identified as strategically important to the state’s economic growth”, then trade school is basically free via grants offered through the state.  Eligible pathways included medical assisting, nursing, cybersecurity, welding, barbering, diagnostic medical sonography, and about 50 other fields.  It is likely that many states offer similar grants for education in various trades.  It would seem prudent for HBCU’s to take advantage of the available funding.

Revenue in Certifications

In nearly any industry, one recurring complaint is that recent college graduates are often ill-equipped to “hit the ground running”.  While traditional and foundational coursework in a particular discipline is essential for the comprehensive training of students entering a certain field, such coursework is often inadequate for professions which require a steep learning curve for success.  Even students have begun to understand this, as an increasing number of recent college graduates are adorning their resumes with additional training and certification that they have undergone in order to increase their attractiveness to employers.  Companies like Coursera offer training and certification in Python programming, Artificial Intelligence, Data Analytics, Machine Learning, and 100’s of other relevant disciplines.  Courses can range from 6 weeks to 6 months in length, depending on content and required hours per week.  Some HBCU’s already offer such certifications, but all of the institutions should have these kinds of programs.  Certifications yield additional revenue and need not be limited students.  External students, professionals, organizations, and companies should comprise the bulk of the offerings, thus attracting revenue from sources external to the students and the schools.

Monetize the Expertise

HBCU’s are centers of creativity, diversity, intellect, and brilliance.  Institutions ought to tap into these qualities by aggressively pursuing entrepreneurial endeavors.  As a simple example, almost every school has a chemistry department with the faculty expertise necessary to create something as mundane as soap.  Collaboration with the business and marketing departments of the school could yield a marketable product.  Businesses like The Honeypot Company, a Black-owned company specializing in natural feminine care products, have demonstrated the efficacy of targeting underserved or underrepresented demographics.  Certainly, an HBCU line of soaps and healthcare products would have a sizeable market of loyal customers.  Similar endeavors could be explored in other areas.  Computer science departments might attempt to monetize the creation of gaming apps.  Psychology and education departments might administer professional services in therapy and counseling, even establishing revenue-generating clinics.  The possibilities are endless.

 

II. Pool Resources

HBCU’s represent 107 diverse and glorious institutions, each unique in its offerings, expertise, and traditions.  Collective survival will require collaborative efforts between all institutions.  There ought to be routine HBCU meetings or conferences where administrators share best practices and brainstorm novel ideas to advance the institutions.  It is important that these meetings not merely seek to replicate what notable PWI’s have done, as such solutions may not always be applicable to HBCU’s.  Additionally, HBCU’s have a diversity of perspective that is lacking at most PWI’s, so HBCU’s have an opportunity to be pioneers in education and pedagogy.

In some ways, HBCU’s could operate as an academic mega cluster, where a student enrolled at one HBCU would have the luxury of spending a semester or year at any of the others, without any administrative obstacles.  Such a program would foster solidarity among the schools and encourage synergy of ideas and experiences.  The establishment and fortification of social and professional networks would be an added benefit.

There is also a funding element that could be explored.  Consider establishing an HBCU Fund where all schools are contributing participants.  On Giving Tuesday, there were HBCU’s that managed to raise almost $1 million in a day.  Suppose the fund set an initial goal of $1 million in a year, which should be feasible for every school.  Over 100 schools hitting the goal would represent more than $100 million.  In 10 years that would be $1 billion, assuming nothing was done with the money.  If the target $1 million were adjusted upward based on a conservative 1.5% inflation every year, the 10-year total would increase by $114 million.  Of course, prudent investment would yield more.  Harvard typically earns about 8.5% net annualized returns on its endowment.  Morehouse, Spelman, and Howard yield similar returns.  If those returns were applied to the proposed HBCU fund, then the 10-year total would be $1.7 billion.  The fund would operate independent of the schools’ administrations, but for their benefit, at the discretion of the fund.  Several items would certainly need to be worked out, but capability can undoubtedly be found among the brilliant alumni.

 

III. Synergy in Merging

HBCU’s represent a full spectrum of academic and cultural traditions that are cherished and passed down through generations.  It is, however, becoming increasingly difficult for a single institution to survive and thrive in a competitive environment where institutional costs are outpacing household earnings. One way to combat this would be to leverage the resources and expertise of multiple HBCU’s via mergers.  The mere mention of this strategy often incites immediate objection, even outrage.  The two most common objections tend to be 1. We don’t want to lose our unique, cherished traditions and 2. There’s nothing in it for our institution.  Sometimes it seems many would rather lose their institution than even consider merging with another.  The first objection can be countered by noting that many HBCU’s have survived and thrived by doing this in the past.  Clark College and Atlanta University merged to become Clark Atlanta University.  Virginia Union is the result of the union of Wayland Seminary, Richmond Institute, Hartshorn Memorial College, and Storer College.  The University of the District of Columbia and Harris-Stowe State are others.  Additionally, there is no requirement that individual schools lose their identities in a merger.  Again, there are many examples of schools accomplishing this.  Oxford University maintains 39 colleges, which are self-governing, have their own admissions requirements, activities, and traditions.  Barnard College for women is affiliated with Columbia University, but operates legally and financially separate from Columbia.  Graduates of Barnard receive degrees from both Barnard and Columbia.  Radcliffe College for women shares a similar history with Harvard.  The Peabody College at Vanderbilt is another example among many.  The counter to the second point may be a corollary to the first counter.  What did Harvard stand to gain from absorbing Radcliffe?  What was in it for Columbia when their board agreed to establish a separate college for women?  There is no doubt that Columbia and Harvard benefitted from the diversity of intellect and perspective that women contributed.  Similarly, certain HBCU’s would certainly benefit from the intellectual and cultural strengths that other HBCU’s offer.  The sentiment that certain institutions have nothing to gain from others is a dangerous one that will potentially leave many institutions to fail, and those who promote their exemption will likely face a contrary reality.  There is room for all to survive, maintaining their individual identities and creating new ones.

 

IV. File Suit

Throughout their entire existence, HBCU’s have operated under threat, physical and legal.  Malicious fires destroyed the campus of Roger Williams University in Nashville, eventually forcing them to close their doors forever.  Governor Elbert Carvel and the Delaware State Senate attempted to close Delaware State University, but the students, alumni, faculty, and administrators fought valiantly to prevent it.  Local residents of Maryland filed a lawsuit to prevent the construction of Morgan State University, but eventually failed.  The state of West Virginia weaponized the Brown v Board of Education decision to pull funding from Storer College and convert West Virginia State and Bluefield State to commuter colleges.  States have also been guilty of intentionally underfunding HBCU’s while redirecting funds to their flagship state schools.  The state of Pennsylvania awarded Cheyney State a paltry $35 million for intentionally underfunding the school.  Mississippi awarded $503 million over 17 years to be split among Jackson State, Mississippi Valley State, and Alcorn State.  University of Maryland Eastern Shores, Morgan State, Bowie State, and Coppin State will split $580 million over 10 years as a result of Maryland’s underfunding.  While these victories aren’t inconsequential, the settlements still fail to comprehensively address the lost accumulation of wealth, revenue, enrollment, and research capabilities of HBCU’s.  One judicious approach might involve HBCU’s collectively pooling resources and legal expertise to bring suit against respective states.  The Maryland case took 13 years to settle, 19 years for Pennsylvania, and 26 years for Mississippi.  The length and expense of these suits are likely correlated with the outcomes, but the full weight of 100+ institutions in every case might produce quite different results.  There is more than enough expertise among alumni to execute on this front.

V. New Legacies

The aforementioned propositions are not meant to represent an exhaustive list of solutions, but rather some examples to motivate alumni and friends of HBCU’s to proactively create and implement solutions that will ensure the institutions not only continue to be relevant, but establish themselves as the premier model of success going forward.  Meetings need to be had, alliances forged, plans made, strategies executed, and success measured.  HBCU’s were forged out of adversity and crisis, and their contributions to America and the world are nothing short of miraculous, given the circumstances.  We marvel at their perseverance and laud their resilience, but crisis cannot be the foundation of our future.  In fact, it is increasingly evident that crisis, like the current pandemic, will eventually destroy us if we do not enact appropriate measures now.  Let us use this moment to build a new foundation that allows us to operate from a place of strength.  HBCU’s have a demonstrated track record of doing the impossible, so let us leverage that ability to reimagine our future and create an eternal legacy.

22. American Baptist College: Fanning the Flames

It is time to bid farewell to our HBCU brethren of Missouri and begin our exciting trek through the state of Tennessee.  Tennessee was once the western territory of the state of North Carolina, until the land was ceded to the federal government in 1789, at which time it became a part of the Southwest Territory.  Enslaved peoples first entered what is now Tennessee in the mid 1700’s.  Some freedmen arrived as well.  Enslaved peoples were subject to the usual restrictions particular to chattel slavery: No right to marry, own property, bear arms, or be educated.  Freedmen enjoyed slightly more flexibility, but their movements were highly controlled and scrutinized.  They were also required to keep legal documents demonstrating their free status at all times.  Despite adherence to these laws, freedmen were always under threat of being illegally captured and sold back into slavery, with almost no recourse.  In 1831 the Tennessee government mandated that all free Black residents be deported, while prohibiting free Blacks in other states from entering Tennessee.  An 1834 Constitutional Convention further stripped legislators of any power to emancipate enslaved Blacks without the owners’ consent.  Our next institution was forged in this social and political backdrop, but a full appreciation for its existence requires the acknowledgment of its predecessor, Roger Williams University.

In 1866 the American Baptist Home Mission Society established the Nashville Normal and Theological Institute to train Black teachers and ministers.  In 1874 the institute managed to raise $30,000 to purchase a 28-acre site near Hillsboro Pike in Nashville, directly across the street from Vanderbilt University.  The school experienced considerable growth through the 1890’s, but so did the surrounding neighborhood.  Local White residents were averse to the idea of a Black school in their community, and land developers interested in the land applied increasing pressure for the school to sell.  At one point, developers offered the school $150,000, but they refused.  In 1905 two “suspicious” fires devastated the school and forced them to close.  The remaining students were transferred to Morehouse College (another resplendent HBCU), and the land was sold or donated.  The sold portion of the land was purchased by developers posing as a Christian missionary agency which subsequently implemented a restrictive covenant prohibiting Blacks from living on the land.  The donated portion of the land was given to the George Peabody School for Teachers, the current site of the Peabody College of Vanderbilt University. In response, the Negro Baptist Association of Tennessee formed the Tennessee Missionary and Education Association and raised $10,000 to purchase a new campus.  While Roger Williams University would eventually close and merge with Howe Institute (now LeMoyne-Owen in Memphis), this new location would nurture the development of the next school on our journey.

In 1904, the Home Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention met with the National Baptist Convention in Austin, TX to discuss the establishment of a school to train Black ministers.  Given the sociopolitical context, it is worth noting that the National Baptist Convention was a Black organization, and the Southern Baptist Convention was the white counterpart.  The idea for the school took several years to gain traction, but finally in 1913 the National Baptist Convention formed a committee dedicated to raising money and finding an appropriate location.  Concurrently, Dr. E.Y. Mulin convinced the Southern Baptist Convention to appoint a committee for the same purpose.  The two organizations would work together to establish the school conceptualized in their meeting nine years prior.

The two organizations eventually chose Memphis as the school’s location and began holding classes there in 1916.  The school was called the American Baptist Theological Seminary.  Meanwhile in Nashville, Roger Williams University had reopened at a new location after the suspicious fires destroyed their old one, and they invited the school in Memphis to operate independently on its campus in 1918.  Roger Williams University eventually relocated to Memphis in 1929, and the seminary subsequently bought the property when it became available in 1934.  The National Baptist Convention and the Southern Baptist Convention financed and operated the college in a 50/50 collaboration until 1996, when the Southern Baptist Convention withdrew its support and relinquished their stake and responsibility to the board of American Baptist College.

Two police officers carry out John Lewis for refusing to move away from a diner.

While American Baptist has consistently been a small college, they have historically demonstrated outsized passion for and commitment to the pursuit of justice.  During the Civil Rights movement, American Baptist College was the epicenter of activism, inspiring students and local residents to work to dismantle the oppressive and discriminatory laws and practices of the time.  American Baptist College was not merely a detached, conceptual source of inspiration, but rather demonstrated its tangible impact by serving as a central organizing entity for marches, sit-ins, training, and all manner of activist undertakings.  The college has produced a litany of impactful and notable leaders, all toiling tirelessly to advance the cause of justice, equity and equality.  One such example is Dr. Bernard Lafayette, who helped lead and organize the Nashville sit-ins, Freedom Rides, and the march on Selma.  He was brutally beaten or arrested 27 times for his unrelenting, non-violent attempts to demand justice.  American Baptist College also produced long-time activist C.T. Vivian, who led 5000 protestors to confront Nashville Mayor Ben West, who subsequently and publicly admitted to the moral and ethical deficiency of racial discrimination.  Vivian contributed to numerous social justice campaigns and started a college preparatory program called Vision, which eventually became Upward Bound.  One of the college’s most notable alumni is Congressman John Lewis, who is known for his active engagement in Congress, as well as for his innumerable contributions to the Civil Rights movement and the battle for human justice overall.

Over the years many have asked how an institution so small in number managed to initiate and implement actions that have had such an enormous impact on American society.  The reasons are many, but can be summarized by remarks of the college President, Dr. Forrest Harris:

“We re-light the flame that GOD brought to promise when GOD created every person in GOD’s own image.  And that light ought never be suppressed or made not to glow simply because there are not enough resources and a commitment to help those students come into their brilliance. That’s what American Baptist College does.  We light the flame that lasts forever in the lives of people, who light that flame in their communities; and their communities light that flame in a city, and a city ought to light that flame for the nation.”

American Baptist College lights that flame by ensuring that every employee is invested in the students.  Professors don’t assess students’ worth or potential by the circumstances or choices that have characterized their lives.  Instead, they realize that those very circumstances and choices led them to the doorstep of American Baptist College, and there is a responsibility to pour strength, love, confidence, and compassion into each student.  The embers of success exist in every student, and we thank American Baptist College for their indefatigable efforts to fan the transformative flames that impact the world.

There are almost no words to adequately describe how special HBCU’s are.  Alumni recognize that.  It is my hope to highlight the magic that is HBCU’s so as to increase alumni giving, enrollment, and external financial investment.  For more information on ways to contribute, please visit

https://abcnash.edu/give/

#21 Lincoln University of Missouri

At the beginning of the Civil War, many Blacks, free or otherwise, attempted to volunteer for service in the Union Army, but were rejected.  Blacks were not allowed to be agents of their own liberation.  President Abraham Lincoln refused to pass legislation allowing Blacks to serve because he did not want to risk secession of the border states of Maryland, Delaware, Kentucky, and Missouri.  In 1862 Congress passed a law allowing Blacks to serve as cooks and laborers, but it prohibited them from fighting.  In violation of the law, General Jim Lane organized a group of Black soldiers in Kansas and called it the 1^st Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry Regiment.  General Lane led them into battle, and their proficiency prompted the War Department to officially recruit Black soldiers.

Waves of escaped slaves from Missouri and surrounding states sought to enlist, with hopes of procuring their freedom and the freedom of their families.  It is estimated that over 8,400 Black Missourians eventually fought in the Union Army.  The first base of Black soldiers was established at Benton Barracks in St. Louis and became home to the 1^st and 2^nd Missouri Regiment of Colored Infantry.  Both were redesignated as the 62^nd and 65^th Regiment of U.S. Colored Troops.  Written records indicate that both regiments were serious about education, even mandating that all troops learn to read and write.  Official orders mandated penalties for failure to take education seriously:

“Hereafter when any soldier of this command is found to be, or to have been, playing cards, he will be placed, standing, in some prominent position in the camp with book in hand, and required then and there to learn a considerable lesson in reading and spelling: and if unwilling to learn, he will be compelled by hunger to do so. When men are found gambling in any way, the money at stake will be seized and turned into the Regt. Hospital fund. No freed slave who cannot read well has a right to waste the time and opportunity here given him to fit himself for the position of a free citizen.  This order will be read twice to this command, and copied in each order book.”

Soldiers of the 62nd and 65th Colored Infantry at School

 As the war came to a close, the soldiers began dedicating a portion of their pay to the establishment of a school for Blacks.  Together, the 62^nd and 65^th Colored Infantries were able to raise $6,400, about $104,500 by today’s standards.  Lincoln Institute was established in Jefferson City, MO on January 14, 1866 and officially opened its doors on September 17, 1866.

Lincoln Institute opened with two students in a decrepit building:

“At Jefferson City he got a dilapidated school building and opened it with two students, they say that the cracks in the wall were big enough to throw a cat through, but that’s where the humble beginnings of the school began.”

The school received donations from those recently emancipated as well as from White allies.  There is even a myth that infamous outlaw Jesse James made a donation to the cause.  These contributions, along with state aid, facilitated Lincoln Institute’s move to its present location.  Lincoln Institute became a state school in 1879, a land grant institution in 1890, and a university in 1921.  Lincoln University has since grown to 3,000 students and sits on 541 acres, 374 of which is farmland for their agriculture program.  Initially specializing in teacher training, Lincoln now offers 75 degrees at the undergraduate and graduate level.  Lincoln also holds the unique distinction of being the only institution of higher education in the United States to be started by veterans of the Civil War.

Lincoln University’s prolonged growth has produced a bevy of accomplished graduates across a broad spectrum of industries.  Gloria Butler Gilliam graduated from Lincoln and became the first Black woman reporter at the Washington Post and eventually co-founded the National Association of Black Journalists.  Lemar Parish, defensive back and eight-time NFL pro bowler, also traces his academic roots to Lincoln.  Graduate George Howard, Jr. would go on to become the first Black federal judge in Arkansas.  Romona Robinson earned her degree in Broadcast Journalism and is currently a news anchor in Cleveland.  Robinson has been inducted into the Ohio Broadcasters Hall of Fame and the Cleveland Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame, and is an eight-time recipient of the Lower Great Lakes Emmy Awards.

Lincoln University was born out of the vision of soldiers who fought for their own liberation and sought to establish a meaningful legacy for emancipated Blacks in America.  Their commitment to a future of Black excellence is one that Lincoln University has vigorously curated over the years.  The key to such prolonged success is an institution-wide investment in the students.  Graduates of Lincoln attest to a family environment and close relationships with their professors.  Groundskeepers, cafeteria staff, faculty, and administrators are comprehensively committed to the academic, moral, and spiritual development of the students.  The result is a cohort of self-assured graduates who not only feel comfortable standing among the world’s best and brightest, but also leading them.  The soldiers of the 62^nd and 65^th positioned Black citizens to be successful in a new and rapidly changing world, and we are confident that Lincoln University will continue to push the boundaries and be a socioeconomic and political disruptor.  In fact, we’re counting on it.

There are almost no words to adequately describe how special HBCU’s are.  Alumni recognize that.  It is my hope to highlight the magic that is HBCU’s so as to increase alumni giving, enrollment, and external financial investment.  For more information on ways to contribute, please visit

https://14186.thankyou4caring.org/donate

#20 Harris-Stowe State University: Out of Division a Union

The next stop on our journey brings us to St. Louis, Missouri.  Missouri was admitted to the Union as a slave state in 1821, and St. Louis was incorporated as a city in 1822.  St. Louis practiced what was considered urban slavery, and as such, enslaved Blacks could be rented for services such as blacksmithing, construction, and other expertise requiring skilled labor.  Like many cities in border states, St. Louis also became well-known for slave trading and auctioneering.  One of the main trading agencies was located at the present site of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.  At the dawn of the Civil War legislators held a special convention on secession and voted decisively to remain in the Union.  The pro-Confederate governor, Claiborne Jackson, opposed this decision and rallied troops from the state militia at a training camp in St. Louis.  The troops were eventually captured and killed by Union soldiers in what became known as the St. Louis Massacre.  The governor fled office and hastily enacted a secession order, which was recognized by the Confederacy but not by the Union.  This type of polarization on racial issues continued to dominate the St. Louis political and socioeconomic landscape well after the end of the war, but such racially dichotomous events would inadvertently produce a resilient and radiant gem.

During the mid-1800’s, St. Louis experienced rapid growth as a financial and commercial center.  As a result, there was an imperative to train teachers for the expanding public schools.  The St. Louis Board of Education addressed the situation by establishing two courses in pedagogy at a local high school.  Seniors interested in entering the teaching profession were required to take these courses.  This school was only open to Whites since the 1847 ban specifically prohibited Blacks, free or enslaved, from being educated.  The two courses necessary for teaching eventually became a year-long requirement, and continued growth prompted expansion to a two-year program, and finally a four-year program.  Ultimately, the school was named Harris Teachers College, after former St. Louis Superintendent of Schools, William Torrey Harris.

After the Civil War, Missouri amended its constitution to allow for the education of its Black citizens.  Despite this provision in the constitution, the state failed (or refused) to establish comprehensive education for Blacks.  After years of lobbying, St. Louis Public Schools finally opened Sumner High School in 1875, the first high school for Black students west of the Mississippi River.  Notable graduates of Sumner include Tina Turner, Bobby McFerrin, Dick Gregory, and Arthur Ashe.  As Black St. Louisans yearned for education, the need for Black teachers became urgent, but there were no schools equipped for such a task.  So, in 1890 Sumner High School created the Normal Department, wherein students interested in teaching could study for an additional year to obtain the necessary credentials.  Eventually, the program was extended to two years and became Sumner Normal School.  Sumner Normal School would go on to offer a four-year degree in 1924.  As the program grew, the school relocated and changed its name to Stowe Teachers College, in reverence of Harriet Beecher-Stowe, author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin.

While Harris and Stowe operated independently, they often developed their curricula and requirements in parallel, even having the same admissions requirements and course catalog.  In the years leading up to the landmark Brown v Board of Education decision, Dr. Philip J. Hickey, Superintendent of the St. Louis Public School District, implemented the Intergroup Education Program to encourage Black and White students to interact, the goal being to dispel racial biases and misperceptions.  Born out of this program was a student exchange and Bi-annual Intercollegiate Conference.  When the Brown v Board of Education decision was finally handed down, the preparations for a merger had already been set in motion.  St. Louis Public Schools obliged the decision without any opposition, and it was decided that all of Stowe’s students, and most of the faculty, would relocate to the Harris location.  As much as it was described as a merger, in practice Stowe was absorbed by Harris, even keeping the Harris name.  Of course, this would not stand, for Stowe students, alumni, and faculty were a proud bunch.  With support from the greater St. Louis community, “Stowe” was eventually included in the name, and the school became Harris-Stowe College.  Legislators later enacted a bill to make Harris-Stowe College a member of the state of Missouri school system and changed its name to Harris-Stowe State College.  Upon being granted university status, the school earned its current designation as Harris-Stowe State University.

Harris-Stowe State continues to lead the way in producing exceptional teachers, but its course offerings and programs have greatly expanded.  Harris-Stowe even created the first of its kind Bachelor of Science in Urban Education for professionals specializing in addressing the unique challenges faced by urban schools.  The university also invested $11 million in the creation of the William Clay Early Childhood Development/Parenting Education Center for the purpose of providing high quality daycare, training early learning professionals, and providing parenting education.

Harris-Stowe State is no stranger to change, as its entire history is characterized by momentous changes.  Having met the many challenges that come with change, Harris-Stowe State is uniquely poised to address the current, dynamic educational landscape.  Harris-Stowe declares as part of its mission that “the University is thoroughly committed to meeting to the greatest extent possible the needs of a student population that is diverse in age, culture, ethnicity and experiential backgrounds.”  In short, the school meets students where they are.  This is a hallmark of HBCU education.  No student is counted out.  The belief is that anyone, with proper access and support, can accomplish monumental feats.  Academic preparation, socioeconomic background, race/ethnicity are not weaponized as an exclusionary vehicle.  Instead, students receive the tools, support, and freedom of expression to thrive.  It’s a formula for success, even in the face of malicious underfunding and widespread misinformation.  Harris-Stowe State University has upheld the time-tested pillars of HBCU education, even adding a few pillars of its own, and it is with great anticipation that we await all of its future contributions to education, society, and posterity. As our very own HBCU gem, they are lighting the way.

#19 Simmons College of Kentucky: Triumph in the DNA

In 1855, an abolitionist by the name of John Gregg Fee founded Berea College in Kentucky.  Berea College was the first college in the south to admit Black and White students, men and women.  This noble endeavor would, however, be interrupted by events in Harper’s Ferry, WV.

While most abolitionists advocated a peaceful means to emancipating enslaved Africans, there were also those who believed the only way to make real progress was through armed insurrection.  John Brown, a white abolitionist, subscribed to the latter philosophy.  Brown secured guns from his northern abolitionist contacts and paid Hugh Forbes to be a drillmaster for his recruits, the objective being to capture the U.S. Arsenal and supply the enslaved with weapons for an uprising.  On October 16, 1859 John Brown and his men successfully captured the U.S. Arsenal at Harper’s Ferry, but the victory was short-lived, and the anticipated uprising was quelled by a detachment of U.S. Marines led by Colonel Robert E. Lee.

News of the raid on Harper’s Ferry spread quickly and induced fear and panic among slave masters throughout the South. As a result, residents near Berea College threatened to destroy the school.  John Fee appealed to the Kentucky government to provide protection for the school and its students, but his appeals were denied.  Fearing for the students’ safety, Fee closed the school; it would not reopen until after the war.

At the close of the war, the state of Kentucky saw nearly 225,000 emancipated Blacks become citizens, an overwhelming number of whom zealously sought to be educated.  While Berea College had reopened, the school was ill-equipped to accommodate the rush of Black Kentuckians clamoring to leverage education to improve their station in life.  Black Baptists of Kentucky would enthusiastically step in to address the issue.  Representatives from 12 Black Baptist churches in Kentucky met in Louisville to establish the State Convention of Colored Baptists of Kentucky.  The goal of this organization was to address the economic, educational, political, and spiritual needs of Black Kentuckians.  Naturally, it was decided that a school would be established to train ministers and teachers.  A property on Old Fort Hill in Frankfort, KY was purchased for $2,000 for the purpose of establishing the school.  At a later session of the State Convention, some opposition to the Frankfort location emerged, and a vote was subsequently taken to resolve the issue.  Louisville and Frankfort emerged as the frontrunners, with Louisville eventually winning out over Frankfort by one vote.  After some years of petitioning the Kentucky General Assembly for a charter, 4 and a half acres of land were finally purchased in 1879.  The Kentucky Normal Theological Institute had finally opened.

The school opened under the supervision of Reverend Elijah P. Marrs, who relinquished the position a year later to Dr. William Simmons.  Simmons was responsible for rapid growth, leading to official recognition as a university and the establishment of medicine and law departments.  In fact, prior to 1920, the school could claim credit for educating nearly 100% of Kentucky’s Black physicians and lawyers.  Dr. Simmons is also credited with inspiring the establishment of Kentucky’s first state college (eventually named Kentucky State University) for Blacks.  Dr. Simmons was selected to represent Black Kentuckians before the Kentucky General Assembly, and as part of his speech he advocated for the state to provide funding for the education of Blacks, including funding for a state school.  Kentucky legislators were so compelled by his speech that they ordered 2000 copies of it to be printed.  Of course, legislators refused to provide funding to the Kentucky Normal Theological Institute as it was run by an all-Black administration and faculty.  Instead, they agreed to provide funding for a state school under the supervision of Kentucky’s Superintendent of Public Instruction.  A point of interest is that the City of Frankfort donated land to the state for the construction of the state school.  Records seem to suggest that this is the same land that the Kentucky Baptists bought before they decided not to build Simmons College in Frankfort.

In the 1930’s the Great Depression destroyed the lives of many Americans, and Black Americans generally fared the worst.  Simmons College was no exception.  Significantly diminished enrollment and scarce philanthropic contributions forced the school to sell its land and relocate to a much smaller location.  Simmons also significantly scaled back its course offerings and mission, even changing its name to Simmons Bible College in 1982.

The racial, political, and economic climate of the U.S has rendered many Black institutions of higher learning lost to history, but Simmons College refused to be one of them.  While the school experienced many setbacks, the embers of determination persisted, ultimately combusting with the selection of Dr. Kevin W. Cosby as president in 2005.  Dr. Cosby reestablished the school’s emphasis on liberal arts education and changed its name to Simmons College of Kentucky.  Through his dynamic leadership, the school has increased its enrollment and repurchased its original land.

Satin Rhythm Dancers mesmerizing the crowd

It took nearly 15 years of vigorous effort and valiant petitioning for the idea of Simmons College to manifest as reality, and almost 80 years of to reclaim its original property and standing.  Simmons is no stranger to hard-earned victories, a testament to their unwavering faith, resolute determination, and gallant ideals.  It is no overstatement to declare that triumph is encoded in the very DNA of the institution, a trait that is prominently expressed in the students, faculty, administrators, security, and cafeteria staff.  Simmons College of Kentucky serves as not only an example of obstinate survival, but also as a model for sustained growth and unimaginable possibilities.  We express indebted reverence to Simmons, for they have proven exemplary and worthy of recognition.

There are almost no words to adequately describe how special HBCU’s are.  Alumni recognize that.  It is my hope to highlight the magic that is HBCU’s so as to increase alumni giving, enrollment, and external financial investment.  For more information on ways to contribute, please visit

https://www.simmonscollegeky.edu/give/

#18 Kentucky State University: Beacon on the Bluff

The institution of slavery was a complex, pervasive amalgam of socioeconomic, political muck.  As such, Kentucky’s relationship with the institution was complicated and nuanced.  Enslaved peoples were brought to the area long before the region was granted statehood, and their labor was used to domesticate what was then the wilderness of Kentucky County, a part of Virginia.  Kentucky was admitted to the Union as a slave state, but there was a sizeable portion of the population that objected to the institution.  As the tobacco market changed, the need for slave labor diminished considerably, giving way to a booming slave resale market where brokers would buy and sell enslaved people, usually for the ultimate purpose of importing them to other slave states.  Kentucky eventually passed the Non-Importation law, which made it illegal to sell slaves in Kentucky, but the law was eventually repealed.  On the eve of the Civil War, Kentucky chose to align with the Union, but many disapproved of this decision.  In fact, representatives from 68 of 110 counties in the state met to pass an ordinance of secession and established an unofficial Confederate Government of Kentucky.  The education of Blacks in Kentucky was characterized by a similar dichotomous moral relationship.  Unlike most southern states, there was actually some government support for the education of Kentucky’s Black population.

In 1877 the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, H.A. Henderson, urged the creation of the State Colored Educational Convention in Frankfurt.  The purpose of the meeting was to establish a State Association of Colored Teachers to address the needs of Black teachers throughout the state.  In 1885 the State Association of Colored Teachers held a conference wherein they proposed the establishment of a State Normal School for Colored Persons.  The association petitioned the state General Assembly in 1886, and it was chartered on May 18, 1886.  Most HBCU’s encountered fierce opposition from residents and the state when trying to find a place to build, but the State Normal School for Colored Persons actually had several cities bidding on the privilege to host the school.  Ultimately, the city of Frankfurt won out because they presented the most attractive economic incentive, $1,500 (about $38,000 in 2019 dollars) and 40 acres of land on a bluff overlooking the town of 4,000 residents.
Additionally, the state pledged biennial contributions of $3,000 for operating expenses and $7,000 for classroom construction.

Like many HBCU’s, the State Normal School for Colored Persons struggled with enrollment in the early years because much of the Black population did not have access to more than an 8^th grade education.  In response to this dilemma, a high school was established to serve as a pipeline where students could learn the material necessary to be successful at the collegiate level.  The high school played a valuable role until 1929 when high school level education became pervasive enough to diminish the usefulness of the school.  The State Normal School for Colored Persons has changed names several times over the years, but eventually became Kentucky State University.  Kentucky State has grown from 55 students on 40 acres to 2,200 students on 882 acres, 311 acres of which are an agricultural research farm, and another 306 acres of which are an environmental education center.  KSU now offers 55 undergraduate degrees and 6 post-graduate degrees, including a Master’s degree in its flagship Aquaculture Program.

Kentucky State University’s Flagship Aquaculture Research Facility

Kentucky State has a long tradition of producing outstanding graduates who make their mark on the world.  Anna Mac Clark graduated and joined the Women’s Army Corps during WWII, eventually becoming the first Black officer of a White company.  Tom Colbert represented the legal field when he became Oklahoma’s first Black Supreme Court Justice.  Yingluck Shinawatra went on to become a successful businesswoman, as well as Thailand’s first woman Prime Minister.  KSU produced Dr. Harrison B. Wilson, who coached Jackson State University before becoming the President of Norfolk State University, where he was responsible for exponential growth.  We can thank KSU for Whitney Young, who became Executive Director of the National Urban League and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

During the early years at Kentucky State, the school developed a reputation for its close relationships between professors and students.  These bonds strengthened to create an atmosphere of family and community, where a student could study, learn, and grow in a safe and supportive environment.  Such an environment often served as a respite from the disproportionately malevolent society that existed outside the security of the school’s campus.  Kentucky State has continued to maintain this affectionate, welcoming, yet academically rigorous environment where students thrive and transform into the best version of themselves.  The state of Kentucky and the nation as a whole have benefitted immeasurably from the brilliance that is KSU, and we exalt them for being the beacon on the bluff.

There are almost no words to adequately describe how special HBCU’s are.  Alumni recognize that.  It is my hope to highlight the magic that is HBCU’s so as to increase alumni giving, enrollment, and external financial investment.  For more information on ways to contribute, please visit

https://kysu.edu/administration-governance/institutionaladvancement/givenow/

#17 Virginia University of Lynchburg: Self-Reliance and Freedom

Black associations with Christianity in North America date as far back as the arrival of the first enslaved Africans at Winyah Bay, South Carolina in 1526.  While Black involvement in North American Christianity permeated all denominations, arguably the most extensive tie has been to the Baptist church.  The earliest Black Baptist congregation is said to have formed on the William Byrd plantation of Petersburg, Virginia in 1756.  The colonial Baptist church tended toward the establishment of independent Black churches, but such sentiment was almost entirely erased in the post-colonial era as the slave society solidified.  Southern Baptist churches required Blacks, free or enslaved, to sit in the back pews and enter through separate entrances.  Blacks were also prohibited from assuming leadership positions in the church.  Even Black congregations had to be led by a White pastor.  This was in accordance with Virginia law of the time, which prohibited Blacks from preaching or congregating:

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly, That no slave, free negro or mulatto, whether he shall have been ordained and licensed, or otherwise, shall hereafter undertake to preach, exhort or conduct, or hold any assembly or meeting, for religious or other purposes, either in the day time, or at night; and any slave, free negro, or mulatto, so offending, shall for every such offence, be punished with stripes, at the discretion of any justice of the peace, not exceeding thirty-nine lashes; and any person desiring so to do, shall have authority, without any previous written precept or otherwise, to apprehend any such offender and carry him before such justice.

Naturally, Black congregants yearned to be free of these restrictions and sought to establish an independent Baptist structure.  So in 1867 several Black preachers met in Portsmouth, Virginia to establish the Virginia State Baptist Convention, the Black counterpart to the American Baptist Home Mission Society. The idea was to incorporate a church governing structure to best serve the needs of the growing number of Black Baptist churches in the state of Virginia.

The growth of the Black Baptist church in Virginia necessitated the training of people to enter the ministry.  So, in 1886 at the 19^th annual session of the Virginia Baptist State Convention, Rev. P.F. Morris of Court Street Baptist Church in Lynchburg introduced a resolution to authorize the creation of a coeducational institution to train ministers and teachers.  The school would be named the Lynchburg Baptist Seminary, and it was the first institution of higher education in Lynchburg.  Black attorney James H. Hayes was hired to obtain the charter for the school.  Hayes would later be involved in many high profile cases and causes, including working with Susan B. Anthony in 1903 to espouse the moral and legal imperative to extend voting rights to Blacks and women.  The Lynchburg Baptist Seminary opened with 33 students and operated under the “self-help” philosophy, hiring Black administrators and faculty to lead the institution.  This was somewhat at odds with the practices of the American Baptist Home Missionary Society, and it caused a social and theological divide in the Baptist church that has persisted even to this day.  Upon offering a collegiate program, the school changed its name to the Virginia Theological Seminary and College.  The school would assume its current name in 1996 as the Virginia University of Lynchburg.

The Virginia University of Lynchburg has maintained a solid, tight-knit institution, enrolling about 300 students, 60% of whom are graduate students.  The more cavalier in attitude might be compelled to correlate the status of the institution with its size, but that would be a mistake.  Anne Spencer enrolled at VUL at the age of 11 and graduated as valedictorian.  She would eventually become a poet and be the first Black person to have their work published in the Norton Anthology of American Poetry.  VUL also produced Noel C. Taylor, the first Black mayor of Roanoke, Virginia.  Taylor served as mayor of Roanoke for 17 years, is credited with its economic revitalization, and is considered the city’s most influential leader.  Roanoke’s city hall building is named in his honor.  Pastor and civil rights activist Vernon Johns graduated from VUL.  Johns’ life and work was ultimately portrayed on film in 1994 in the movie “Road to Freedom: A Vernon Johns Story”, where Johns was played by the incomparable James Earl Jones.  Continuing its tradition of excellence, VUL produced Lawrence Carter, a historian who would become a professor at Harvard Divinity School and eventually Dean of the Martin Luther King International Chapel at Morehouse College.  Also born of the VUL tradition of leadership was John Chilembwe, a Malawian organizer who inspired the Chilembwe Uprising against the British colonial powers in Malawi (formerly Nyasa).  Chilembwe is considered a national hero in present day Malawi.

VUL has a long tradition of envisioning the unimaginable and overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds to transform the impossible into reality.  From its very beginning, VUL was founded in spite of common perceptions at the time that Blacks could not create, fund, grow, and lead exceptional institutions of higher education independent of White involvement.  The institution’s success, in the face of the prevailing socio-political constructs, is inextricably linked to its founding principle of self-help.  In fact, the school’s motto is “Sibi Auxilium et Libertas”, which translates literally as “Self Help and Freedom”.  While some might argue that such dogged implementation of self-reliance can sometimes alienate, its practitioners could also counter that the philosophy instills in them an unrelenting passion to pursue a goal, no matter how unfeasible or incredible.  The Virginia University of Lynchburg infuses its graduates with the notion that there is no person too small, or aspiration too unattainable, to deter them from their triumphant path.  We thank them for continuing to show us what people with acute vision and mighty hearts can accomplish.

There are almost no words to adequately describe how special HBCU’s are.  Alumni recognize that.  It is my hope to highlight the magic that is HBCU’s so as to increase alumni giving, enrollment, and external financial investment.  For more information on ways to contribute, please visit

https://www.paypal.com/donate/?token=5wq2MT4kdVlWIdaCFRzuIR9RiJkIssTnzYq2N_MXpjiO5hJKesrphhu1M6-IVVyAVyWAW0&country.x=US&locale.x=US

#16 Norfolk State University: BEHOLD!

Some things are meant to be great.  Imagine a good gumbo, with all of its ingredients.  While gumbo varies from region to region, even family to family, there are some components that you will find in almost every case.  Let’s consider two components in particular, blue crab and hot sausage.  Note that the usage of hot sausage, as opposed to andouille, is intentional, but that may be an entirely separate article for another time.  Continuing on, blue crab and hot sausage are outstanding on their own.  Blue crab, with its salty sweet taste, is a delectable dish, especially as part of a crab boil.  Hot sausage is used in many dishes, but it is also delicious as its own sandwich.  Now, foodies might debate whether gumbo is actually better than the sum of its parts, but there is no doubt that it is phenomenal and stands on its own as an independent entity.  Such is the case with the next institution on our HBCU journey.

The implementation of emancipation resulted in the addition of 4 million citizens to the U.S. population.  The desire to read, write, and learn burned in the hearts of the enslaved many generations before emancipation, but liberation meant the freedom to act on such desire without the consequence of jail, violence, or death.  The establishment of schools to teach formerly enslaved Blacks represented hope, and many schools flourished because of this.  Virginia Union was no exception, and its growth prompted the establishment of the Norfolk Unit of Virginia Union in 1935.  The Norfolk Unit opened as a two-year program with 85 students, the result of an aggressive door-to-door recruitment effort by dedicated administrators and other prospective students.  In only 7 years, the school grew to such an extent that it became independent of Virginia Union and was renamed Norfolk Polytechnic College.  In 1944 the State of Virginia purchased the school, and Virginia legislators voted to establish it as the Norfolk Division of Virginia State College (now Virginia State University, another HBCU).  Fueled by eager students and tenacious leadership, the Norfolk Division’s two-year program became a four-year program, offering its first degrees in 1958.  The Norfolk Division was so successful that enrollment in its programs eventually exceeded enrollment at Virginia State College, and in 1969 it became an independent institution, Norfolk State College.  Continued growth would lead to the school achieving university status and eventually enrolling more than 9,000 students as Norfolk State University.

With such a trajectory of success, it is no surprise that Norfolk State produces so many stellar graduates.  One such example is Dr. Jedidiah Isler, brilliant Astrophysicist and first Black woman to receive a Ph.D. in Astrophysics from Yale.  Evelyn Fields also graduated with a Mathematics degree and went on to achieve the rank of Rear Admiral.  She was also appointed by Bill Clinton as the Director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association.  Whether a federal judge, U.S. Diplomat, famed violinist, or professional athlete, Norfolk State continues to produce high caliber, globally competitive, morally astute graduates. This is why many organizations collaborate with Norfolk State to develop meaningful, productive partnerships like the Center of Excellence in Cyber Security, established by the Department of Defense.

The Norfolk State Mission Statement is as follows:

“Norfolk State University, a comprehensive urban public institution, is committed to transforming students’ lives through exemplary teaching, research and service. Offering a supportive academic and culturally diverse environment for all, the University empowers its students to turn their aspirations into reality and achieve their full potential as well-rounded and resourceful citizens and leaders for the 21st century.”

This is a theme that is pervasive among HBCU’s, to such an extent that it should be formally considered pedagogy.  The educational model of inclusion, support, and unapologetic cultural expression has a demonstrated track record of producing exceedingly capable people with the compassion and moral fortitude to wield such capabilities.  Norfolk State meets you where you are, opens your eyes, reforms you, and pushes you beyond your perceived limits.  In fact, Norfolk State University, through its journey, has shown us that there are no limits.  Let us all take note.

There are almost no words to adequately describe how special HBCU’s are.  Alumni recognize that.  It is my hope to highlight the magic that is HBCU’s so as to increase alumni giving, enrollment, and external financial investment.  For more information on ways to contribute, please visit

http://www.nsu.edu/Support-Norfolk-State