Lie #1: Education at HBCUs is substandard.
Nope! The accreditation requirements are the same for all colleges and universities, and if anything, HBCU faculty, mostly Black, are EVEN MORE invested in seeing our students learn and succeed.
Lie #2: HBCUs fail to prepare students for the real world and the workforce.
Wrong! Law schools, newsrooms, hospitals, advertising agencies, pharmacies, educational institutions and more are brimming with HBCU alums who pay it forward by reaching back to provide amazing internships, scholarships, and fellowships for fellow graduates.
Lie #3: HBCUs are dying because they no longer matter.
Black colleges and universities began with Freedman land grants to educate formerly enslaved people, but stayed relevant due to segregation and Jim Crow’s evil legacy. And as long as racism exists, Black students and faculty need the safe spaces provided by Black colleges.
Lie #4: HBCUs are less prestigious.
While Ivy Leagues may carry that name recognition, that does not tend to translate into a better career or salary. And who can focus on studying anyway, when you’re dealing with the “racial gauntlet” of discrimination and isolation that being Black at a white college brings?
Remember, when we embrace and support Black spaces and institutions that teach Black values, Black pride and Black history, then we can build stronger communities, enrich our lives and fortify ourselves against white supremacy!