Meredith Clark, an associate editor at the Tallahassee Democrat wrote this article a few days ago http://tallahassee.com/article/20081219/COLUMNIST21/812190315/-1/COLUMNISTS and I’d like to answer her questions and add a few comments. Whether you read the entire piece or not this is the crux of it:
“I’d like to renew the discussion with a look at the role of HBCUs in an Obama-era United States. It is not a question about their legitimacy or need; this is a question of how the role, function and even existence of HBCUs across the country will change as we continue to break down barriers.”
First of all, why must we refer to FAMU as a historically black college or university? It is simply another institution of higher learning. Is FSU or the University of Florida considered historically white universities? We need not get into the ugly history why FAMU was founded but focus on its mission. Since it opened in 1887 its mission was to provide the best possible education for those students who wished to attend. In 2008, nothing has changed. Its mission is still to provide the best possible education for its students.
It’s role is to also provide an alternative to those students who do not want to attend what you call a mainstream university although I fail to see how FAMU is not in the mainstream. Call it what it is. FAMU is a predominately black university with a diverse student body and faculty. There are some people, believe it or not who don’t want to go to a perdominatntly white university. I am one of them. Not because I harbor any hostility but because of the environment that lets me speak freely that is not hostile to what I have to say. And a lot of what I have to say would probably get me into some type of trouble at a FSU or the UF.
We may have elected the first black president of the United States of America but 11:00 a.m. on Sunday morning is still the most segregated hour in America. Come back with your question after I see 2 black people leaving the First Baptist Church or a white person leaving Bethel AME Church.
There will always be a need for Florida A&M because the people of Florida recognize it’s importance to the community. Oh, in the future watch how you phrase your statements. You stated the there was no need to question the need or legitimatcy of FAMU then question the need for its existence as well as other black universities in the same paragraph. I think that you are smart enough to know the answer to your own question.
Filed under: FAMU , FAMU, florida a&M university, hbcu, rattlers, tallahassee democrat, tallahassee.com
OK…I’ll wade in. Yes, FAMU is an HBCU. It isn’t merely a colorblind institution of higher learning. And yes, FSU and UF are historically white, as you well know. Really, you acknowledge this yourself:
“There are some people, believe it or not who don’t want to go to a perdominatntly white university. I am one of them. Not because I harbor any hostility but because of the environment that lets me speak freely that is not hostile to what I have to say. And a lot of what I have to say would probably get me into some type of trouble at a FSU or the UF.”
Some percentage of the population of FAM is white, some percentage at FSU is black. Don’t know what those are. That doesn’t change the “historically” part. I’m dead certain that I would have preferred to go to a predominately white university, which I did, in fact do. That wasn’t a factor in my decision. Would I not have gone to college if my only choice had been an HBCU? That’s a good question. Probably I would have done it. I like to think I would have been that brave. Not as you say, from hostility, but from a sense of being different and isolated.
But you have made me think…and I’ll blog…
Read my post Famu Today! And I’ll comment further later in yhe day!
Keep in mind the distinction between historically and predominantly white…
I already got the part about historically versus predominantly. Historically, to make a fine point, is that white means “we won’t let you in”. Black, it means, “Fine, we’ll set up our own colleges and universities and we won’t let you in either.” It seems to me that those edges are starting to blur. FAMU and FSU have a joint engineering and architecture program that I know of, and maybe others I don’t even know about. But that is a good thing. If there is ever to be a day when the color of our skin does not factor into decisions like that, then we have to start it. Somehow.
That’s why I brought up 11:00 a.m. Sunday morning. We share the engineering school but the Architecture is all ours unless I am missing something. In one of my philosophy classes the professor asked me who were the biggest terrorists in the world and I replied western governments, Israel, the world bank and the IMF, a couple of white kids went into cardiac arrest. I probably would have gotten my ass kicked at FSU for saying what I believe to be the truth.
11:00 A.M on Sunday morning does not apply to you, Nick:) I would hope that white kids, emphasis on the word kids, would not influence your whole world view. I never went to FSU but I would hope that your views would not be dismissed there. I don’t actually think your views are all that radical. Remember that Anarchist and I are your friends, and we’re white. Sometimes all it takes is a teensy step in the direction of letting go of being mad. You don’t have to take a giant step.
I’m mad at the treatment that minorities still have to endure in this country but I don’t hold every white person responsible. I’ve encountered blacks that are worse than some whites. I don’t know if I can ever stop being mad but at leat I know whom to be mad at. You and Anarchist are dear to me. But I will never stop speaking my mind. And that may include stepping on a few toes but please believe that any rant I might get on does not include the good people that I have met in my life. I think that I am just pissed offed at the recent articles regarding FAMU in the democrat. Meredith says we should think about the existence of FAMU then Angeline comes out with her bogus story…. I am just pissed and I love you by the way!
> Remember that Anarchist and I are your friends, and we’re white.
I’m white..!? Hot damn…I didn’t know that!
Lots of folks ask me: what are you? I say: what do you want me to be? because I can probably accommodate you.
I can be Asian / Filipino, Hispanic / Spanish, white, Catholic, Jewish. I pull out what I need to be! The question of what I am is so funny to me.
About the only folks who don’t ask the question are Hispanics. They just assume I’m Hispanic and start talking to me in Spanish.
But yes, I pass for white….
I hate when people ask me what I am. And the question has come from black people all the time. Ive been called everything in the book from an Arab to halfbreed!
OOps….sorry about that Anarchist! Was that racial profiling?
I love you too, Nick–and plenty remains to rant and be mad about.
Since you missed the election lunch, I’m thinking we should all have an inauguration celebration…
I’m up for an inauguration celebration, but I’ll be in St Augustine for MLK weekend, so it’d have to be the weekend after the inauguration ofr me to make it….
Or are you thinking that same day? As in the evening?
Fascinating discussion! I’m a recent FAMU “adopted” “dad”, which I would like to explain.
I just sold a car to a FAMU sophomore sister whom I’ve invited to call me “Dad” b/c I really admire her and how she has handled this transaction. I intend to invite her to my home for picnics, give her my business when she graduates, etc. My point, I suppose, is that there are out there “white folks” who don’t think that great color divide ought to amount to much. FYI I have 3 African daughters and an African son in Uganda whom I have been putting through school: two are now in college: just because they needed me and asked me to help them. I also have a Columbian/Japanese son, a Dominican son, a Chinese daughter, a German daughter, a Ukranian daughter, several Russian sons and daughters, etc., etc., whom I and my wife have helped. (Of course they are not the products of my sexual exploints; they are “adopted” in the sense that we have taken them in, willingly, to our family circle of loved ones.
My point is not to toot my racial tolerance horn; it is to illustrate that there are those of us out here who love humans and humanity and put our money where our hearts are.
I’d like to encourage you who read this blog to reach out and open up your receptivity to others of different races. You just might be surprised and delighted!
Richard