Morris Brown College, one of the nation's oldest black colleges is fighting foreclosure. The college canceled the auction on September 4th and is filing for reorganization of debt. When I spoke with the President, Dr. Stanley J. Pritchett, Sr., he talked about people being supportive of all Historical Black Colleges and Universities, not just Morris Brown College. He talked about America valuing HBCU's and when you support these schools, you support the prominent history of the school. Of course, the school is in dire need of contributions that can be made at the schools website. He said the school sent out e-mails to alumni and they are supporting, however, he encourages even more support. HBCU's are trying to make a difference, but they need others to make a difference through financial support.
When you walk the campuses of HBCU's, with the exception of a few, you see abandoned buildings, old buildings and scraps of vitality from the past. The campuses of HBCU's look unorganized not because of a lack of effort from school officials but because of the lack of financial support and school enrollment. The churches that HBCU's were started out of have vaporized into a metaphysical world that places profound statements over rigorous actions.
Moreover, prominent alumni from HBCU's, who fetch absurd surplus of financial revenue, withdraw from making contributions that would drive HBCU's to the top of the educational ladder. Hence, it is not that HBCU's are not better than regular institutions but Americans have been hoodwinked students into thinking that white education is superior to HBCU education. Rev. Otis Moss III talks about in his book Preach, the misconception between rich and poor schools. He talks about how poor schools can still give great educations and rich schools can give a horrible education. The truth is that HBCU's teach students how to impact the inhumane and unjust world we live in. White schools teach financial supremacy in a world of poverty and high unemployment rates. If HBCU's had more revenue from donors and the government, the high violence rates would gradually go down because these schools graduate agents of change. If HBCU's had more revenue from donors and the government, there would be more jobs because graduates of these schools are taught to be a part of economic empowerment. If HBCU's had more revenue from donors and the government, there would be more effective politicians because these schools teach transformative communal involvement.
The travesty in our world is that HBCU's are dying and it is not seen as an issue! Who will save our HBCU's?