For as long as I can remember, the debate about whether black students should attend HBCU’s or PWI’s has been ongoing and at this point, is very annoying and played out. For those that don’t know, an HBCU is a Historically Black College or University and a PWI is a Predominately White Institution. The debate has always been that one is better than the other or that a black person can’t receive the same opportunities at one that they would at the other, but honestly, who cares as long as everyone is getting an education, right?
Being black in Trump’s America is already difficult enough, I don’t need my fellow black peers making it harder by questioning my “blackness” because of where I choose to get my degree. Of course, HBCU’s were the only places that blacks could get a higher education for a long time and I support them and what they stand for 100 percent. However, now that we have the opportunity to integrate with other races and cultures and be able to attend other universities, I think we should take full advantage of it. Naturally, there are pros and cons to both, but at the end of the day, an education is an education whether it’s at an HBCU, PWI, community college, JUCO (junior college), etc.
Personally, I chose to attend my PWI because of the diversity it withholds. It’s more realistic in the fact that both the real world and the work worlds are extremely diverse, and I believe it’s a plus to be able to learn to mix in with different races and cultures at this stage in our lives. However, there are many aspects and commodities that HBCU’s possess that I wish I was able to experience. Nevertheless, a black person in any form of Higher Learning is a thing to celebrate! (P.S. don’t watch Higher Learning because that’s not what being at a PWI is like at all.)