Black History Month is a time to recognize Black history; a time to realize that American History is Black history. Black people in America face innumerable challenges beyond their control, and racism has not gotten much better than it was several decades ago before Black History Month was established.
As a white student at Bucknell, I have a responsibility to take this month seriously and to carry on its sentiments throughout my four years here as do others in my position. To start, I have talked to a few people about the reality of being Black on this campus.
This reality is that segregation is strong between the majority White population and the minority Black, Asian, Hispanic, international, and multi-ethnic populations. The numbers alone illustrate this phenomenon, as 74.4% of Bucknell’s students are White, 6.5% are Hispanic, 6.4% international, 4.2% multi-ethnic, 3.4% Black or African-American, and 5.1% “other.”
Living on this campus, especially as a minority, the small numbers feel even smaller, and the large numbers feel even larger. The overwhelming majority of White people on this campus does not exactly create a welcoming space for anyone else —not just in how people act but in the dynamic of the school as well. Greek life, sports teams, classrooms, and the surrounding town of Lewisburg are all dominated by White people. There is little comfort in driving through your college town and seeing Trump signs or Blue Lives Matter signs that are inherently aimed against your race. Entering a frat party and immediately feeling like you do not belong is a shared experience among too many members of Bucknell’s community.
While talking to a friend, he admitted that being Black on this campus is more than what outsiders see, saying:
“It’s really hard to tell where the genuine love is from the student body and who’s being real. Most of the support I receive from students is more so for trends and stuff online, but nobody will actually sit down and ask you how you feel. Obviously there’s a lot of preference for other people in terms of who they want to be in relationships with, work with, be friends with, talk to. If it wasn’t for my teammates I probably would’ve transferred by now because it definitely wouldn’t have been worth it.”
I know this article is really just a recognition of the challenges that the Black community faces on this campus. But I think it is imperative that we do not hide the truth but instead put effort into caring for those who feel they are not as important on campus as others solely because of their race. Bucknell is a home for some, but it is a place of distress for others. It should be a home for everyone.