I know what you may be thinking: is the use of the phrase “a mini HBCU in a PWI” really that serious?
Have you heard the phrase a “mini HBCU in a PWI”? Perhaps you’ve heard it in a TikTok, or in the comments of a particular video. Wherever you may have seen the term used, how did it make you feel? Did you ignore it? Did it make you laugh? Did it make you bristle? As a HBCU student who has attended PWIs all my life, I want to offer some perspective and my opinions on the phrase.Â
Background
Where does the phrase a “mini HBCU in a PWI” come from? This phrase, while it does not have one true origin, seems to be at the tip of an even larger debate: should Black students attend HBCUs or PWIs? I cannot pretend to have all the answers to this debate. The choice between an HBCU and a PWI is completely personal and boils down to intention, priorities, and personal circumstance. Each school has its own pros and cons, and dependent on your values, HBCU or PWI life may not be best for you. It is important to acknowledge the intrinsic differences between each institution. An HBCU, or a historically Black college or university, is by Black people for Black people. HBCUs were created in order to combat the lack of education whites wanted us to have, and was a rebellion against predominately white institutions outlawing Black students’ attendance. Predominately white institutions, or PWIs, are (originally) by and for white people. Some of the more prestigious and wealthy PWIs even participated in the very slave trade that led us to the America we live in today. It is not a marker of morality or scholarism to decide to pick either a PWI or HBCU, but making the distinction is important. At the crux of the “mini HBCU in a PWI” debate there is a disconnect between those who utter the phrase, those who receive it, and the intended audience. I like to split those who use the phrase into 3 groups: people who use it to describe their Black community at a PWI, people who use it to discredit an HBCU education, and people who do it for attention.
Those Describing their pwi black community
I want to preface my next statements by saying there is nothing wrong with a PWI education. PWIs are great places to go for a variety of reasons, and everyone should be able to find their Black community within an HBCU. Even so, whether it’s out of ignorance or carelessness, calling your Black community a “mini HBCU” completely negates what an HBCU actually is. An HBCU is not just a collection of Black people, or groups of Black friends. An HBCU is an education that is in a system especially built for Black students. Having a Black community is part of it, but the history and the way these institutions operate is completely different. Calling Black spaces within a PWI not only ignores the historical aspect of the HBCU experience, but it also reduces HBCUs to just a Black community, which is untrue.
those discrediting an hbcu education
This type is one of the more harmful users of this phrase. I usually hear people claim that Black students can “find their mini HBCU in a PWI” in order to avoid all of the “bad” aspects of an HBCU while keeping the Black community. Usually, those who use the term in this way characterize HBCUs as ghetto, unorganized, and not on the same academic level as predominately white institutions. Not only is this untrue, but it feeds into elitist and racist stereotypes about HBCUs. Instead of using this phrase to tear down other HBCUs, weigh the pros and cons of each institution and check your underlying biases.
attention-seekers
This type knows that this phrase starts conversation, and often, arguments among PWI and HBCU students. This type may be the most harmful. Instead of creating drama, invite friendly and meaningful discussion between PWI and HBCU students.
Is it really that serious?
I know what you may be thinking: is the use of the phrase “a mini HBCU in a PWI” really that serious? In short, not really. Despite this, it points to a larger set of problems.
This phrase is usually used in videos picturing Black students partying or hanging out socially. While this is one of the aspects of HBCU culture, it is not the full picture. The lack of emphasis on the historical and educational aspects of the HBCU experience ultimately reduces HBCUs to just places where Black people can interact socially. Furthermore, it discredits the fundamental differences between HBCUs and PWIs. Remember, HBCUs were the only options for our ancestors until few decades ago.
Overall, I don’t think we need to dogpile on those who choose to use the phrase a “mini HBCU in a PWI”, but educating and reminding people why that phrase is inaccurate is reductive is necessary. Remember, we are all Black students wherever we chose to go; PWI or otherwise.