In a recent TV One article about UNT’s President Neal Smatresk, author Krystal Franklin voiced her disdain for Smatresk participating in #DuragDay as part of a homecoming event with the black student population.
#DuragDay served as an opening for homecoming week and showcased an interesting part of black culture. All who participated wore durags or hair bonnets on campus.
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU’s) have been doing the durag tradition for years and as a way to pay homage to those traditions, African-American UNT students wanted to bring that same pride to our diverse campus.
HBCU, Morehouse College, was one of the most recent school’s to showcase the tradition which inspired others. Cleverly put, “HBC-UNT,” had Twitter heads turning and angry fingers tweeting when a lot of HBCU attendees found the concept offensive and appropriating.
Because UNT is not an HBCU and instead an MSI (Minority Serving Institute), those across historical black colleges and universities felt that the name and event was in poor taste. Especially when Smatresk joined in support. Naysayers felt that sharing this tradition blurs the lines of having black pride and just letting anybody come to the cookout.
HBCU’s attacking UNT for their joy of a culture that is rightfully theirs to share shows the fear that is black culture being taking away. Black UNT is not taking it away by having our white President be apart of it. In fact, we are progressing it.
Where the false assumption is made is when HBCU goers called UNT a PWI (Predominately White Institution).
That alone comes with its own stereotypes about the minority students who attend. The debates go that you lack pride if you choose a PWI over an HBCU, and that African-American minorities in particular, set themselves up for failure by attending. In a sense you are a, “sell out,” to white schools. You are also depriving yourself of an experience that only lasts four years compared to your whole life. Why feel like an outcast at a white school when you can feel like family in another?
Sounds good, but if only the world was an HBCU.
Franklin’s incorrect info on our school’s racially-linked title proves time and time again that America is not just black and white. That is a false assumption spread in light of UNT going viral. Even if UNT was a PWI, why must the lines be blurred if we are sharing our culture? A better way for people to understand is to be exposed to diverse experiences. When people don’t understand, they fear. We know what comes after that.
As a student previously enrolled at an HBCU, I know the experiences and traditions that HBCU’s proudly hold on to and the experiences non-HBCU black students create within their communities on campus. Both are wanting that home away from home. Both want that safe space to collectively share their black experiences in America.
While their representatives and presidents were begging President Trump for funding back in May, our president was ensuring that our university gives a voice to those who need to be heard. Even when Trump Jr. spoke at an alumni series earlier last month, it was discovered that President Smatresk opposed it.
So our president participating in #DuragDay is fair. What is foul is the divisive concepts that separate black people every day. The retention rate for African-Americans across the nation has been low which leaves us arguing about the wrong thing here. Black UNT students make up 14% of the entire population. That is a little over 5,000. Meanwhile Franklin’s alma mater, Grambling State University had an enrollment of about 4,800. Yet, UNT’s black graduation rate is 47% to their 32% according to The National Center for Education Statistics.
Our black student organizations, alumni and faculty work to ensure we are tackling retention rates, being at the forefront of our university and still showcasing pride.
To quote previous first lady, Michelle Obama (who did not attend an HBCU but is a favorite amongst HBCU enthusiasts) “When they go low, we go high.” UNT is a green light to greatness and maybe a few of those who attend HBCU’s can learn a thing or two from the black eagles who soar high.