Negro Digest - Freedom Archives

I cannot see the sponsorship for
such an idea forthcoming, but the
idea need not die aborning. A black
university is more imminent than
many imagine if the concepts of
violence and negative chauvinism
can be strained out.
Only nine months of planning
could accomplish what most have
in mind for a black university at
Atlanta, Fisk or Howard . Since
there is no black math, chemistry,
biology or physics, what we are
talking about is an orientation in
history, literature, social science,
psychology, fine arts and education
that is "black ." It means viewing
these disciplines from the perspective
of a black student, standing
body deep, soul deep, in his
own culture . This implies no hostility,
no separatism, no alienation.
It could imply a disciplined scholarship
that will unearth truths long
hidden ; a bona fide experience of
the thought and feelings of black
writers, painters and musicians; a
construction of social theories that
will have an authenticity for black
people . The most dramatic results
could be seen in teacher education.
Hardly any school does justice to
the challenge of the black pupil in
its teacher education program . . .
But even that would not be
enough . Every university, every
college should recognize the neglect
of black facts and begin to institute
programs in black studies,
interdisciplinary and scholarly.
There are Asian Studies, Indian
Studies, Urban Studies, Mexican
NEGRO DIGEST March 1969
Studies and Space Studies. All
sorts of studies . Black Studies can
be added with no vast shift in administrative
machinery . And, indeed,
many are doing just that .
A third alternative is perhaps
t:~ore useful : The location of city,
county and state community colleges
should take into account the
concentration of blacks in the cities'
centers . The appointment of imaginative
presidents, hustling deans,
and teachers with common sense to
head and run community colleges
in the cities' centers could turn
these opportunities to great benefit
for black people . An honest, relevant
curriculum would accomplish,
again, what most of us sense as the
mission of a black university .
The sanguine expectation that a
well-financed, completely autonomous
black university can be
founded and supported is a forlorn
one, I fear . Fine, if it can be really
good and not makeshift . This is
too late for another crude,
botchy, hand-to-mouth college to
be started.
Otherwise, let substantial, ongoing,
private black schools, those
who have the vision and the freedom,
convert their present pursuit
of "Western Civ." to an understanding
of Man through the eyes
of black people . Let the major
public and private institutions embrace
the cause of "black" discovery
and let public community colleges
in the urban core look around
them and act accordingly with integrity
and enthusiasm.
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