By Jackie Gwin
Historically Black Colleges and Universities have been under attack by recieving bomb threats from unkown sources. Are HBCUs a safe haven or a war zone?
In the 1800’s HBCUs were founded to provide African Americans with a place to receive Higher learning, due to racial discrimination. Today African Americans attend HBCUs to be in a safe space where they can be supported by their community and get away from the racial discrimination outside of their campuses.
This is not the first time HBCUs are being targeted with bomb threats. Is this the product of racial hate that continues to be an unsolved problem in America? HBCUs must be protected at all cost, education in the Black Community is a top priority and a result of Black Student Success.
Institutions such as Spelman College, Southern University and A&M, Howard University, Bethune-Cookman University, Albany State University, Bowie State University and Delaware State University have gone on lockdown and canceled classes until they are clear.
How are students reacting to HBCUs being under attack?
Nhire King said, “...It’s different reading about the violence against black people for so long versus actually kinda experiencing it…it has made me feel uneasy all day…I stand with all HBCU students that are worrying about if their school is next, I really do hope and pray our institutions have out best interest at heart and continue to protect us the best they can.”
Taylon Lancaster said, “The Black mind has always been a target and threat to European colonialism. Dating back to Segregation in Public Schools, Brown V. Board of Education, or denied access to reading material such as the Bible on the very plantation fields that our ancestors worked day and night. Through the founding of historical black colleges or universities (HBCUS) , or organization as such United Negro College Fund geared to stop the negligence of black intelligence. Today, six HBCUS received bomb threats which is still being investigated. While many students are returning back to their respective campuses the urge to protect the Black mind is even more pressing in this hour. As a student of Clark Atlanta University, my advice would be to move forward without fear! God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
No evidence has been found on any of the campuses that have received threats, but moving forward how can we ensure HBCUs that they are safe