Nineteen Fifty-Six Vol. 2 No. 1 We're Back Outside
This is the September 2021 Issue of Nineteen Fifty-Six magazine. The theme, We're Back Outside, is showcased throughout the magazine. We are excited to continue to serve as a voice for Black students at the University of Alabama.
This is the September 2021 Issue of Nineteen Fifty-Six magazine. The theme, We're Back Outside, is showcased throughout the magazine. We are excited to continue to serve as a voice for Black students at the University of Alabama.
Transform your PDFs into Flipbooks and boost your revenue!
Leverage SEO-optimized Flipbooks, powerful backlinks, and multimedia content to professionally showcase your products and significantly increase your reach.
NINETEEN<br />
SEPTEMBER 2021
DE<br />
BL<br />
STU
AR<br />
ACK<br />
DENTS,<br />
You do matter. The numerous achievements and talents<br />
of Black students deserve to be recognized. As of Fall<br />
2020, 10.95% of students on campus identified as Black or<br />
African American. Black students are disproportionately<br />
underrepresented in various areas on campus. <strong>Nineteen</strong><br />
<strong>Fifty</strong>-<strong>Six</strong> is a Black student-led magazine that amplifies the<br />
voices within the University of Alabama’s Black community.<br />
It also seeks to educate students from all backgrounds on<br />
culturally important issues and topics in an effort to produce<br />
socially-conscious, ethical and well-rounded citizens.<br />
2
NINETEEN<br />
EDITORIAL STAFF<br />
EDITOR IN CHIEF<br />
MANAGING EDITOR<br />
VISUALS & DESIGN EDITOR<br />
PHOTO EDITOR<br />
ASST. PHOTO EDITOR<br />
ENGAGEMENT EDITOR<br />
ASST. ENGAGEMENT EDITOR<br />
FEATURES & EXPERIENCES EDITOR<br />
CULTURE & LIFESTYLE DIRECTOR<br />
Tionna Taite<br />
Nickell Grant<br />
Ashton Jah<br />
Tyler Hogan<br />
Madison Carmouche<br />
Madison Davis<br />
Jolencia Jones<br />
Ashlee Woods<br />
Farrah Sanders<br />
ISSUE CONTRIBUTORS<br />
WRITERS<br />
PHOTOGRAPHERS,<br />
VIDEOGRAPHERS,<br />
& DESIGNERS<br />
SOCIAL MEDIA & MARKETING<br />
PR SPECIALISTS<br />
Jolencia Jones, Malea<br />
Benjamin, Leah Jones,<br />
Rachel Parker, Ta’Kyla<br />
Bates, Shamiel Moore<br />
Leah Jones, Alice Choup,<br />
Tonya Williams, Lyric<br />
Wisdom<br />
Karris Harmon, Asia<br />
Smith<br />
Danielle S. McAllister,<br />
Farrah Sanders<br />
COPYRIGHT<br />
<strong>Nineteen</strong> <strong>Fifty</strong>-<strong>Six</strong> is published by the Office of Student Media at The University of Alabama. All content and<br />
design are produced by students in consultation with professional staff advisers. All material contained herein,<br />
except advertising or where indicated otherwise, is copyrighted © 2021 by <strong>Nineteen</strong> <strong>Fifty</strong>-<strong>Six</strong> magazine. Material<br />
herein may not be reprinted without the expressed, written permission of <strong>Nineteen</strong> <strong>Fifty</strong>-<strong>Six</strong> magazine. Editorial<br />
and Advertising offices for <strong>Nineteen</strong> <strong>Fifty</strong>-<strong>Six</strong> Magazine are located at 414 Campus Drive East, Tuscaloosa, AL<br />
35487. The mailing address is P.O. Box 870170, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487. Phone: (205) 348-7257.<br />
Cover photography by Tyler Hogan.
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR<br />
SEPTEMBER 2021<br />
“<br />
I am America. I am<br />
the part you won’t<br />
recognize. But get used<br />
to me. Black, confident,<br />
cocky; my name, not<br />
yours; my religion, not<br />
yours; my goals, my own;<br />
get used to me.<br />
- Muhammad Ali<br />
”<br />
<strong>Nineteen</strong> <strong>Fifty</strong>-<strong>Six</strong> is back and we’re<br />
only going to get better. In less than<br />
a year, <strong>Nineteen</strong> <strong>Fifty</strong>-<strong>Six</strong> garnered<br />
16,173 total digital magazine views.<br />
During 2020-2021, we released five<br />
digital issues, one special edition<br />
issue and one print issue. We are<br />
excited to continue to serve as<br />
a voice for Black students at the<br />
University of Alabama.<br />
Truly, <strong>Nineteen</strong> <strong>Fifty</strong>-<strong>Six</strong> serves<br />
as proof that Black students at the<br />
University of Alabama have a lot<br />
to say. Last year alone, 55,455 words<br />
were typed. 14,486 people were<br />
reached. 1,568 photos were captured.<br />
54 stories were written. This all took<br />
place during the pandemic and the<br />
very first year of the magazine’s<br />
creation. These numbers are<br />
evidence of our ability to persevere<br />
and rise over any obstacles that<br />
come our way.<br />
<strong>No</strong>w that “we’re back outside”,<br />
students have even more<br />
opportunities to have their voices<br />
heard. Whether hosting community<br />
events or simply attending them,<br />
students have taken advantage of the<br />
opportunity to express themselves<br />
and advocate for important issues.<br />
I am excited to present the<br />
September magazine issue entitled<br />
We’re <strong>Back</strong> <strong>Outside</strong>. It has been<br />
a blessing to work with new and<br />
returning students on our first<br />
magazine issue for this semester.<br />
TIONNA TAITE, EDITOR IN CHIEF<br />
4
CONTENT<br />
CULTURE<br />
8 Legacy Learning:<br />
A History of Alabama HBCUs 14 The Originators<br />
LIFESTYLE<br />
11 Why PWIs Need Black<br />
Professors<br />
15 We <strong>Outside</strong>: Adjusting <strong>Back</strong> to<br />
Campus Life<br />
18 Black Activists<br />
19 Divine History<br />
23 Through the Doors: A New<br />
Tradition<br />
24 Revisiting ONYX<br />
26 Overcoming the Need to<br />
Conform to Whiteness<br />
27 Black Students Continue to<br />
Face Barriers after Undergrad<br />
29 Effects of Institutional Racism<br />
FEATURES<br />
EXPERIENCES
T O C<br />
S<br />
SEE MORE OF NINETEEN<br />
FIFTY-SIX MAGAZINE<br />
1956magazine.ua.edu<br />
1956magazine<br />
1956magazine<br />
1956magazine
CULTURE<br />
CULTURE<br />
CULTURE<br />
CULTURE<br />
CULTURE<br />
CULTURE<br />
CULTURE<br />
CULTURE<br />
CULTURE<br />
CULTURE<br />
CULTURE<br />
CULTURE<br />
CULTURE
HBCU<br />
RACHEL PARKER<br />
LEGACY LEARNING<br />
A History of Alabama HBCUs<br />
Historically Black College or University (HBCU)<br />
holds many connections and meaning within<br />
the Black community when concerning<br />
uplifting and advancing Black people. According to<br />
the Higher Education Act of 1965, an HBCU is defined<br />
as, “any historically black college or university that<br />
was established prior to 1964, whose principal mission<br />
was, and is, the education of black Americans, and that<br />
is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting<br />
agency or association determined by the Secretary of<br />
Education.”<br />
When thinking of an HBCU, many may mention<br />
prominent ones such as: Howard University, Florida<br />
A&M University, or Hampton University. Though<br />
these institutions are influential, they are many more<br />
that hold their own special place amongst alumni and<br />
supporters.<br />
Specifically, within the state of Alabama there are<br />
15 HBCUs, the most of any state. These educational<br />
institutions are Talladega College, Alabama A&M<br />
University, Alabama State University, Stillman College,<br />
Bishop State Community College, Gadsden State<br />
Community College, Concordia College Alabama, H.<br />
Councill Trenholm State Technical College, J.F. Drake<br />
State Community and Technical College, Lawson<br />
State Community College-Birmingham, Miles College,<br />
Oakwood University, Selma University, Shelton State<br />
Community College, and Tuskegee University.<br />
Along with having the most HBCUs of any state, there<br />
are also notable alumni that have called these campuses<br />
home, such as Rosa Parks (Alabama State University),<br />
singer Lionel Ritchie and writer Ralph Ellison (Tuskegee<br />
University) and former Birmingham mayor Richard<br />
Arrington (Miles College).<br />
Along with the prestigious reputations are the storied<br />
history that connects and forms the story of resilience<br />
embedded into the makeup of Alabama HBCUs.<br />
In the aftermath of the Civil War, there were four<br />
million formerly enslaved people, with 440,000 in<br />
Alabama. Initially being forbidden to receive an<br />
education, with this new environment Black people’s<br />
yearning for education only continued to grow as they<br />
viewed education as a means of advancing themselves<br />
and others.<br />
With the help of the Freedman’s Bureau, an organization<br />
enacted by Congress to provide services and relief to the<br />
8
emancipated Blacks and refugees in<br />
Alabama along with other Confederate<br />
states, along with other black and white<br />
churches and missionary societies,<br />
they began to establish Black colleges<br />
that offered primary and secondary<br />
education.<br />
Even though the church was<br />
influential in establishing these Black<br />
colleges there were still a few with<br />
ulterior motives of converting to<br />
their specified brand of the Christian<br />
faith and viewing uneducated African<br />
Americans as “menace” to be rid of<br />
in society. Despite this Black colleges<br />
were given a boost in support with<br />
The Morrill Act of 1890, “stipulated<br />
that states practicing segregation in<br />
their public colleges and universities<br />
would forfeit federal funding unless<br />
they established agricultural and<br />
mechanical institutions for the black<br />
population.”<br />
From this the first colleges to be<br />
recipients of this funding were<br />
Alabama A&M University and Tuskegee<br />
Institute. Advancing these Black<br />
colleges began to play pivotal roles<br />
in the history and issues concerning<br />
Black people in their progression and<br />
protection as seen with Alabama State<br />
University.<br />
Alabama State University, located in<br />
Montgomery, AL, was established<br />
by nine former slaves, known as the<br />
“Marion Nine” in 1867. Their initial<br />
founding and goal of educating the<br />
Black community expanded beyond the<br />
campus with their involvement in the<br />
Civil Rights Movement, specifically the<br />
Montgomery Bus Boycott. Answering<br />
the call for participation, ASU students<br />
and employees showed their support<br />
through their involvement. Even<br />
with officials retaliating in anger<br />
by decreasing their funding, the<br />
university strived beyond this action<br />
and continues to thrive today.<br />
In addition to their civil rights roots,<br />
HBCUs also served a purpose of<br />
recognizing and establishing their<br />
identity in their first steps into<br />
adulthood as experienced by La-Kisha<br />
Emmanuel, a PhD History student at<br />
NYU, with a focus on U.S. History.<br />
Emmanuel spent her undergraduate<br />
years at Stillman College in Tuscaloosa,<br />
AL. From her time there it was an<br />
enlightening experience on subjects<br />
she hadn’t focused on before stating,<br />
“Because of it being a predominantly<br />
black campus it gave me things I didn’t<br />
realize I needed and gave me moments<br />
of reflection that I also needed.”<br />
Reflection that led to her wanting<br />
to pursue a PhD and with a focus on<br />
Black women. From a political science<br />
course discussing the culture of Brazil,<br />
highlighting the discrimination based<br />
off skin color and truly understanding<br />
the systematic and structural racism,<br />
allowed Emmanuel to reflect and draw<br />
the connections from then until now<br />
through her focus in History.<br />
“I needed to reflect on what I valued<br />
about black culture and what I valued<br />
about being around other black people<br />
and how diverse we can be within<br />
ourselves. It was coming from a place<br />
where sometimes you have to learn<br />
from other black people how to love<br />
yourself, and I think that’s why, even<br />
now, I chose history and chose to study<br />
black woman, because they teach me<br />
every time, I read something about<br />
them how to love myself a bit more,”<br />
states Emmanuel.<br />
Along with a history of activism and<br />
lessons in self-reflection, HBCUs also<br />
bring economic advantages. According<br />
to data from The United Negro<br />
College Fund, Alabama HBCUs have a<br />
total economic impact of $1.5 billion,<br />
including spending from the students<br />
along with faculty, academic programs,<br />
and employees. Also, the locations<br />
of these institutions play a vital role<br />
for their surrounding communities.<br />
Being placed in areas where economic<br />
growth has been stagnant, the financial<br />
work of HBCUs becomes beneficial in<br />
strengthening that economy.<br />
Furthermore, their influence spreads<br />
within and beyond the campus grounds<br />
with an increase in employment with<br />
a total of 15,062 local and regional<br />
jobs. Also, there is a 1.3 increase in<br />
public and private-sector employment<br />
because of HBCU spending, creating<br />
accommodations and an atmosphere<br />
that is appealing and enriching for<br />
faculty, students, and employees.<br />
Lastly, as HBCUs equip their students<br />
with educational and professional<br />
skills to excel, they receive financial<br />
benefits with an estimated $656,000<br />
additional income because of the<br />
college credential.<br />
From rocky beginnings, Alabama<br />
HBCUs have made a legacy of resilience<br />
and community that spans beyond<br />
their undergraduate and/or graduate<br />
studies. Through obstacles and<br />
milestones, these institutions have<br />
solidified their place in history and<br />
continue to make their own for future<br />
generations<br />
to come.<br />
9<br />
THE CAMPUS OF ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY,<br />
MONTGOMERY, AL - FOUNDED 1867
READ ISSUES ONLINE AT<br />
1956MAGAZINE.UA.EDU<br />
10
TA’KYLA BATES<br />
HY PWIs<br />
EED BLACK<br />
ROFESSORS<br />
11<br />
Ta’Kyla Bates<br />
Why PWIs Need Black Professors<br />
As students sit in an African<br />
American Literature class at<br />
8 am, “Humble” by Kendrick<br />
Lamar is playing in the background.<br />
“Tell me your top five poets, and they<br />
can be rappers,” Jeremiah Carter,<br />
African American Literature professor<br />
at the University of Alabama said.<br />
One of the few white students raises<br />
her hand, she names off her five,<br />
ending her list with Kanye.<br />
“Which Kanye?” Mr. Carter said.<br />
“West,” the girl said.<br />
The classroom erupts into laughs<br />
and headshakes. Carter looks around<br />
the classroom as the Black students<br />
continue to laugh in disbelief. A sense<br />
of unity is exhibited in those laughs.<br />
“Old Kanye or new Kanye?” a Black<br />
student turned and said to the girl.<br />
Giggling is still happening along with<br />
Carter snickering now. Of course, she<br />
says old Kanye, because just like Kanye<br />
we too, “miss the old Kanye.”<br />
When a Black student attends a<br />
historically Black college or university<br />
(HBCU) there is a certain sense of<br />
camaraderie that comes with taking<br />
classes there. Everyone looks like you,<br />
everyone has seen “Martin,” “Living<br />
Single” or “Girlfriends” more than just<br />
once. Female students don’t have to<br />
search too high or low for someone to<br />
braid their hair.<br />
That camaraderie becomes harder,<br />
but not impossible, to find at a<br />
predominantly white institution (PWI).<br />
Interactions like the one in Carter’s<br />
African American Literature class<br />
are important for Black students to<br />
experience. It gives them hope that<br />
they are not navigating this tricky<br />
time period known as “college” alone.<br />
It provides them with the hope that<br />
they may have the homegirls that mom<br />
talked about. Or that they will find<br />
a group of friends to head to Fresh<br />
Foods with.<br />
With so many Black students now<br />
attending a PWI, these interactions are<br />
more important now than ever to show<br />
younger Black students how they can<br />
exist in predominantly white spaces.<br />
According to Grand Valley State<br />
University, approximately 87.1% of<br />
undergraduate Black students attend<br />
a PWI, or a predominately white<br />
institution. As of the fall semester, the<br />
University’s Black student population<br />
is 12.69%. This is up 1.69% from the<br />
2020-2021 school year.<br />
On the other hand, 7.55% of the faculty<br />
and staff identified as Black in the<br />
Fall of 2020. So to do the math, that’s<br />
4,712 Black students having access to<br />
150 Black teachers at the start of the<br />
2020-2021 school year. This sounds<br />
reasonable, but these teachers aren’t<br />
necessarily the teachers Black students<br />
will have.<br />
When Black students in certain fields<br />
of study see teachers that look like<br />
them, it helps them want to achieve<br />
their goals even more.<br />
Specifically, looking at African<br />
American Literature classes, of the<br />
six classes offered here, two of those<br />
classes are taught by Black professors.<br />
Throughout school, textbooks<br />
involving African American History<br />
were written by white people. They<br />
were telling the stories of Black people<br />
experiencing slavery, the Harlem<br />
Renaissance, and the civil rights<br />
movement. Black stories are told at the<br />
expense of a white man’s pen.
There’s unity and community among<br />
Black people and there is a sense of<br />
familiarity for Black students seeing<br />
each other on campus. A sense that<br />
they are living somewhat of the same<br />
experience. Having Black professors<br />
teach about Black experiences makes<br />
a lecture class seem genuine. There is<br />
honesty and truth behind the readings,<br />
the discussions, the lectures, that seem<br />
more like an experience rather than an<br />
experiment. Black professors and Black<br />
students have an understanding of<br />
trust and mutual understanding, that<br />
they are fighting the same fight.<br />
“Black students fare better in<br />
traditionally white colleges and<br />
universities when they see professors<br />
with whom they can identify,” wrote<br />
Penelope J. Moore and Susan D.<br />
Toliver in “Intraracial Dynamics of<br />
Black Professors and Black Students’<br />
Communication in Traditionally White<br />
Colleges and Universities.”<br />
This sentiment is echoed by Keia Ervin,<br />
a sophomore at the University, who<br />
feels inspired seeing teachers that look<br />
like her.<br />
“It feels empowering to see a Black<br />
professor, especially if they have a<br />
doctorate degree. It allows me to see<br />
that I am able to work in the industry<br />
that I want to because my professor<br />
looks like me and she made it to where<br />
I want to go,” Ervin said.<br />
At the University, there are a multitude<br />
of organizations dedicated to Black<br />
students and other minority groups<br />
on campus. One in particular is the<br />
Black Faculty and Staff Association,<br />
established in the early 1970s. BFSA’s<br />
mission is “to serve as an advocate for<br />
educational equity, with emphasis on<br />
African American students and the<br />
professional needs of its members.”<br />
BFSA helps Black students have a<br />
place on campus to live and learn in an<br />
environment where they feel as though<br />
they have the same opportunity as<br />
other students on campus. In the fall of<br />
2015, BFSA created the Black Scholars<br />
Program that encourages Black<br />
students to join the University Honors<br />
College.<br />
“The mission of the Black Scholars<br />
Program is to provide an opportunity<br />
for African American and multicultural<br />
students who have excelled<br />
academically, to develop, prepare<br />
and gain entry into the University of<br />
Alabama Honors College and other<br />
leadership programs at UA,” said the<br />
BFSA.<br />
Freshman Francina Goode, a member<br />
of the African American Gospel Choir<br />
and BFSA Scholars, said that Black<br />
organizations at the University have<br />
given her “a sense of recognition.”<br />
“I can finally be myself in these<br />
organizations, which is something that<br />
I can’t do everywhere else. Being a part<br />
of BFSA is an achievement in which we<br />
will all be recognized,” Goode said.<br />
The University of Alabama builds<br />
on diversity, equity, and inclusion<br />
through events on campus such as<br />
ONYX or student-led organizations<br />
like the Black Student Union. There<br />
are communities where Black students<br />
can come together to celebrate their<br />
culture outside of the classroom. Yet,<br />
they should also be able to celebrate<br />
within the classroom.<br />
UNDERGRADUATE BLACK STUDENTS ATTEND<br />
A PREDOMINATELY WHITE INSTITUTION<br />
12<br />
12
IFESTYLE<br />
IFESTYLE<br />
IFESTYLE<br />
IFESTYLE<br />
IFESTYLE<br />
IFESTYLE<br />
IFESTYLE<br />
IFESTYLE<br />
IFESTYLE<br />
IFESTYLE<br />
IFESTYLE<br />
IFESTYLE<br />
IFESTYLE
SHAMIEL MOORE<br />
THE ORIGINATORS<br />
Fashion, music, dances, and<br />
hairstyles. These are trends<br />
that we see regularly that<br />
constantly change over time. Social<br />
media helps spread new and throwback<br />
trends. Yet, it is sometimes hard to<br />
track down where these popular<br />
trends come from. Often these trends<br />
originate from Black culture. Black<br />
creators set the standard for many<br />
things. Yet, the credit is rarely given to<br />
these innovators.<br />
TikTok has at least one million users<br />
everyday. They share content such as<br />
comedy skits, cooking videos, pranks,<br />
and music reviews. Dancing videos<br />
also generate a large amount of views<br />
and shares. The problem is, these<br />
dances are usually not made by the<br />
popular white users performing them<br />
and going viral. Rather, Black creators<br />
develop these dances only to have their<br />
content stolen from white users.<br />
“I think TikTok wouldn’t be so big<br />
if the Black culture did not inspire<br />
it with dances,” says senior human<br />
development major Natanya Vance.<br />
“At one point, Black influencers who<br />
danced went on a small strike to see<br />
how people would do when it came to<br />
not having a trend to follow, and it was<br />
terrible.”<br />
The problem does not just stem from<br />
non-Black influencers taking content.<br />
But also the fact that these non-Black<br />
influencers are also making a large<br />
profit off of Black content. Meanwhile,<br />
Black creators have to deal with lower<br />
views, account bans, and constant video<br />
reports on TikTok.<br />
Black people also created most fashion<br />
trends we see today. Baggy jeans,<br />
sneakers, and even large hoop earrings<br />
were made popular by Black people.<br />
“Protective styles, how Black people<br />
developed their own sense of style…<br />
baggy clothing wasn’t that prominent<br />
until [Black trendsetters such as]<br />
Kris Kross,” said Makayla Lucas, a<br />
sophomore biology major.<br />
A Creative at Work: Skai Beauty<br />
Being a creator on Tik Tok plays such a big role in the<br />
person I am today. Creating content, people duplicating it, or<br />
supporting it shows me that I can really do anything I put my<br />
mind to. I also think that as a Black creator, it really means<br />
you have to have confidence to really endure the struggles we<br />
have to experience.<br />
My most viral dance was “Captain Hook” by Megan Thee<br />
Stallion, and that was honestly such an empowering<br />
movement. To see celebrities doing my dance was bittersweet.<br />
Celebrities such as Ciara, who inspired me to dance as a child,<br />
were doing it. However, I knew there was a possibility none of<br />
these people knew who created it because I don’t believe I<br />
ever got the credit I deserved. I also created other dances<br />
such as “Crayola” by 9lokknine and “In the Party” by Flo Milli.<br />
Seeing my content being stolen constantly without credit<br />
from these bigger white creators was devastating. Knowing<br />
all the energy that I put into my creations that were being<br />
stolen and claimed as someone else’s was a big reason why I<br />
stopped creating for a while.<br />
It made my engagement go down and<br />
it really made me rethink if being a<br />
social media dance influencer was<br />
something I even really wanted to do.<br />
I understood the TikTok strike, but at<br />
the same time I felt like "why should<br />
we have to stop creating because<br />
people are stealing content?" Are we<br />
really letting these people silence us?<br />
The time I posted the dance to<br />
Megan Thee Stallion’s song “Thot<br />
Shit” I wasn’t even aware of the strike<br />
that was going on because I had<br />
been on a TikTok hiatus. However, I<br />
didn’t think the backlash made sense<br />
because either way the strike was<br />
about unity. But, I understood the<br />
logic behind it. It’s just that most<br />
people on the internet are copying<br />
what these Black creators are doing.<br />
I never want to be silenced about the<br />
work I’ve created or the stamp that<br />
I’ve left in the world.<br />
Story by “Skai Beauty”<br />
TikTok - @SKAIBEAUTY<br />
TikTok - @SHAKURMULLINGS<br />
14<br />
14
ASHLEE WOODS<br />
WE<br />
ADJUS<br />
DURIN<br />
When students across the<br />
country left campus for<br />
spring break in March<br />
2020, few expected to be inside their<br />
house for the next several months.<br />
But that’s exactly what happened.<br />
In a matter of a couple of months, the<br />
COVID-19 pandemic made its way to<br />
the United States. Life as we had known<br />
it changed. Classes were now held over<br />
Zoom. You could not hug, high-five,<br />
or even sit near anyone. Concerts,<br />
sporting events, and local festivals<br />
were canceled. Most students could not<br />
even return to their dorm to retrieve<br />
the things they left behind until well<br />
into the summer. Still, students were<br />
expected to finish the semester in the<br />
midst of a global crisis.<br />
A year later, the world is still fighting<br />
this pandemic. Several variants--- Delta<br />
and Lambda to name a couple--- have<br />
developed. However, people all over<br />
the United States are looking to go<br />
back to life before the pandemic. Some<br />
restaurants no longer require guests<br />
to wear masks. Many vaccinated people<br />
are dropping face coverings for a tiny<br />
ounce of freedom.<br />
Students have returned to Tuscaloosa<br />
in a bustling fashion as the University<br />
is fully operational for the fall. Many<br />
students are in their first in-person<br />
class since spring 2020. For some, this<br />
is their first time stepping onto the<br />
Quad, entering the Ferguson Student<br />
Center, or attending a football game at<br />
full capacity. Much like the rest of the<br />
country, the University has aimed to<br />
give students a slice of normalcy in this<br />
weird time.<br />
The state of Alabama is still feeling the<br />
effects of the pandemic. Currently, about<br />
39% of residents are fully vaccinated.<br />
50% of residents have received at least<br />
one dose of the vaccine. Although the<br />
current student vaccination rate is at<br />
58%, many students still feel uncertain<br />
about the abrupt return.<br />
“Returning to full operations on<br />
campus has been pretty challenging,<br />
especially since it has all happened<br />
so fast,” Leah Jones, a sophomore<br />
majoring in News Media said.<br />
“I have some personal struggles that<br />
also contributed to my behavior during<br />
my online classes. So, having to go from<br />
that to waking up early and putting in<br />
the effort to be on time for my commute<br />
to campus has been a struggle I am still<br />
working on. The decision to not change<br />
to online classes again despite the rise<br />
in COVID cases was also worrying,<br />
but it has been going better than I<br />
expected.”<br />
For many, a return to normal-like<br />
operations has been beneficial.<br />
15
OUTSIDE:<br />
TING BACK TO CAMPUS LIFE<br />
G COVID-19<br />
Students have been able to catch<br />
up with friends, leave an unhealthy<br />
environment, or continue the pursuit<br />
of their degree. The pandemic is<br />
nowhere near the end, but students<br />
have found having a group of likeminded<br />
people around them has been<br />
helpful.<br />
“I think it is nice and very beneficial to<br />
be able to be around people that can<br />
relate to your issues,” Jones said.<br />
“That is one negative thing about<br />
doing school online, it was very<br />
isolating. Most of us UA students did<br />
not sign up to attend school virtually<br />
from our rooms, so being able to be<br />
around people that can understand you<br />
is nice.”<br />
The pressure to perform under these<br />
tense circumstances still exists for<br />
Black students at the University. This<br />
return to normal life is just as big an<br />
adjustment as adjusting to COVID-19<br />
was. With this in mind, several student<br />
organizations are dedicated to helping<br />
students adjust to on-campus life<br />
during the pandemic.<br />
One of these organizations is My<br />
Mind Matters. The Black student-led<br />
organization was created in 2020 to<br />
help aid the mental health of minority<br />
students at the University.<br />
“My Mind Matters is dedicated to every<br />
Black and minority student at UA that<br />
felt like there isn’t a space for their<br />
experiences,” the organization wrote<br />
on their Twitter page. “We are centered<br />
around creating that space for us.”<br />
The organization has different events<br />
like yoga nights and mental health<br />
forums to facilitate discussions around<br />
important mental health issues. An<br />
organization like this is important to<br />
help students navigate this newfound<br />
freedom during the pandemic.<br />
Life is much different than it was at<br />
the start of 2020. The price of freedom<br />
now comes with a higher cost. A cost<br />
that many are not willing to pay.<br />
Many people still have not seen their<br />
family since 2019. Others will never see<br />
some family ever again. The residual<br />
struggles of COVID-19 still plague the<br />
Black community today.<br />
But, as situations look dire, minority<br />
students at the University are<br />
committed to creating a community<br />
that navigates these trying times<br />
together.<br />
16
FEATURES<br />
FEATURES<br />
FEATURES<br />
FEATURES<br />
FEATURES<br />
FEATURES<br />
FEATURES<br />
FEATURES<br />
FEATURES<br />
FEATURES<br />
FEATURES<br />
FEATURES<br />
FEATURES
JOLENCIA JONES<br />
BLACK<br />
ACTIVISTS<br />
Throughout the years,<br />
minorities have been<br />
fighting for change<br />
through various forms of activism.<br />
It is important to acknowledge those<br />
who stood up against inequality and<br />
aimed to create change for future<br />
generations. This timeline shows<br />
some of the key activism moments<br />
that defined the future.<br />
In 1955, Claudette Colvin refused to<br />
give up her seat on a Montgomery<br />
bus and was arrested. nine months<br />
later, Rosa Parks was also arrested<br />
for refusing to give up her seat. This<br />
led to the Montgomery Bus Boycott<br />
which lasted from December 1955 to<br />
December 1956. This brave behavior<br />
from these two women led to the<br />
U.S. Supreme Court prohibiting<br />
segregation on public transportation.<br />
One of the most prominent activists<br />
to date is Dr. Martin Luther King<br />
Jr. due to his contributions during<br />
the civil rights movement. King<br />
became the spokesperson during<br />
the Montgomery Bus Boycott. He<br />
also served as the president of the<br />
Southern Christian Leadership<br />
Conference which was created to<br />
promote nonviolent protests. In<br />
1963, he shook the world with his<br />
infamous “I Have A Dream” speech<br />
during the March on Washington. In<br />
1964, he was awarded the <strong>No</strong>bel Peace<br />
Prize.<br />
Before John Lewis served as a<br />
member of the United States House<br />
of Representatives for Georgia's 5th<br />
district, he started his activism as a<br />
college student in Nashville. Lewis<br />
became a member of the Nashville<br />
Student Movement, which organized<br />
multiple nonviolent sit-ins that<br />
eventually led to desegregation at<br />
lunch counters in the city. Within a<br />
few years, he became the chairman of<br />
the Student <strong>No</strong>nviolent Coordination<br />
Committee and became part of the<br />
“Big <strong>Six</strong>” which organized the March<br />
on Washington. In 1965, he led the first<br />
march from Selma to Montgomery<br />
which helped lead to voting rights for<br />
African Americans.<br />
Marsha P. Johnson was a LGBTQ activist<br />
that led a gay libertation movement. In<br />
1970, Johnson created an organization<br />
that would provide housing and food<br />
to transgender youth and marched in<br />
the first gay pride parade in New York.<br />
Johnson was also an AIDS activist<br />
through the organization AIDS<br />
Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP).<br />
This group focuses on finding ways to<br />
acknowledge and end the HIV/AIDS<br />
epidemic.<br />
Tarana Burke has been very active<br />
in recent years behind the scenes<br />
fighting for women. In 2006, she<br />
founded the #MeToo movement. This<br />
movement is more than a hashtag as<br />
it highlights women sharing stories<br />
of sexual assault. Through this<br />
movement, many women found a voice<br />
for themselves and a support system.<br />
In 2017, she became one of Time<br />
magazine’s Person of the Year.<br />
Over the years, the Black Lives Matter<br />
movement has sparked controversy<br />
simply because of its name. This<br />
movement was founded by Patrisse<br />
Cullors, Alicia Garza, and Opal Tometi<br />
in 2013 after the death of Trayvon<br />
Martin. The name is a reminder that<br />
Black lives deserve respect and justice<br />
at all times.<br />
All of these activists have made an<br />
impact on the country and even the<br />
world. Their courageous behavior<br />
affects the way people live their lives<br />
to this day. It’s never too late to stand<br />
up for what’s right and change the<br />
world.<br />
18
RACHEL PARKER<br />
Influential figures within the Black community<br />
such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Mary<br />
McLeod Bethune, and our current Madame<br />
Vice President Kamala Harris all have one thing in<br />
common. They are each members of historically<br />
Black Greek letter organizations.<br />
These Black Greek organizations are composed<br />
of four sororities and five fraternities listed<br />
as Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Alpha<br />
Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Delta Sigma Theta<br />
Sorority, Inc., Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.,<br />
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., Zeta Phi Beta<br />
Sorority, Inc., Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.,<br />
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., and Iota Phi Theta<br />
Fraternity, Inc.<br />
The collection of these nine organizations<br />
were named the Divine Nine and are under the<br />
governing body of the National Pan-Hellenic<br />
Council (NPHC). Although each organization has<br />
their own individual identifiers that each member<br />
exemplifies, they all share a common ground in the<br />
origins and mission towards the Black community.<br />
Founded in 1908 on the campus of Howard<br />
University, nine college women formed the<br />
organization, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.<br />
Dreamed up by Howard University student Ethel<br />
Hedgeman, she envisioned a group of like-minded<br />
women coming together and utilizing their talents<br />
to uplift and strengthen their communities.<br />
During this time, AKAs began making strides<br />
in advocating for the Black community through<br />
various ventures such as pushing for antilynching<br />
legislation, promoting investments in<br />
Black businesses with the AKA Investment Fund,<br />
and focusing on enriching the academic and life<br />
skills of high school students with the ASCEND<br />
program.<br />
Each of these ventures showcased the dedication<br />
envisioned by Hedgeman by continuing to serve<br />
19<br />
19
the Black community with the involvement of<br />
dedicated Black women. The reach of Alpha<br />
Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. expands across<br />
careers and globally as members influence<br />
others in their work and demeanor.<br />
“They were very well put together,<br />
very well spoken,” said Tanya Brown,<br />
a member of the Omicron Omega<br />
graduate chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha<br />
Sorority, Inc. “They were people who<br />
were very influential in our communities<br />
and they were always giving back.”<br />
Seeing this representation was influential<br />
for Brown who’s mother advocated for civil<br />
rights. Brown’s older brother also reinforced<br />
the values of the Divine Nine as a member of<br />
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.<br />
Brown also noticed these exemplary attributes<br />
in teachers she looked up to in middle school<br />
and high school. She noticed the common trait<br />
these teachers shared was that they all were<br />
AKAs. This is one of the things that initially<br />
sparked her interest in the sorority. After her<br />
initial observations and research, she knew<br />
that becoming a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha<br />
Sorority, Inc. would be a good fit for her. Although<br />
she is an AKA, Brown still views all Divine Nine<br />
organizations as interconnected.<br />
“It’s like a family,” Brown said. “We have the<br />
same parents and same genealogy, we're just<br />
uniquely different.”<br />
In addition to the exceptional qualities she noticed<br />
in her middle school and high school teachers,<br />
service was also another influence for Brown. The<br />
work that AKAs do within their communities has<br />
a purpose that is bigger than themselves.<br />
“You feel good about yourself and who you are in<br />
understanding that there's a bigger purpose to<br />
20<br />
20
“The reason I chose my fraternity<br />
is because I knew it was the best<br />
choice for me and my mission of<br />
futhering the community. <strong>No</strong>t<br />
only is my organization a complete<br />
powerhouse, but it also never fails<br />
to equip me with tools that I need<br />
to grow.”<br />
Yechiel Peterson<br />
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.<br />
Kappa Alpha Chapter<br />
“I joined for the endless<br />
opportunities for me to grow as an<br />
individual and to better serve my<br />
community. Being a part of a Greeklettered<br />
organization has also given<br />
me the opportunity to serve in<br />
leadership roles on campus.”<br />
Leecora Rodgers<br />
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.<br />
Iota Eta Chapter<br />
“I joined Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity,<br />
Inc. because it offered me a chance<br />
to grow as a person. My involvement<br />
in the community, mentoring youth<br />
and providing service to the less<br />
fortunate is what has ultimately<br />
helped with my growth.”<br />
Fa’Marion Mobley<br />
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc.<br />
Theta Delta Chapter<br />
“I joined Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity<br />
Inc. as it was a lifelong goal for<br />
me. It has brought me into contact<br />
with lifelong brothers and allies.<br />
It has also allowed me to create<br />
countless memories during my time<br />
at the Capstone which I will always<br />
cherish.”<br />
Bradley Coats<br />
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc.<br />
Eta Chi Chapter<br />
“I joined because I recognized the<br />
members of the fraternity were men<br />
of distinction who valued friendship,<br />
manhood, and perseverance; these<br />
things are similar to what my own<br />
father raised me on. <strong>No</strong>w I have<br />
brothers and friends for life who<br />
share similar aspirations and morals<br />
as myself.”<br />
Booker Pitts IV<br />
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc.<br />
Beta Eta Chapter<br />
“The best part of joining my<br />
organization would be gaining<br />
new friends, being able to serve my<br />
community, and having these sisters<br />
and memories for life.”<br />
Morgan McCall<br />
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.<br />
Theta Sigma Chapter<br />
“I chose to join because I value my<br />
organization’s three basic principles:<br />
Sisterhood, Scholarship, and<br />
Service. Growing up, I had a chance<br />
to witness amazing women in my<br />
life implement these principles<br />
within this organization and I knew<br />
that I wanted to be a part of making<br />
a similar contribution.”<br />
Ashleigh Hartnett<br />
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.<br />
Lambda Zeta Chapter<br />
“I knew that I would be joining an<br />
organization full of hardworking,<br />
unique women who would push me<br />
to be the best version of myself.<br />
Being in this organization has<br />
helped me grow as a leader, and has<br />
given me more opportunities to<br />
serve my community.”<br />
Aysia Washington<br />
Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.<br />
Zeta Chi Chapter<br />
21<br />
21
life when you're doing those things, and how that<br />
expands across more than just you,” Brown said.<br />
Further aligning with the desire to serve is<br />
the organization Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity,<br />
Inc. Alpha Phi Alpha, as the first Greek-letter<br />
fraternity created for African Americans, was<br />
founded in 1906 at Cornell University in Ithaca,<br />
NY. Initially utilized as a study and support group<br />
for members who experienced racial prejudice,<br />
the organization grew in their mission to uplift<br />
the community.<br />
Alpha Phi Alpha’s service and character were what<br />
initially drew professor Jeremiah Carter to join<br />
the organization. Joining the graduate chapter,<br />
Delta Epsilon Lambda of Alpha Phi Alpha, Carter<br />
viewed his involvement in the organization as a<br />
part of a bigger picture.<br />
“I wanted to play my part in feeding and giving<br />
knowledge and also constantly being in the<br />
position to… help my community. I just really kind<br />
of saw Alpha Phi Alpha as a part of me playing my<br />
part,” Carter said.<br />
The commitment to serving the community is what<br />
Carter noticed from the men he interacted with<br />
that were members of Alpha Phi Alpha. Whether<br />
educators or ministers, their communication and<br />
treatment towards others was admirable and<br />
reflective of Alpha Phi Alpha’s core principles of<br />
fellowship and good character. This was shown<br />
through one of their community service ventures,<br />
Lights of Alpha, where the members spent time<br />
with young men by guiding them and discussing<br />
life lessons.<br />
Another member of the Divine Nine spoke about<br />
her experiences and the importance of service.<br />
Felicia Lewis, a retired educator, is a member of<br />
the Lambda Zeta chapter of Delta Sigma Theta<br />
Sorority, Inc. Lewis was the first in her family to<br />
join a Greek-letter organization. Just like Brown,<br />
influential educators whom she admired were all<br />
members of Delta Sigma Theta. This led her to<br />
research the organization and ultimately become<br />
a member. Lewis proudly wears the letters of her<br />
organization and emphasizes they are a family.<br />
“I went from having two sisters to hundreds at<br />
that point and now thousands,” Lewis said. “I feel<br />
like being a part of this organization, I'm never a<br />
stranger anywhere that I might go.”<br />
During her time at the University of Alabama,<br />
Lewis accomplished her goal in becoming a<br />
member of Delta Sigma Theta. She felt the<br />
organization was the best fit for her and also built<br />
upon her personal goals to help others.<br />
“Serving others and helping in the community<br />
has always been my lifelong goal and to become a<br />
part of Delta Sigma Theta, where that was already<br />
taken place, I figured it was a good fit for me.<br />
Because I could continue to do what was in my<br />
heart to do,” Lewis said.<br />
Lewis said the service was the most important<br />
part for her. This connects with the initial values<br />
of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Established in<br />
1913 on the campus of Howard University, Delta<br />
Sigma Theta was founded by 22 women who<br />
were originally members of Alpha Kappa Alpha<br />
Sorority, Inc. Due to differing views, the 22 women<br />
left to form their own organization, Delta Sigma<br />
Theta Sorority, Inc.<br />
The members of Delta Sigma Theta have served<br />
in the National Library Project, opened a<br />
Mission Hospital in Kenya, and furthered career<br />
development for Black women.<br />
“If you have a heart and mind to give your time<br />
and talents, then this is probably where you want<br />
to be, but it's got to be in your heart,” Lewis said.<br />
From talking with three members of the Divine<br />
Nine, the resounding message is clear. They are<br />
dedicated to serving the community among so<br />
many other honorable things.<br />
“Everybody comes for a different reason, but we<br />
all stay for the same reason,” Carter said.<br />
That reason is shown through the unique<br />
actions of each organization and the common<br />
goal of service. The Divine Nine’s commitment<br />
to honoring the unique values of each of their<br />
founders helps each organization thrive.<br />
Photography by Tyler Hogan<br />
22<br />
22
JEFFERY KELLEY<br />
THROUGH<br />
THE DOORS:<br />
A NEW TRADITION<br />
On Sunday, September 19, UA’s Black Alumni Association<br />
held their first annual “Through the Doors” welcome<br />
pinning ceremony for the University’s new Black<br />
freshman class members.<br />
The students, their parents and alumni gathered in the<br />
ballroom of the University of Alabama’s Student Center<br />
as the African American Gospel choir opened the event<br />
with a performance of “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”<br />
After the song, Ocie Fulford, the Black Alumni<br />
Association's parliamentarian, took the stage to begin<br />
the ceremony.<br />
“Today, we recognize the progress we have made since<br />
the historical moment 58 years ago when Vivian Malone-<br />
Jones and James Hood began their own journeys at the<br />
Capstone,” Fulford said. “We honor their endurance and<br />
perseverance, and we celebrate the achievements of all<br />
our Black students and alumni since.”<br />
The crowd applauded as he spoke, punctuating the<br />
sentiment of his welcome.<br />
The ceremony continued with other speakers, Dr.<br />
Christine Taylor, vice president and associate provost for<br />
the UA Division of DEI, Stacey Hill, a previous president<br />
of the Black Alumni Association and Derek Cunningham,<br />
the current president of the Black Alumni Association.<br />
They spoke to the students about the importance of<br />
their place at the University, the history that has been<br />
made and their futures while offering kind words of<br />
encouragement.<br />
Then Monica Jones, Vivian Malone-Jones’s daughter, led<br />
the pinning ceremony.<br />
The ceremony closed with Tionna Taite, <strong>Nineteen</strong> <strong>Fifty</strong>-<br />
<strong>Six</strong>’s editor in chief, giving the freshmen a call to action.<br />
“It’s all about the finish line and the fact that you stay<br />
focused to accomplish your goals,” Taite said. “Don’t<br />
let anyone cause you to get off track by dissuading you.<br />
Because, they don’t know what your journey will entail.”<br />
“Finally, it’s with great hope and anticipation of success<br />
that we welcome the class of 2025 here at the Capstone,”<br />
Fulford said.<br />
Photography by David Walton, UA Division of Student Life<br />
23<br />
23
1956 PHOTOGRAPHY + DESIGN<br />
ONYX RECAP<br />
As the sun began to fall on Friday, August 20th, 2021,<br />
ONYX was in session. These ladies posed at the<br />
Student Center, excited for the upcoming festivities.<br />
These friends and many other students gathered to engage,<br />
enjoy free food, giveaways, performances, and discover ways to<br />
get involved with minority student organizations.<br />
NPHC and the Black Student Union organized performances for attendees to enjoy.<br />
This created for a lively experience for the students and organizers.<br />
The excitement of the night created a sense of community<br />
among minority students and allowed them to see all that the<br />
University of Alabama had to offer them. This annual event is a<br />
staple for students and will be for the foreseeable future. It is<br />
so great to be back outside.<br />
Photography by Tyler Hogan and Madison Carmouche for <strong>Nineteen</strong> <strong>Fifty</strong>-<strong>Six</strong> Magazine<br />
24
EXPERIENCES<br />
EXPERIENCES<br />
EXPERIENCES<br />
EXPERIENCES<br />
EXPERIENCES<br />
EXPERIENCES<br />
EXPERIENCES<br />
EXPERIENCES<br />
EXPERIENCES<br />
EXPERIENCES<br />
EXPERIENCES<br />
EXPERIENCES<br />
EXPERIENCES
MALEA BENJAMIN<br />
OVERCOMING THE NEED TO<br />
CONFORM TO WHITENESS<br />
Navigating life as a Black<br />
student at a predominately<br />
white institution (PWI)<br />
can be extremely intimidating.<br />
Generally walking around campus<br />
may seem daunting, but what stands<br />
out the most are the statistics. The<br />
Office of Institutional Research and<br />
Assessment collected data for the race<br />
and ethnicity of students on campus.<br />
In Fall 2020, 75.09% of the student<br />
population was reported to be white<br />
whereas only 10.95% of the student<br />
population was reported to be Black<br />
students. Even more alarmingly,<br />
Black students made up only 2.7%<br />
of the Honors College in 2020.<br />
Those who come to the University<br />
of Alabama from a high school that<br />
is predominantly white might know<br />
some of what to expect. However,<br />
that doesn’t mean it gets any easier.<br />
For students who come from more<br />
diverse high schools, attending a PWI<br />
may be more of a culture shock than<br />
it was for others.<br />
Regardless of background, how does<br />
one know how to navigate a space<br />
like this? Looking around and seeing<br />
major leadership positions on campus<br />
primarily occupied by white students<br />
can be discouraging, especially as<br />
a freshman. This often leads eager<br />
Black students on a search to figure<br />
out how best to fit in. How should<br />
I talk? Do I straighten my hair to<br />
seem more presentable or do I leave<br />
it natural? Who should I surround<br />
myself with? These are all questions<br />
that many Black students have to<br />
answer when trying to create their<br />
UA success story.<br />
Jayda Russell, a senior majoring in<br />
news media, said that although she<br />
did not experience much change<br />
in demographic environment, the<br />
experience was different as a Black<br />
student.<br />
“Luckily, a lot of [predominately<br />
white] spaces were welcoming but,<br />
sometimes you still do feel out of<br />
place as a Black student on campus<br />
even though there are a few Black<br />
spaces to feel welcome,” said Russell.<br />
Russell then went on to describe her<br />
experiences being a Black woman in<br />
her classes when racial discussions<br />
take place. She said there were often<br />
moments when there was some<br />
pressure regarding racial discussions<br />
in the classroom, especially in history<br />
classes. She said she was once one of<br />
five Black students in the class and<br />
there was a book about an enslaved<br />
person’s life.<br />
“I felt like I had to speak just because<br />
of my heritage. But, [when] I didn’t<br />
this prompted all the students in the<br />
room to look in my direction when<br />
the discussion questions were asked,”<br />
said Russell. “It’s a lot of pressure<br />
similar to this, but I’m able to keep<br />
pushing.”<br />
Students from schools that are more<br />
diverse experience a different type<br />
of culture shock. Cameron Butler, a<br />
freshman majoring in architectural<br />
engineering, has only been on<br />
campus for a month. Yet, he already<br />
has had social experiences on campus<br />
that felt awkward and discouraging<br />
as a Black student.<br />
“I feel like I have had a hard time<br />
interacting [with white students],”<br />
said Butler. “Sometimes, I’m the only<br />
Black kid in certain classes, which<br />
makes me feel like I’m the odd one<br />
out.”<br />
Butler then goes on to add that some<br />
of the programs designed specifically<br />
for diverse students, don’t always<br />
do enough. “Although there are<br />
programs, events and organizations<br />
like BRIDGE, ONYX, BSU, and NSBE,<br />
I still feel like there are other things<br />
that are heavily populated with white<br />
students like SGA which I feel like it’s<br />
harder for me to get in.”<br />
For older students who have had<br />
various experiences on campus, the<br />
feeling does not get better with time.<br />
Breanna Jordan is a senior majoring<br />
in criminal justice and english.<br />
“Since I was a student in a majority<br />
Black high school, I quickly learned<br />
that code switching would be one of<br />
the most useful habits,” said Jordan.<br />
“Even now, I have two different racial<br />
friend groups, and I code switch<br />
between the two of them.”<br />
Black students have to make<br />
extra strides just to fit in at<br />
the University of Alabama.<br />
Although the struggles may<br />
remain, these students<br />
overcome the need to<br />
conform to whiteness.<br />
Photography by Madison Carmouche<br />
26
TIONNA<br />
BLACK STUDENT<br />
FACE BARRIERS AF<br />
During her first year of medical<br />
school, University of South Alabama<br />
student Tiara Dean notices that<br />
there are only 11 Black students out<br />
of 74 students in her entire doctor of<br />
medicine program.<br />
This is the largest class of Black<br />
students the University of South<br />
Alabama College of Medicine has<br />
ever had. At that moment, Dean is<br />
reminded of how far is still left to go<br />
for Black students across America.<br />
Black students are disproportionately<br />
underrepresented in graduate school,<br />
according to a report by the Council<br />
of Graduate Schools. The problem<br />
results in barriers for Black students,<br />
including a lack of resources, classes<br />
that are not racially diverse and a<br />
shortage of mentors.<br />
After receiving a bachelor’s degree,<br />
Black students who continue their<br />
education at a predominantly<br />
white institution will likely face<br />
unique barriers due to a lack of<br />
representation.<br />
From 1971 to 1986, the amount of Black<br />
faculty decreased from 8.1% to 6.9%<br />
and continued to decrease into the<br />
21st century, according to a report in<br />
the Journal of Negro Education. The<br />
lack of Black faculty representation<br />
causes Black students to feel excluded<br />
at predominantly white institutions<br />
and negatively impacts retention<br />
rates, according to a report by the<br />
Association of American Colleges &<br />
Universities.<br />
Clayton State University student<br />
Mercedes Pleasant is pursuing<br />
a master’s degree in strategic<br />
communications. Clayton State<br />
University has a diverse student<br />
body with 62% Black students; yet,<br />
Pleasant said minority students still<br />
experience barriers.<br />
Pleasant would like her university<br />
to provide more free mental health<br />
resources for minority students.<br />
“Many minority students battle<br />
silent mental health battles<br />
because it is typically stigmatized<br />
in our community,” Pleasant said.<br />
“Proper mental health education<br />
and awareness could help minority<br />
students cope with some of the issues<br />
we face in higher education.”<br />
Rachel Parker, a doctoral student at<br />
the University of Alabama, shares<br />
one of the biggest barriers she<br />
experiences is impostor syndrome.<br />
She says mentorship programs are<br />
one of the resources she uses to<br />
overcome this barrier.<br />
27 27
TAITE<br />
S CONTINUE TO<br />
TER GRADUATION<br />
“The Tide Together Graduate<br />
Mentor Program has been a really<br />
big help in finding like-minded<br />
students along with academic and<br />
personal encouragement,” Parker<br />
said. “I would like more mentorship<br />
opportunities that focus on career<br />
navigation for minority and firstgeneration<br />
students.”<br />
The COVID-19 pandemic also poses<br />
additional challenges for minority<br />
students pursuing higher education.<br />
Although she will be a second-year<br />
student in the fall, Dean said she<br />
did not have many opportunities to<br />
connect with her classmates.<br />
“A strong relationship with my peers<br />
is something that definitely could<br />
have helped me adjust to being in a<br />
new and challenging environment,”<br />
Dean said.<br />
Pleasant said the pandemic was<br />
stressful for her both mentally<br />
and physically. “I caught COVID in<br />
December and was removed from a<br />
course because my professor thought<br />
I was inactive,” Pleasant said. “I was<br />
really on bedrest for two weeks.”<br />
Many students agreed there are a<br />
few tips they wish they knew before<br />
beginning their journey after<br />
undergraduate.<br />
“It’s okay to not be at the top of<br />
your class. At the graduate level, the<br />
competition is so much tougher,”<br />
Dean said. “Don’t be afraid to sacrifice<br />
that top spot for more rest, fun and<br />
relaxation.”<br />
Parker wishes she realized sooner<br />
that there is more than one way to<br />
effectively study. She also emphasizes<br />
the importance of “managing time<br />
for reading and writing research<br />
papers in order to properly cite and<br />
flesh out ideas.”<br />
Pleasant was not aware of the huge<br />
commitment graduate school is<br />
compared to undergraduate school.<br />
“I wish I would have known the time<br />
and dedication it takes to actually<br />
obtain a master’s degree,” Pleasant<br />
said. “Juggling adulthood, working<br />
and being a full-time student can be<br />
stressful but rewarding.”<br />
Through offering insight and sharing<br />
their unique experiences, Black<br />
students are starting a conversation<br />
to eliminate future educational<br />
barriers by calling for more resources<br />
and racial diversity.<br />
28
LEAH JONES<br />
THE EFFECTS OF<br />
Insitutional Rascism<br />
Institutional racism is a term we<br />
have been hearing in today's<br />
political climate more than<br />
ever over the span of the last few<br />
years. However, many people do not<br />
know what it is and how it affects<br />
Black Americans to this day. This is<br />
mainly because institutional racism<br />
has a long, complicated history that<br />
American school systems have not<br />
even scratched the surface on. Black<br />
Americans have consequently been<br />
left with the burden of learning this<br />
history by ourselves and teaching it<br />
to others.<br />
According to “What Racism Looks<br />
Like: An Infographic” by the Frank<br />
Porter Graham Child Development<br />
Institute at the University of <strong>No</strong>rth<br />
Carolina at Chapel Hill. Institutional<br />
racism is “distinguished from the<br />
explicit attitudes or racial bias<br />
of individuals by the existence of<br />
systematic policies or laws and<br />
practices that provide differential<br />
access to goods, services and<br />
opportunities of society by race.”<br />
In other words, rules and regulations<br />
within an institution like<br />
governments, schools, and hospitals<br />
allow discrimination to take place<br />
against a certain racial group.<br />
Black Americans are victims of<br />
institutional racism through a variety<br />
of practices. One common practice<br />
is redlining. Redlining occurs when<br />
communities of color are specifically<br />
targeted and denied financial services,<br />
medical services, and other types of<br />
services. Redlining made obtaining<br />
a mortgage especially difficult for<br />
Black Americans, as it was used to<br />
deem Black neighborhoods unfit by<br />
government organizations like Home<br />
Owners Loan Corporation.<br />
“Today, approximately 3 in 4<br />
neighborhoods—74%—that the<br />
HOLC deemed ‘hazardous’ in the<br />
1930s remain low to moderate<br />
income, and more than 60% are<br />
predominantly nonwhite,” Danyelle<br />
Solomon of the Center for American<br />
Progress said.<br />
Black Americans are victims of<br />
institutional racism through<br />
other practices like displacement<br />
and occupational segregation.<br />
Displacement causes already<br />
disadvantaged communities to be<br />
forced out due to gentrification.<br />
Occupational segregation results in<br />
Black Americans experiencing effects<br />
such as workplace discrimination.<br />
The broad term that is institutional<br />
racism is hard to understand in<br />
our society because it is not taught<br />
in schools. In fact, inadequate<br />
education is one of the ways we<br />
29 29
are most impacted by this form of<br />
racism. Redlining and displacement<br />
force a disproportionate amount of<br />
Black children into lower income<br />
areas. These areas typically have<br />
underfunded schools that cannot<br />
afford to pay for many of the necessary<br />
resources students need. These<br />
resources include qualified teachers,<br />
college prep, school supplies, and so<br />
much more.<br />
“More than 35% of public school<br />
revenue comes from property taxes<br />
that favor and stabilize funding<br />
in wealthier areas, while other<br />
communities must rely on more<br />
volatile state revenues. This is one<br />
reason why predominantly nonwhite<br />
school districts across the country<br />
annually receive $23 billion less<br />
than their predominantly white<br />
counterparts,” Roby Chatterji of the<br />
Center for American Progress said.<br />
However, society as a whole faces the<br />
consequences of institutional racism<br />
in education, as the topic is almost<br />
completely absent from public school<br />
curriculum.<br />
Public schools usually cover— or<br />
gloss over— the entire history of<br />
racism and Black history in sparse,<br />
often rushed, chapters.<br />
“<strong>No</strong>t just Black people need to learn<br />
about [racism]. Teaching it in schools<br />
validates it because [most students]<br />
see what is taught in school as<br />
important,” Jones said.<br />
It is overwhelming to know such<br />
a complex history affects every<br />
outcome in our lives as Black<br />
Americans. As we walk around the<br />
University of Alabama, the effects of<br />
racism are present in the mere 10.95%<br />
of Black students. It is present in the<br />
campus buildings with new names<br />
that were recently changed due to<br />
backlash from the previous building<br />
name’s racist history. It is present<br />
in the neighborhoods that our<br />
families grew up in that are slowly<br />
disappearing as new, modern homes<br />
are being built in them as an effort to<br />
‘revamp’ the city.<br />
It is unfortunate that Black<br />
students are left with the<br />
responsibility to not only educate<br />
non-Black people on the history and<br />
effects of institutional racism, but<br />
also live through it. It is now the<br />
duty of society to right the wrongs<br />
that have been occurring throughout<br />
history for through reform. And<br />
there is no better place for it to start<br />
than the education system.<br />
“I did not really learn anything about<br />
the specifics of institutional racism<br />
besides that it happened. Schools<br />
do not really go past segregation or<br />
really define discrimination,” Layla<br />
Jones, a junior at the University of<br />
Alabama said.<br />
Teaching racism as if it is an issue<br />
that was resolved in the past has led<br />
students to be misguided on what<br />
Black Americans experience in the<br />
past and present. Public schools are<br />
directly contributing to non-Black<br />
people denying the current existence<br />
of racism.<br />
30
1956MAGAZINE