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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.

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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

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