Nineteen Fifty-Six Vol. 4 Issue 1

Moving Beyond the Debate:
Why the PWI vs HBCU Argument is No Longer Productive
Jordan Huggins
The ongoing debate of whether Black students
should attend predominately white institutions
or historically Black colleges and institutions
has gone on far too long. While it’s without question
that attending an HBCU can be a vital part of the Black
experience, the argument in itself is just tired.
HBCUs were founded because of a systemic exclusion of
Black students from colleges in general and have played
a very important role in Black education from the 19th
century till now: But as time has progressed the need for
diversity within PWIs has been critical to the development
of Black education as well.
Deciding which college to attend is one of the most
important choices someone can make in their life. It has
the potential to make or break someone’s future. More
importantly, it cultivates the experience one would have
while in college. Students are tasked with choosing
somewhere they feel will help them develop into the
person they want to be.
As a Black student, it can be daunting choosing to attend
a PWI. It is common to be the only Black peer in your
class or organization. Having to walk down halls that
Black students were barred from mere decades ago is not
an easy thing to digest. We walk down streets, study in
buildings, and patronize a system that was built by our
enslaved ancestors. In some cases, it can cause cognitive
dissonance, as attending and supporting an institution
with a history of violence and hate towards the Black
community.
From the outside, the choice is simple: if you’re Black and
socially conscious, an HBCU is the place for you. HBCUs are
a place where being Black is the norm, there’s no worry of
being the only Black student in your class, there’s a built-in
community of Black people that doesn’t necessarily exist
at PWIs. However, there are many other factors that play
into it including location, family tradition and money. The
cost of attendance is the number one factor that affects
college decisions.
Briana Jackson, a junior majoring in public relations said
that her first choice was an HBCU.
“Of course, I had dreams of attending an HBCU, but UA was
the smartest decision,” Jackson said. With the scholarships
the University provided her, Jackson will graduate with as
little to no debt.
At its foundation, the debate asserts that choosing a
PWI is a departure from the Black community. However,
Black community can be found on any campus. At an
HBCU, it’s automatic, but one must seek it out at a PWI.
Nevertheless, it’s there. It can be found through Black
Student Unions, Divine 9 Greek Organizations and other
Black organizations that are geared toward Black students.
There are pros and cons to attending an HBCU or PWI. It
is up to the individual to decide which place can provide
the best circumstances for their future. The debate only
further divides the Black community. A Black person
seeking education should be celebrated, no matter where
they choose to attend. By focusing on a more productive
conversations such as finding ways to address systemic
issues that prevent Black students form even accessing
higher education rather than focusing on where they go.
The community will only grow stronger as we set aside
these trivial discourses and uplift one another.
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