Chapter 6: Civic Engagement and Critical Consciousness: Culture and Traditions of Liberal Arts Education

The rich and storied history of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) is a testament to their past and contemporary relevance in American higher education. Amid relentless discriminatory practices around access and equitable funding to higher education for Blacks, HBCUs have remained steadfast in their mission to educate and develop a continual cohort of influential leaders in the arenas of education, science, medicine, law, and politics.

The list of the Black intelligentsia, who promote racial uplift and collective advancement is seemingly endless. Arguably, the feats among HBCUs are remarkable. Nonetheless, critics of this institution type have constructed a narrative that describes them as “academic disaster areas” with a sub-par education and second-rate faculty (Jencks & Riesman, 1967, p. 19).