By Mike Mosley
As October rolls around, we are nearing a very popular time in the African-American community — homecoming season. From Howard to FAMU to Spelman and Morehouse, it’s consistently been known as one of the most epic experiences for HBCU students, alum and visitors. But what happens during these weekend celebrations isn’t always the case for the remainder of the school year.
For nearly 200 hundred years, HBCUs have been a mainstay in the African-American community, providing educational opportunities when blacks were banned from attending predominately white institutions (PWIs).
But attending homecoming festivities every year without providing any financial contributions to one’s alma mater is the equivalent to buying a plant and refusing to water it. There’s a lot piling on top, but one can’t ignore some of the failing infrastructures of HBCUs — evidenced by several closures over the years — and if we don’t soon do something about it, we could eventually see them collapse.
It’s why Sean “Diddy” Combs’ recent $1 million donation to Howard University was so important. To be more specific, the donation was designed to specifically reach “anybody that can’t pay off his or her financial aid.” That’s a really popular move.
When someone of that celebratory status makes this kind of statement, it reminds us that we can make a difference within our own communities by retaining our own wealth. But we need more celebrities to step up to the challenge. Or equally as important — anybody who’s been a fan of, borrowed from or finds themselves immersed in black culture.
Despite many challenges, enrollment continues to increase at many HBCUs. HBCU Digest reports an enrollment increase in as many as 9 HBCUs, including South Carolina State University, where enrollment is up by 40 percent and Harris Stowe State University, which just welcomed its largest freshman class in school history.
Whether you or your kids decide to attend an HBCU or not, they’re the solution to many of the challenges our communities are facing. Education is a major pillar towards economic wealth and restoration in African-American communities. Attend an HBCU, graduate, get hired by those within your community, donate, start businesses in our communities, rebuild our local school systems that are often underfunded and neglected. Eventually, we will develop a system of restoration. And although I’m aware this has been done before with Black Wall Street, nearly 100 years later, we must rebuild.
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