HBCU presidents telling counter narratives about HBCUs

What is it about?

This study presents narratives that counter persistent and pervasive deficit-centric depictions of HBCUs. These counter-narratives told by HBCU presidents illuminate the contributions and assets of HBCUs in three key areas: (1) Black leadership development for an increasingly diverse U.S. populace, (2) serving low-income students, (3) serving students who have been marginalized in prior academic environments. Seven presidents governing HBCUs that differ on a number of dimensions (e.g., enrollment, funding) are interviewed for this study.

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Photo by Jehyun Sung on Unsplash

Photo by Jehyun Sung on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Despite their significant contribution to American society, HBCUs are often marginalized, misrepresented, and silenced in the current higher education policy context. The voices of HBCU presidents illuminated in this study allow us to give these institutions the attention they deserve and formulate meaningful policy implications. This study suggests that HBCUs practice strategic communication and build a stronger line of communication between themselves and policymakers to ensure appropriate representation of these institutions.