The Appalachian Feb 15, 2023

Local African American community’s future pg. 4

Black faculty, staff dedication to community support

pg. 7

Feb. 15, 2023

Students establish safe space for queer people of color pg. 12

OPINION: HBCUs are more important than ever pg. 18

Lynn Patterson, left, and Roberta Jackson, right, pose for a portrait at the 105-year-old Boone Mennonite Brethren Church. As leaders in the church and life-long locals to Junaluska, they stand as respected community leaders. Photo by Evan Bates.

AUBREY SMITH

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

editor@theappalachianonline.com

EDITORIAL

GABRIELLE TROUTMAN JADE OGLE

MANAGING EDITOR CHIEF COPY EDITOR

DAN DAVIDSON

SPORTS EDITOR

ASHER DAVIDSON

A&C EDITOR

ETHAN SMITH

ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR

BRIONNA DALLARA

ASSOCIATE A&C EDITOR

HOLLIE MOORE

NEWS EDITOR

ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR

OPINION EDITOR

CAMERON BURNETT

VISUAL MANAGING EDITOR

EVAN BATES

PHOTO EDITOR

MULTIMEDIA

MCNEIL JOHNSTON

GRAPHICS EDITOR

HIATT ELLIS

ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR

WILL HOFMANN

ENTERPRISE EDITOR

JENNA GUZMAN CHLOE LINEMAN

ANDREW RICE

ASSOCIATE ENTERPRISE EDITOR

BUSINESS

BUSINESS MANAGER

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Across

1. The rich may prefer them stretched

6. Type of collar

10. Start of many addresses

13. Not chronic, medically

14. Prepare for company

15. MacDonald’s last syllables

16. Main circuit card in a computer

18. Sib for sis

19. Get the pot going

20. Cleopatra’s snake

21. Made an outline in pencil

23. Alphabet run

25. Tennessee’s NCAA women’s basketball team (with “Vols”)

26. Frankenstein creation

30. Increases molecular motion

31. Feeling of wonder

32. Phonograph inventor

34. British prep school

37. Abate, as rainfall

39. ___ and vigor

40. Sioux Nation unit

41. Prepare to run

42. Dennis, to Mr. Wilson

44. “... a borrower ___ a lender be”

45. Peacefully silent

47. Word in an Austin Powers film title

49. Reporters’ informants

51. Anger

52. Electronic newsgroup system

53. Part of OOO

55. Carpentry tool

59. Word with Stamp or Riot

60. Work from home, in a way

63. Tub for chocolate

64. Eat away at

65. Milk carton data

66. Reference center?

67. Makes inquiries

68. Noisy inhalation

Down

1. The Dalai ___

2. Computer symbol

3. Mixed-breed dog

4. “Do unto ___ ...”

5. Neither fold nor raise

6. Film producer’s failure

7. Poet’s meadow

8. Like many pots

9. An Amati of violinmaking fame

10. Transmitting live video, in a way

11. Connected to a computer network

12. “Toy Story” cowboy

14. Major broadcaster

17. Assessed

22. Change, as a hemline

24. Small progression

25. First name of 32Across

26. Like a plug, but not a socket

27. Had payments due

28. Proper behavior on the Web

29. Some fasteners

33. Do the wrong thing

35. Orchestra instrument

36. Computer geek

38. Driver’s change of direction

40. Lacrimal droplet

42. Companions of greeters

43. One of the Marx brothers

46. Refreshing beverage (Var.)

48. Kind of shepherd

49. Sophisticated

50. Coveted award

53. Kennedy and Koppel

54. Two can take this

56. Mercury or Saturn, e.g.

57. Ending for mob or gang

58. Nudnik

61. ___ Sabha (Indian legislature)

62. AMA members

ASSOCIATE OPINION EDITOR

LEAH BOONE

Love Lines

Messages of endearment from crushes, admireres and lovers near and far...

To: Valentina

4 years, Ma Puce, and forever more

From: Eleanore

To: The Marketing Desk

I am forever thankful for each and every one of you. You all make coming to meetings something I look forward to every Thursday. I appreciate all of the hard work and talent you bring, and here’s to a great rest of the semester!

I love you guys <3

From: Colin

To: Ode to a dissertation

Reading all morning

Revising until dusk falls

Lost all sense of time

Do not ask me for Anything this semester

For I am not free

From: A doctoral candidate

To: Grey

I’m so excited for Asheville with you! Thanks for being my rock <3

From: Gabrielle

To: Arnk & Licky

Roses are red, violets are blue. I love the both of you <3 Happy valentines ROOF ROOF BARK BARK WOOF WOOF (take me to Boca Bistro pretty please) I would swipe right on you two any day real

From: Carnivorous

To: Gabrielle Troutman Gabrielle,

Thank you for loving me in this time of transition. I am so excited for what’s to come.

I love you!

From: G

To: Karly & Isabelle

So thankful for this creative trio! I love you both + our Sunday night hangouts <3

From: Gabrielle

To: EdBoard + Staff

We are so thankful for all of the hard work this year! Love you all!

From: Aubrey, Gabrielle, Cameron

To: Willow

Willow, I enjoy everything about you. I cherish our inside jokes, our passion for animals (including our two cats), music & traveling and, of course, the ketchup fights. Always remember, home is wherever I’m with you and we will hold hands, through thick & thin, forever. I love you.

From: Cristian

To: Harper, Katie, Reagan

You all have taught me a friendship that is not a supplementary relationship, but a form of love. I’m so lucky to have women that give me love, support, salvation, and transformation. You three are my true friends, soul friends.

From: Cayleigh

To: Noah Icard

Noah, I love making french press coffee in the morning and talking about how winter is so much more sunny with you. This morning ritual warms me up in every way. Here comes the sun. Happy one trip around it my love.

From: Hope

To: Carly Kammerdiener

I am so happy that I got to get to know you this year. You make me so happy. I just want to be in your life for as long as you’ll have me. I love you.

From: anonymous

To: My first passenger princess

I gave my heart

Speedin’ car goin’ ninety in the rain She took my heart, filled it with nothin’ but pain

From: A Real Gentlemen

To: Nataly Grace Aguiar

2,784 miles away and my heart continues to skip as many beats as the first day I saw you. I miss my passenger princess pointing her knees away from me. I’ll see you soon, my Valentine! : ) I love you.

From: Isaac Leon-Mendoza

Junaluska navigates a changing future

William Becker | Reporter

“Slow — Children At Play.”

The sign sits on the side of a small, quiet street on a snowy Monday afternoon. But there are no children in sight and the nearby playground lies empty, its snow-covered grass revealing few footprints and its swings moving softly with the breeze.

No voices can be heard, only the distant barks of dogs and birdsong. The houses are lived-in but quiet, as is the church up the hill, its congregation having long since dispersed after the previous day’s service.

This is Junaluska, a close-knit, centuries-old African American community just north of downtown Boone. According to the Junaluska Heritage Association, it is the only one left in Watauga County.

Though the community’s origins are unclear, according to the JHA’s historical archive, the community has existed since at least the mid-19th century. Developing as a somewhat self-sustaining and largely separate community from the rest of Boone, Junaluska remained fairly independent until the legislation of the Civil Rights Era “brought a rocky end to legallysanctioned segregation.”

As Boone continues to grow in both size and population, the residents of Junaluska are facing the opposite: their community is growing smaller.

“There were more people, more houses,” said longtime Junaluska resident and JHA facilitator Roberta Jackson. “Some of the homes have been torn down and not rebuilt, so and then just the number of people, because when I was growing up, there was enough that we had, for a while, we had our own school until it was integrated, and there were people. There’s just not as many people as it used to be.”

Jackson’s daughter, Lynn Patterson, grew up in Junaluska as well.

Lynn Patterson said much of the community’s closeness comes from the fact that many community members are relatives.

“There are three families in our community, three large families, and I descend from two of the three families,” Lynn Patterson said. “So everybody was a cousin.”

Lynn Patterson grew up together with much of her extended family, as her grandmother was one of 16 siblings “in the immediate area.” Though she said her childhood was different from those of many people she has shared her story with, she said “I wouldn’t change my childhood for anything.”

“We were always playing, always into something,” Lynn Patterson said. “It was a community within a community because if you did something at someone else’s house, you knew you were in trouble by the time you got home because they would call. The women would call around to each other, tell what we’d done, so by the time we got home we were in trouble, but it was a lot of fun.”

Though the community remains close, many members have begun to move away in recent years. Lynn Patterson’s daughter, Alana Patterson, who also grew up in Junaluska, said a major reason for this has often been opportunities elsewhere that previous generations did not have access to.

“A lot of the times, the younger generations are getting more opportunities than our parents or grandparents got,” Alana Patterson said. “Then with these opportunities, we’re taking them and that takes us away from the community.”

Brittany Washington, Alana Patterson’s cousin, is among those who have moved away from Junaluska in recent years. She now lives in Georgia with her husband and daughter, but said there are many aspects of community life in Junaluska she misses, especially the close proximity to her family.

“It’s a very big difference coming and moving states away, especially with it now that I have a daughter, because I grew up with my grandparents and my cousins and my family every day, you

know,” Washington said. She added that she’s making sure to stay connected with her daughter’s grandparents and aunts in Junaluska “so she’s familiar with who they are.”

For younger generations in Junaluska, reasons for moving elsewhere are not limited to outside opportunities. Lynn Patterson said affordability has also become a barrier to remaining in the community.

“A lot of our kids have moved out, and I think, honestly, that they would move back if it was affordable,” Lynn Patterson said. “But right now it’s not affordable for them to move back, you know. A lot of people are hanging onto land because we like to think that the only thing they don’t make more of is land, and that’s true.”

Alana Patterson said developers have been attempting to purchase land in Junaluska, as it’s a “pretty prime location” due to its proximity to downtown Boone.

“I know my grandmother, my mom,

they’ve been contacted by people in the town wanting to buy their lands,” Alana Patterson said. “But they don’t want to put houses there because as you know, land in Watauga County is super expensive.”

In addition to its location, the availability of housing as a result of the community’s decreasing population has allowed new residents and students to move into Junaluska in recent years.

“It’s a pet peeve for me because I feel like the community is being gentrified in a way,” Lynn Patterson said. “Not in a bad way; I don’t have an issue with families moving into the existing structures, but we have people buying up existing structures and tearing them to the ground and building up million-dollar homes, and so it’s really increasing the tax value and we’re starting to see that now, so it’s harder for us to live.”

Despite the changes Junaluska is going through, the sense of community within it remains. The Boone

Mennonite Brethren Church, located in the heart of Junaluska, serves as a major religious and community center for its residents.

“It’s the place where people come to celebrate,” Washington said. “It’s a place where people come to grieve. It’s the place where people come to worship every Sunday, you know, and even if you don’t go to church every Sunday, you always know that that’s your home church.”

Though Junaluska continues to reckon with the challenges their community faces today, recognition for them and their history has grown throughout the Boone community in recent years.

“The Town of Boone has been really good,” Jackson said. “When people realize that we’re interested in preserving our community, they try to help.”

Jackson said that one possible preservation effort concerns homes in the community, so she has been looking

An empty road is occupied only by the crossing deer at the corner of Junaluska Road and Summit Road. The neighborhood is serenaded by birds chirping, wind chimes and the sound of your own feet. Photo by Evan Bates.

into the possibility of working with the town to address it.

“I was just thinking the other day, there are people in the community who can’t afford to keep their houses, the upkeep of their houses,” Jackson said. “And I was thinking of a way that we could work with someone to preserve the homes here that the older people are living in, but I’m working on that.”

Alana Patterson said Junaluska’s presence and visibility throughout Boone have also grown, as the

community is more focused on “outreach” than it used to be.

“It seems like now the push is to kind of spread out into Watauga County and really, like, integrate ourselves into what’s happening in the county and making sure people know that Junaluska is a part of Watauga County history,” Alana Patterson said.

Though only time will tell what the future holds for Junaluska, community members are optimistic that its people and history will always remain a part

of Boone.

“Anytime we’ve been able to expose, like, what our neighborhood is, who we are as a people, like, our stories, our community, our culture; I think that because of that, it will never go away,” Washington said. “And so that’s something that I think is important for the future, is that people still will find it relevant and know who we are, like, our history will not die and our stories will forever be told.”

A Black Lives Matter sign stands in the front yard of a resident of the Junaluska neighborhood, right under a 25 mph speed limit sign, with a torn off missing poster. Photo by Evan Bates.

“There’s just not as many people as it used to be.”

- Roberta Jackson

Historically Black community looks to preserve, educate community

Andrew Rice | Associate Enterprise Editor

Junaluska, Watauga County’s single standing African American community, is ensuring they are remembered in the history books.

The Junaluska Heritage Association, founded in 2011, is a “community-based organization formed to preserve cultural heritage and assist in community growth” for Junaluska according to their website.

Before the association was formed, however, members of the Junaluska community had been around for years preserving their history and trying to keep records. Once the JHA was established, this work received more attention and allowed family history projects

to trace the earliest members of Junaluska.

Through these projects, community members and local historians collected data on some of the earliest history of the Junaluska community, which is recorded on their website.

The earliest recorded members of the Junaluska community come from 1850 census data listing Johnson Cuzzins and Ellington Cuzzins as free men of color living in Boone. Johnson Cuzzins was listed as a farmer with a white wife named Charlotta and nine children. According to 1860 census data, Ellington Cuzzins was a shoe and boot maker living with his white wife

Margaret and their two daughters. Although uncommon for the time, in 1857 Ellington Cuzzins purchased an acre of land north of what is now the Mast General Store on King Street. Historians believe this purchase was the first acquisition of land for the Junaluska community as members continue to reside on this property to this day, just north of the general store.

As demographics changed, younger members in the Junaluska community left Boone for different job opportunities which caused concern amongst members of the community, according to the JHA’s website.

In addition, concern grew for

the preservation of the Junaluska community amid the 1996 demolition of the Methodist Chapel, a hub for community activities and engagement.

At the same time, the Episcopal Church was looking to provide reparations nationally for their participation in slavery said, Susan Keefe, a former professor of anthropology at the university. St. Luke’s Episcopal Church saw an opportunity to partner alongside the Junaluska community in order to form the JHA.

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church partnered with the Boone Mennonite Brethren Church, a centerpiece of social engagement in Junaluska, and the

university to preserve the community’s “unique, vibrant heritage” through the creation of the JHA, as stated on their website.

Roberta Jackson is a Junaluska native and member of the JHA. She said she wanted to join the board because of how few people knew about Junaluska.

“I worked with people at ASU that didn’t even know we had a community so I knew we needed to do something to contribute,” Jackson said.

According to the JHA’s website, the Boone Mennonite Brethren Church was a “beacon” for the community, allowing for centers of “lively public parties” and gatherings which “strengthened community ties and spiritual connections.”

Due to the Mennonite Brethren Church being placed on a hill, the spire can be seen from almost around the neighborhood, the community meeting place where members gather every Sunday at 11a.m.

Photo By Evan Bates.

Keefe said the JHA’s formation was most successful as an interfaith partnership due to being a “natural extension” of the deeply held religious convictions amongst members of Junaluska.

“There were members of the JHA from the Episcopal Church in the beginning,” Keefe said. “So there was a radical, open-acceptance of working together.”

Starting in 2012, the JHA began hosting annual Junaluska Jubilees with funding provided by the Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina. The celebrations brought together members of the community for a church service at Boone Mennonite Brethren, parades and other live entertainment. The most recent jubilee was held in 2015.

“Those were really important for bringing the community together and becoming known in the larger community with all the newspaper coverage,” said Keefe, who also serves on the board of the JHA.

Jackson credits the grants given by the Episcopal Diocese for being able to fund the jubilees.

“We would not have been able to do it without them,” Jackson said. “It made all the difference in the world to have the money from the church.”

Jackson said she hoped the jubilees would bring recognition to the Junaluska community that was missing.

“The problem to begin with is that a lot of people didn’t know we were here, and we’ve been here for centuries and we wanted people to know that we’ve contributed to the university and the town,” Jackson said. “ I worked at the university until I retired.”

Through the jubilees, the JHA was able to work as they “champion historical preservation projects across the town of Boone” in partnership with the Watauga County Public Library and the Watauga Historical Society.

One of these projects includes a cemetery marker, unveiled in 2017, denoting names from unmarked graves in the segregated section of the cemetery, many of which contained members of the Junaluska community.

Sandra Hagler, a member of the Junaluska community, is credited for committing herself to discovering who

might have been buried in the cemetery.

“She had done a lot of research, looking with the county courthouse, looking through death certificates for members of her community to find out where they might have been buried,” Keefe said.

Later, local historians, Eric Plaag and Michael Hardy, added other names based on the collection of newspaper clippings in surrounding areas.

Another accomplishment of the JHA includes the historical marker at the corner of North Depot Street and Queen Street, which was provided by the town’s Historic Preservation Commission in 2021.

The Junaluska marker is the second marker put in place by the town’s historical preservation district. The marker features a summary of Junaluska’s history and outlines the contributions of African Americans in Boone’s social, economic and cultural history.

In addition, “Junaluska: Oral Histories of a Black Appalachian community,” an oral history book dedicated to Junaluska, was published in 2020 by Susan Keefe. The book is credited as the first “comprehensive” history of Applachia’s oldest Black community — told “in the resident’s own voices.” It has sold more than 6,000 copies since publication.

“The book has crystallized for members of the community that they have a history worth preserving and they have a unique identity that they can be very proud of,” Keefe said.

The book was the recipient of the North Carolina Genealogical Society award in 2021 as a collection of 36 life history narratives adapted from residents.

“The book was the linchpin that really put us out there for visibility,” Jackson said.

Jackson said the accomplishments of the JHA has given herself and members of the community a new sense of pride in their heritage and allowed them to learn things they might not have known before.

“They’re proud of it,” Jackson said. “They’re proud to be known.”

The JHA continues to operate and encourage its former and current residents to share memories or pictures to their website in an effort to continue preservation and record-keeping work in the community.

Black faculty, staff creating an environment of support

Hollie Moore | Associate News Editor faculty

“Representation matters” is the mantra for a group dedicated to support for all Black people on campus; students, faculty and staff alike.

The Black Faculty and Staff Association, coming up on its second decade of activity, was created to provide support, mentoring and guidance for Black students and the Black community as a whole on campus, said Cliff Poole, president of the BFSA and public speaking professor.

Since 2013, there has been about a 26% increase in Black-identifying faculty and staff along with a roughly 25% increase in Black-identifying students on campus.

However, racially and/or ethnically underrepresented students remain to only account for 18.6% of the student body. This statistic includes every other race of students, excluding white students, with the Black-identifying students at the university, shrinking the percentage of Black students even further.

“We provide professional development support for our Black faculty and staff,” Poole said. “Our biggest point of our mission is to provide a sense and a space of community for Black

and staff at Appalachian State, and for our students as well to help support their community.”

The BFSA has roughly 25 active members in their monthly meetings and a “good mixture” of both faculty and staff involvement, said Poole and Vivid Oguntoyinbo, university program associate and BFSA secretary.

Collaborating with Black fraternities on campus and the Black Student Association, the BFSA has been able to sponsor students to attend the “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” movie when released, organize cookouts together and show support for other events.

Poole said the main purpose is showing up for the Black community and “representing them across the board.”

“So our onus is to be more of a support organization rather than the leading organization across campus,” Poole said.

The organization is planning a basketball event to get members together in support of student-athletes at the university, also hoping to “escape Zoom cameras and offices,” said Robert Carlisle, director of studentathlete development and vice president of the BFSA.

Poole said the BFSA board has created committees to raise the level of

engagement from members.

He said the purpose of the committees are to spread out the work and allow for space for the community to come together to work on social functions, research and best practices functions and to work on a new scholarship, something he said the organization is “very excited about.”

The BFSA is in “the grassroots” of creating a scholarship for Black students at the university. Currently, there isn’t any public information about the scholarship but those interested are directed to access the BFSA website closer to next year, when the scholarship is expected to be active.

The BFSA is accepting donations for the scholarship and the group is “more than happy for their support,” Oguntoyinbo said.

“We feel that it’s very important that not only do we show up as persons for our students, but we also show up monetarily for our students to support them,” Poole said.

He said the organization is producing a Black Faculty and Staff Association Google Calendar for engagement of more Black faculty and staff, and for a more relevant list of activities the group is supporting.

Read more online:

‘Don’t survive; let’s thrive’: App State’s Black Male Excellence Initiative

“Don’t survive; let’s thrive,” Will Sheppard tells his cohort of young Black men, a group of university freshmen and sophomores. He urges them to share their trouble in detail instead of suppressing their emotions with a “No, I’m good,” or “I can handle it.”

As a student-athlete in undergrad, Sheppard understood the isolated feeling of being a Black man navigating a primarily white space alone, and often had to advocate for himself.

“I think I fit a stereotype,” Sheppard said. In his opinion, professors didn’t “support, they more shamed.”

While working at Winston-Salem State University, conducting case studies

at North Carolina’s historically Black colleges and universities with friend and colleague Brandy Bryson, something sparked within the two.

This was only the beginning of the Black Male Excellence Residential Learning Community.

Since fall 2021, the residential learning community, located in Cone Residence Hall and available to incoming first-year Black men, set aside a designated space to foster academic, professional and spiritual growth among the cohort.

“This is a place where they can have a sense of belonging and once they’re comfortable and have their needs met, they feel like they can branch out,” said Sheppard, director of the Black Male Excellence Initiative.

Bryson, the former director of the university’s Inclusive Excellence program, and Sheppard collaborated with Lee Cope from the Student Learning Center to plan, pitch and implement an educational and cultural space dedicated to the enrichment of Black male students. With previous research, Bryson applied for the university’s Chancellor’s Innovation Scholars grant and received $10,000.

Bryson’s call to action came in Georgia where she worked in child welfare and witnessed the “inequitable treatment” of Black students firsthand.

“I was asked to follow families home to see if they were living where they said they were living. I saw a 7-year-old Black boy be handcuffed

by a school resource officer, a 4-yearold Black boy suspended for a week out of pre-K,” Bryson said. “It was so many things that happened that prompted me to actually go back to school, get my Ph.D. and study sociological perspectives around race and education.”

The program looks for a commitment to excellence in each of its students. Adaptability, emotional intelligence and social investments are qualities the team wants to cultivate during those four years.

“Do they have that spark to be better than what they are when they come in?” Sheppard said. “Are they able to drop their ego to really talk about the things they need?”

Sheppard teaches a first-year

seminar, Wakanda Warriors, and examines the intercultural relationships of the movie “Black Panther” and how the emotional struggles relate to college students. He asks how students can become warriors or heroes of their own stories.

Sheppard centered the course on Black achievement and reliance on a solid support system by taking the cultural phenomenon of the movie and exploring the music, cinematography and spirituality.

“After watching the movie, it just hit me. I can do that with this movie,” Sheppard said. “I asked Dr. Bryson to help me come up with a curriculum and how to really frame the class.”

Adrian Everett, a sophomore business

K. Slade | Reporter

Courtesy of Will Sheppard. From left to right, Devon Singleton, Jaila Hatcher, Brandy Bryson, William Sheppard, David Itson, Kadrian Smith, Adrian Everett.

management major and returning cohort member, nearly rejected the initiative’s invitation because of the seminar.

“The reason I almost didn’t join was because I thought it would be a white professor,” Everett said. “So me and my parents were like ‘No way I’m gonna let a white guy preach to me about Wakanda.’”

After researching more about the seminar, Everett said he felt better about committing to the program.

Although not in the cohort herself, Jaila Hatcher, the BMEI resident assistant and a sophomore health management major, said she feels a sense of camaraderie and acceptance among the group.

“It’s just an amazing thing to watch and to be a part of the conversation

sometimes but also knowing that they know, and I know, when they need me in any way, shape or form, I’m able to be there,” Hatcher said. “They’re able to find comfort in me outside of my Blackness, and that’s amazing.”

David Itson, a freshman accounting major and member of this year’s cohort, recognizes the support structure everyone had a hand in building.

“This cohort is a lot more people that are going out of their way to make sure that this program is stable,” Itson said.

“I think that’s the difference between the first cohort to second is that we do have a lot more students that are willing and able to put in the work to make sure this program stays in the longevity.”

Hatcher spent two days helping

Itson and another student rehearse for a banquet held by the BME initiative, where Itson took the role of a keynote speaker.

“We were running through practices and then we had to get into our outfits and she had made sure they looked all right,” Itson said. “It’s really like a good family dynamic as well. There’s always someone who got your back.”

Without his cohort, Itson said he would feel alone, struggling to keep himself motivated and focused.

“With Cone as our designated learning community, it does feel at home. I’m kinda at peace,” Itson said. “If I didn’t have that, I think I would feel more lost.”

Everett said he would “still be in the

same shell” he came in when arriving if not for the BMEI.

“I wouldn’t be talking to people and I definitely wouldn’t be putting myself out there in a leadership position,” Everett said.

Bryson said predominantly white institutions are missing a “cultural understanding” of students of color belonging to a space.

“Creating a sense of belonging for students of color at a predominantly white institution is way more than just saying ‘you belong here,’” Bryson said.

Bryson believes addressing institutional oppression and opening collaborative dialogue between students of color and higher education is a necessary step toward inclusion.

Bryson said a lack of listening contributes to conflict between “antiracist student activists and higher-ed leaders” and that these advocates aren’t being considered in anti-racism conversations.

Sheppard aims to expand BMEI beyond Cone Hall and integrate active learning and professionalism into the academic departments and social activities for his students. For that to work, it will take the entire community.

“What I hope is when they leave, they can say that ‘This program made me better when I was at App State,’’’ Sheppard said. “I want to see them walk across that stage. If you come here as a Black male, you need to be a part of this program.”

Students discuss how to prepare for the spring semester during a Black Male Excellence Initiative meeting Jan. 26, 2023. From left to right, David Itson, Adrian Everett, and Kadrian Smith.

Photo by Mayesivy Carlson.

Rhythm and blues icon comes to Boone

Johnson | Reporter

Heart, soul, groove, rhythm and passion. All words that can’t even begin to describe Mavis Staples’ iconic voice and storytelling. A decorated musician known for rhythm and blues and her passionate advocacy for civil rights.

Covering genres from gospel to soul to folk, Staples has dedicated her life to telling stories through song.

On Feb. 25, Staples will be visiting the High Country for a concert at the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts as part of the Schaefer Center Presents series. Allison West, director of marketing for the Schaefer Center, helped coordinate the event. West said they work to plan events that not only entertain but inspire and educate.

“She is one of those people that not only does she entertain, but she does inspire,” West said.

West said the Schaefer Center anticipates a sold out event. Tickets can be found on their website. Tickets are $40 for adults, $35 for faculty and staff and $20 for students. West said they work to make student tickets as affordable as possible to provide opportunities for every student to be able to experience these performances.

At 83 years old, Staples has produced 12 studio albums in her solo career. Her most recent album “Carry Me Home” came out in 2022, but was recorded in 2011 with the late American roots and rock drummer Levon Helms. The album is celebrated for its timeless stories of “resilience and long-term redemption,” according to Pitchfork Media.

Staples’ passion is loud and clear in her voice when she belts “This Is My Country,” a cover from The Impressions. Even though the original song came out in 1968, Staples adds her own narrative commenting on the ongoing fight for civil rights. The accompaniment behind her provides a smooth rhythm and a brass groove creating a funky, soul touching sound.

Having an artist of Staples’ caliber and status coming to campus is wonderful for students and the program

- This is My Country, 1968

at the Schaefer Center, West said. When searching for artists to visit campus, West said they look for artists that can open up different windows to the world for students on campus.

Staples comes from a musically talented family. Before her solo career, she shared the stage with her two sisters, brother and father in a group called The Staple Singers. Producing hits throughout the ‘50s, ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s, the iconic family traveled across America shedding light on the active fight for civil rights.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame applauds the family for their success in mastering multiple genres over multiple decades. From being hailed as “post-war

gospel warriors” in the ‘50s, to creating their own genre of soul folk the Staples family was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1999.

The family has had strong roots in the civil rights movement, performing at marches and rallies alongside Martin Luther King Jr. In an interview with NPR, Staples quotes her father noting their families dedication to sharing what matters.

“We want to sing about what’s happening in the world today, and if it’s something bad, we want to sing a song to try to fix it,” Pops Staples said.

Mavis Staples is the last remaining of The Staples Singers and she has not slowed down on sharing important

stories. She said:

I’m the messenger, that’s my job – it has been for my whole life – and I can’t just give up while the struggle is still alive. We’ve got more work to do, so I’m going to keep on getting stronger and keep on delivering my message every single day.

Staples has carried a notable stoicism in fighting for what she believes in while maintaining respect and kindness for all. While the narrative of her music contains difficult themes of racism and inequality, the soul, rhythm and groove shine through to create a feeling of unity and harmony within us all.

Scan for tickets and information:

“I hear a lot of people saying they wanna take their country back/Back to the ‘50s and ‘60s? That don’t sound like progress to me”

Carli

Courtesy of Mavis Staples

Black authors in Appalachia

Maddie Crawford | Reporter

If you’re unsure of how to go about honoring Black History

Month, a powerful book penned by a Black author can be all it takes to allow a reader to reflect and learn.

It may come as a surprise that familiar names such as bell hooks and Frank X Walker were born and raised in the rocky region that is Appalachia. In actuality, quite a few successful Black authors made their names from humble mountain origins.

Black literature is powerful and always relevant, no matter where in the world it is from. Here are some books crafted by Black writers native to the Appalachian region to enjoy and inspire during this time of commemoration.

Black Feeling, Black Talk, Black Judgement”

by Nikki Giovanni

A collection of beautiful and powerful poems reflecting on the life of a Black individual raised in the Appalachian region, these fearless, unapologetic words will have readers on the edge of their seats at each turn of the page. Recalling her life through her medium of poetry, Giovanni’s passionate words demand an audience.

All About Love: New Visions”

by bell hooks

Arguably one of her most popular books, hooks writes on the weight that love has when it comes to society, and how love has the potential to allow peace and happiness to flourish. Public, private and even self-loving interactions are described in an emotional, page-turning way that will make readers’ gears turn and comprehend love like never before.

Buffalo Dance: The Journey of York”

by Frank X Walker

From the mind of the creator of “Affrilachia,” a word coined in the ‘90s in order to represent the African American population within the Appalachians, this immersive story told through poems lets readers see through the reimagined eyes of York, a slave who accompanied Lewis and Clark on their expedition to discover the American West.

Head Off & Split”

by Nikki Finney

Reading more like a novel than a collection of poems, these illustrative words are sure to capture the interest of readers. Focusing on Black individuals in history, Finney’s beautiful retellings of the narratives of Rosa Parks and Condoleezza Rice, for example, dive into the issues of civil rights, politics and family matters in a creative and contemporary way.

Black Is Beautiful: A Philosophy of Black Aesthetics”

by Paul C. Taylor

The centuries-long exclusion of the Black aesthetic from scholarly studies is finally addressed in Taylor’s engaging writing. Re-examining the philosophical implications of Black aesthetics through the use of real-world examples, Taylor demonstrates his profound knowledge of Black expression whilst overcoming the barriers to Black recognition.

The Harlan Renaissance: Stories of Black Life in Appalachian Coal Towns

by William H. Turner

Following a reconstruction of life in a Kentucky coal town, this novel sheds light on what it was like to grow up in a Black mining community. A refreshing focus away from the white Appalachian stereotype, this slice of history is a must-read to gain insight into the diversity of the mountain region.

Read more online:

February BHM Event list

Gabrielle Troutman | Managing Editor

16 17 19 21 25 28

Thursday Friday Sunday Tuesday Tuesday Saturday

5:30-8 p.m.

“Harriet” showing at App Theatre at 7 p.m.

“Black Panther” showing at App Theatre at 7 p.m.

BHM Concert at Rosen Concert Hall 4 p.m

Mavis Staples at Schaefer Center at 7 p.m.

Black Family Mixer in PSU Blue Ridge Ballroom

Illustration by Addie Low

Queer People of Color: Space of listening and connection

Amena Matcheswala | Reporter

While the university’s percentage of students of colorhas increased within the past few years, 18.6% of students belong to underrepresented groups, including students that identify as Black, Indigenous or people of color. This relatively low percentage leaves students of color searching for and creating communities at App State, a predominately white institution.

One group of students who identified the need for a space in which they could relate to one another set out to solve this problem.

Queer People of Color was formed to allow the underrepresented population of queer identifying people of color at the university to thrive within a community to which they relate.

The group, currently led by sophomore East Asian language major Maya Szymborski, meets Mondays from 5 - 6 p.m. in Plemmons Student Union room 227. While it isn’t officially a club, the group still holds meetings regularly and hosts events similar to those held by official clubs around campus. Right now, its purpose lies more closely with the unique space it provides for its members.

“QPOC needs to exist as a space for queer people of color to bond, share experiences and feel less alone,” said senior gender studies major Ollie Bandong. “As part of multiple minority groups, it can be hard to feel as though you fit in completely anywhere.” The club aims to provide members with

A member of the group playing “Draw Battle” with other members of the QPOC club. She wanted to spend time with people with similar experiences as herself. Photo by Sam Byrd.

“a safe space for queer people of color” through low-pressure group activities such as game days and more issue-based discussion sessions, Szymborski said. One of

the topics they focus on is how being both queer and a person of color presents unique challenges to those in the group. The group discusses the intersecting issues

of ethnicity and sexuality through PowerPoint presentations on topics such as “Queer Representation in Media.” Information provided to members is there to help them

recognize ways the world around them can become more inclusive and expose issues they may have previously overlooked.

Members also use the space to share negative experiences they’ve previously faced, ranging from insensitive hairdressers to unaccepting family members.

“Being queer and a person of color is very different from being white and queer,” said junior language, literature and culture major Carolina Ng Irizarry. “I feel like we go through very different experiences, especially because, unfortunately, in POC cultures, a lot of times queer identities are not very accepted.”

QPOC began in spring 2022, spending about half of its meetings online as many activities were still remote. As the group got to know each other more, they slowly transitioned to meeting in person at the Multicultural Center. QPOC’s first large event was a picnic held at Sanford Mall, where members could share food and connect in a relaxed environment.

Ng Irizarry said the group is hoping to build on its foundation by hosting more events and gaining members to maintain its presence over time. While all members are welcome, Szymborski hopes to keep the space exclusive to those who are queer people of color for the time being to establish a comfortable setting for those members to be honest about their struggles and experiences.

Members also seek a space to focus on relating to one another rather than educating those outside their community. Szymborski hopes

that once the group has established deeper roots, they may consider transitioning to a space that hosts a broader range of individuals.

“My focus personally right now is just to create that community, to create those friendships and those bonds between people,” Szymborski said.

Various members have reaped a variety of benefits from the short amount of time the group has existed. Ng Irizarry felt she could talk more openly about her experiences in the presence of others who have faced similar situations. Szymborski described recurring situations in which individuals have learned more about the nuances of issues unique to their community or that they were facing injustice in the first place. It was the first time she felt she had a space with others who had similar experiences, which she described as “encouraging and warming.”

“I hope it is able to stay afloat for a couple, if not many years to come,” Bandong said.

Sophomore Maya Szymborski poses for a portrait inside Plemmons Student Union Feb. 6, 2023. Szymborski balances an 18 credit hour workload, a job and being the sole organizer of the QPOC club. She is dedicated to creating a space on campus where QPOC can feel at ease sharing their experiences in an otherwise predominantly white institution.

Photo by Sam Byrd.

Millner continues building historic legacy

Ben Brady | Reporter

In the 2017-18 wrestling season, the university saw a newcomer finish with an 11-8 record while competing unattached to the wrestling team as a redshirt freshman. By 2019-20, he developed into a full-time starter that won 31 matches including securing a Southern Conference championship.

Jonathan “Jon Jon” Millner finished as a conference champion once again in 2021 and 2022, and in the top eight at the NCAA Championships each season.

This year, in his final season, Millner reflected on his historically remarkable career at the university defined by a 113-24 overall record and being just the third two-time All-American in program history.

Millner insisted that for himself and for his Mountaineers that are currently ranked 19th in the nation, sustaining success is the objective.

“Wrestling season is long, and the only thing people remember is March,” Millner said. “If you want to sustain anything at a high level, you can have spurts of success, but you have to remain consistent.”

For Millner’s final year, consistency would entail another conference championship and a top finish at the NCAAs, with a chance of becoming the first three-time All-American in program history. Additionally, it entails Millner extending the standard of his own success to the rest of his team as a veteran leader.

Head coach JohnMark Bentley, who has overseen Millner’s development, noted the example Millner sets for the rest of the team.

“He’s probably our biggest leader on our team,” Bentley said. “We’ve got a lot of good guys on our team, but everyone that knows and follows the sport of Division I wrestling knows that Jonathan

Millner is a two-time All-American at Appalachian State. He’s the blueprint for what we take pride in here at App State.”

Part of that blueprint, Bentley said, was Millner’s background and the hard work he has put in to get to where he is today.

While Millner was a state champion at Ben L. Smith High School in Greensboro, he did not appear on any national ranking boards. As a redshirt in 2018, he

was ranked 149th in his weight class, according to WrestleStat.

In the 2018-19 season, Millner garnered his first collegiate achievement when he was named to the Southern Conference AllFreshman team.

His commitment to the program and the process led him to becoming a starter the following year and his progression led to his first top-25 ranking. In the years since he has consistently ranked

in the top 10, and his excellence has resulted in one of the most successful wrestling careers in school history.

Through his accolades, Millner has exemplified the standard Bentley set for both his individual wrestlers and the team as a whole when he took over as head coach in the 2009-10 season.

The Mountaineers have gone 122-73-1 during Bentley’s eightyear tenure, and have finished as conference champions six times, including five in the last seven years. In the last three years the university has produced a total of 18 NCAA qualifiers.

During that stretch, Millner has accumulated a 71-9 record as a starter, and is the only tournament qualifier to be named an All-American. Bentley noted the leadership that Millner has displayed through his accomplishments, and through the respect he receives from his peers as a result.

“He’s a leader by example, but also motivates our guys and keeps them in check,” Bentley said.

“When he talks, they listen.” This season, Millner has led the program to one of its highest rankings in program history, its first national ranking since the 2018-19 season, and its highest since they were ranked 16th in 2017. Earlier this season, on December 15, the team took down a ranked opponent No. 21 North Carolina, their first top-25 win since they beat the Tar Heels previously in the 2016-17 season.

Since then, the Mountaineers have won six of seven matches, with their lone loss coming against No. 9 Virginia Tech. Millner stated his confidence in his team’s ability to hold their own against any given program, and he emphasized his pursuit of a successful postseason result once again.

“I think our guys are really good and they can compete with anybody,” Millner said. “If I didn’t think that, I wouldn’t have come back to App for a sixth year.”

Redshirt Senior Jon Jon Millner, ranked #9 in the 149 weight class, energizes the packed crowd during his dominant 21-4 win over Duke’s Patrick Rowland. Jan. 24, 2023. Photo by Ashton Woodruff.

Redshirt Senior Captain Jon Jon Millner applauds as his teammates are announced before the start of App State’s home match against Duke. Jan. 24, 2023. Photo by Ashton Woodruff.

Dream the Impossible: Former standout honors late friend

Ethan Smith | Reporter

One athlete’s dream to play football at the highest level was realized after his time as a Mountaineer, going on to play six seasons in the NFL. However, when tragedy struck, his legacy became much more than what he left on the field.

Former App State football safety Douglas Middleton lost his best friend AJ Morrison to suicide after a five-year battle with depression in 2017.

“Losing my best friend, the person I grew up with, we shared a lot of firsts together; the person that always had my back and we went to high school together, lived in the same neighborhood. We were childhood best friends and we maintained that friendship for 20-plus years,” Middleton said. “Losing him really motivated me to create a change in the community.”

That change was Dream the Impossible, a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness for mental health in the African American community as well as providing support for studentathletes.

Additionally, they aim to help reduce the rates of suicide, particularly in the Black community. Suicide was the second leading cause of death for people ages 10-34 in 2020, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Erasing the stigma surrounding mental health has been one of their top priorities.

“The only thing I know in my community was you don’t really speak too much about mental health, or you don’t talk about it as much,” Middleton said. “For me, my motivation for the last four or five years has been to change that. I want to change that. I want to have that conversation. I want people to be able to say ‘I’m going to see my therapist,’ or ‘my mental health is

not in the best state.’”

This past year, Dream the Impossible hosted three events in an attempt to raise awareness toward mental health. The first was Men and Their Mental Health, designed to help with speaking up on any struggles they were facing mentally. It was held May 26 in Charlotte.

In June, Dream the Impossible hosted the Dreamers Football Camp in Matthews. The camp included more than just football drills, covering the topics of financial literacy and mental health. The camp also featured a few guest speakers, allowing the student-athletes in attendance the opportunity to learn about life beyond just being an athlete.

Following the Dreamers Football Camp, the foundation hosted the second annual You’re Not Alone 7 on 7, in Kernersville June 18. The event dove into the importance of being a good person, supporter, friend and teammate in addition to helping raise awareness for mental health.

“There is not one solution to every mental illness or mental health challenge,” Middleton said.

“Whether it’s medicine that works for one person, it should work for everybody or if this therapist works for one person, it works for everybody. That’s not true.”

Middleton was honored by the university with the App State Young Alumni award for his commitment to raising awareness about mental

health as well as providing resources. The award was established in 2004 and is given for those who have given service toward the university and career accomplishments.

In October 2022, App State athletics brought on Middleton as a special assistant to the athletic department.

“I look forward to being a part

of the growth and maintaining, and exceeding, the success we have had to date,” Middleton said.

Middleton’s focus is aimed at assisting with multiple projects such as student-athlete development, recruiting, fundraising and mental health advocacy.

“With his experience as a studentathlete and a professional athlete in addition to many other talents, Doug will be an asset to App State athletics in a variety of areas,” App State Director of Athletics Doug Gillin said. “He has been a tremendous ambassador for the Mountaineers over his years as an alum, and we’re excited for him to officially join the staff and help App State reach new levels of success.”

Middleton earned first team All-Sun Belt honors in 2014 and an All-Conference honorable mention in 2015. After going undrafted in 2016, Middleton signed with the New York Jets, where he played in different stints until 2019. Middleton then signed with the Miami Dolphins before being released and signing with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Middleton spent time with the Tennessee Titans, Carolina Panthers, San Francisco 49ers and played a second stint with the Jaguars.

“I hope to serve as a resource and a connection for all current and former student-athletes, members of the community and App State alumni,” Middleton said.

“Losing him really motivated me to create a change in the community.”

- Douglas Middleton

Letter to the editor: You get what I’m saying?

Irefuse to be an educator. So please do not ask me to explain why I would prefer to leave my bonnet on if I am not leaving my home or why I choose to do my hair on a certain day I call wash day. And, please do not ask me why I do not wash my hair every day or every other day. It is just not in my capacity to explain. You see, I simply am not an educator, I refuse to be one for many reasons; the biggest reason being, I am not paid to be an educator. I do, in fact, pay tuition to be a student. A student who walks into an African American based class to not see an African American educator, has to prove that they are here because of their academic abilities, and has to question if a situation is occurring just because I am Black. And to answer the question; yes, it is happening because I am Black. You see, I refuse to be an educator because it just simply is not my job. Just like any student here, my job is to be a student. So please do not ask me how I am able to use the bathroom with the length of my nails. And before you ask, no, my hair does not make me unprofessional, I will not give you a free pass, and no, I do not have an easier name you can call me. For the last time, I am not an educator, I am a student.

Being an educator is a choice, and learning is a privilege. And if today is the rare day that I decide to be an educator, because once again, it is not my job, make sure to listen. There is truth behind my words. Power behind my voice. Experience in my stories. My stories are not fairytales. Do not ask me to play educator, then dismiss my knowledge. You see, I am not paid to attend my lectures every day, I pay to attend my lectures every day. I am a student.

I am a student whose favorite color is brown and my favorite genre of music is neo-soul. I am a daughter, a younger and older sister. I like to laugh, am extremely shy and take my education seriously. Goats are my favorite animal. Sitting in the sun brings me joy, and when everyone complained about poetry in school, I secretly loved it. I am Black educator, I mean Black student. You get what I’m saying?

Adekemi Adekanle | Guest Writer

Illustration by Addie Low

Guest Column: With striving love

Malikia Cherubala | Guest Writer

y name is Malikia.

I arrived at App State in January 2020, just a month and some change before we were sent home. Yet even during that very short time on campus, I flagged some things that made navigating this campus as a Black woman challenging. The first thing I picked up was that Black men were not about us Black girls. And I know some of you are chuckling, but

that was a valid challenge for me in 2020. King, do you not see the fine, rich, melanated, graceful and warm Black girl walking this campus? From the fros, the braids, the hair cuts, the personality influenced nail set, the style. Like, come on now. You see where I come from. We love each other. We uplift our counterparts. We hype ‘em up. And I am not just talking about romantic relationships. When I see you King, I see a friend, a brother, someone who can relate to what life is like at a PWI, and someone I can work together with to reinforce the wonder that Black people are. If you don’t have our backs, who will? To say that the lack of reciprocal agape love in the Black community was shocking would be an understatement. We need to do better, because we are all we got. Thankfully, the girls are a whole lot better, except for the ones that don’t acknowledge other Black girls they bump into. Like, girl I know you see me, ‘cause I see you and we both know we are the only drop of color in the hallway, so why not say hey? Hm. Bless y’all’s heart. The community of the girls that get it, ‘cause some don’t, has been the highlight of my

experience as a Black woman at a PWI. Organizations like Queen In You have been a space created by Black women for Black women. There, I breathe. I’m seen for who I am and how I’m showing up today, and not because I’m someone’s token or Black pass. There, I live my Blackness to its fullest. I speak, loud. I dance without fear of making anyone uncomfortable with the sturdy body God gave me. I laugh, cackle and snort. I’m empowered and reminded of the crown I’ve been instilled to wear, proudly. I could go on and talk about the tokenism, fetishism, the hair petting, the othering, etc. I won’t lie to you Black girl, it’s hard out here. But it also puts a choice before you. Do you dilute your melanin or live it to its fullest? I chose the latter, and you can too. It starts with you and those you surround yourself with. Black girl, be encouraged. It’s hard out here, but our history lets us know that we don’t waver at the sight of hardship, we blaze right through it. Once you see things this way, I promise you your experience will get better, and I will be right there to cheer you on.

With striving love, Malikia.

HBCUs remain superior

Nadine Jallal | Opinion Editor

Historically Black Colleges and Universities have been staples of the Black American experience for nearly 200 years, with the oldest HBCU being founded in 1837. HBCUs are institutions founded before 1964 with the purpose of educating Black youth who were not allowed to attend already established institutions due to their race. Many HBCUs, founded in the South, were supported by the Freedmen’s Bureau, a federal organization created after the Civil War during the Reconstruction period which aimed to assist former enslaved people in adjusting to life after slavery.

Although HBCUs make up only 3% of the United States’ colleges and universities, 10% of all Black students in the U.S. attend an HBCU. Furthermore, HBCUs have produced 20% of all Black college graduates in the country, and 25% of Black STEM graduates.

As predominantly white institutions increase incentives for Black students to join their institutions, the strength of HBCUs remains untouched. For example, North Carolina A&T State University saw an 8.51% increase in applicants between 2019 and 2020. Similarly, Howard University saw a 15.8% increase in applicants between 2019 and 2020. The demand for HBCUs has only grown overtime for several reasons, some due to the shortcomings of PWIs. North Carolina is the state with the second most amount of HBCUs, Alabama having most. North Carolina currently

houses eleven active HBCUs: Shaw University, Barber-Scotia College, Johnson C. Smith University, Fayetteville State University, Saint Augustine’s University, Bennett College, Livingstone College, North Carolina A&T State University, Elizabeth City State University, Winston-Salem State University and North Carolina Central University. In a state with such a large amount of HBCUs, it is no surprise PWIs are having trouble recruiting and retaining Black students. For many Black students, HBCUs are the better option due to the atmosphere, support, costs and tradition.

Black students deserve spaces in which they feel supported and cared for. According to a 2015 GallupPurdue poll, Black HBCU graduates were more likely to say they felt supported in their undergraduate experience than Black graduates of other institutions. Feeling supported at an institution is crucial to a student’s success and ultimately whether or not they graduate. Students of every background are more likely to succeed in an atmosphere they feel a sense of belonging to. Many PWIs, arguably, do not do enough to ensure their students of color feel supported and a sense of belonging in their community. At an HBCU, however, Black students are more likely to get involved because opportunities are created by and for them.

One of the many reasons Black students will choose an HBCU over a PWI is the emphasis on culture. African American culture is

arguably the most influential culture in the U.S. With popular culture trends constantly being derived from African American culture, HBCUs have become epicenters of culture, trends, movements and more. HBCU culture also places emphasis on tradition. There are many traditions Black students look forward to as part of their college experience at an HBCU, including but not limited to: an extremely active Greek life, unforgettable homecoming celebrations, an appreciation for all things marching band and more.

HBCU homecoming concerts often feature star-studded lineups with artists such as Lil Durk, Lil Baby, Roddy Ricch and Ty Dolla Sign. HBCU concerts are highly anticipated by not only the students of the universities, but also the greater Black community. Simply put, HBCUs are a hub for Black culture to thrive and influence culture across the country.

Financially, choosing an HBCU proves to be the most economical decision for many Black students. According to the National Education Association, “about one in four HBCU students grew up in the very lowest income quintile.”

Additionally, about 70% of all HBCU students qualify for federal

pell grants. HBCUs’ tuition costs, both private and public, are generally 30% less expensive than their PWI counterparts. HBCUs’ commitment to narrow the racial wealth gap keeps costs low and encourages degree completion without the stress of going too far into debt. According to a UNCF report titled “HBCUs Transforming Generations: Social Mobility Outcomes for HBCU Alumni,” HBCUs serve as the “primary post-secondary driver for moving Black Americans from poverty to the middle class.” Social mobility and a promise of financial stability is yet another attractive aspect of choosing an HBCU. When it comes to choosing where to pursue post-secondary education, things like culture, atmosphere, support and finances are taken into consideration. For Black students, a lot of those aspects ideally fall into place at an HBCU rather than a PWI. The rich history of HBCUs, including the long list of American role models who were educated at an HBCU, will continue to encourage and inspire generations of Black students to pursue their studies at an HBCU. These universities will continue to thrive and be a hub for Black excellence well into the future.

Illustration by Lilianna Rivera