Dr. Ray Winbush, the director of the Institute for Urban Research at Morgan State University, says the mandates of public desegregation orders and the economic and educational interests of White civic and business leaders have put the historical missions of HBCUs at risk in the current diversity era. He says the danger comes from those who would turn majority Black HBCUs into majority White institutions.
“I’m very welcoming of Hispanics coming to Black colleges. This is a good movement,” he says.
The effort, Winbush says, represents one of the most positive aspects of Black-Latino relations in the United States. While there’s been a tendency in the news media to highlight conflicts between Blacks and Hispanics, Winbush says the long-term benefits of Hispanics educated in historically Black institutions will serve to help make for a positive relationship.
“The movement will strengthen ties between the communities. It allows us to get to know one another better,” he says.
© Copyright 2005 by DiverseEducation.com
