A00001 - An Integrated BSU (10/01/2010)

 Rick,

These days, I live in the San Francisco Bay Area.  There is a city

called Oakland and in the city of Oakland there is a women's college

called Mills College.  A few years ago, because of financial concerns,

the board of trustees of Mills College decided that being a women's

college was no longer viable and decided to become co-ed.  This

decision sparked a firestorm of controversy.  The student body revolted

against the idea of becoming co-ed, and so did the alumni.  For weeks,

the news stories were replete with testimonials and scholarly pundits

who came forward to tout the benefit of having an institution that was

a single sex institution.  Much was said about the ability of the women

at such a college to excel in science, math and leadership roles that

they often found themselves unable to do at co-ed universities.  In

essence, the women of Mills were advocating the superiority of their

sexually segregated education and, in the end, they succeeded in

maintaining it.

A couple of years ago, if not for the arrival of the "Anointed One", I

was prepared to cast a vote for a product of such sexually segregated

education as President of these United States.  From all accounts, I

believe that Hilary Clinton excelled at her sexually segregated college

and I have yet to hear her call for the abolition of such institutions

as being sexually anachronistic.

In my search for examples of educational models for young people that

might work, I seem to recall reading about an academy in Chicago that

was composed solely of black teenage boys.  As I recall, all of the

boys were going on to college.  Part of their success was due to both

their sexual segregation from girls but also the fact that the teachers

appeared to be able to address them as young black males in ways that

were effective.  In that particular instance, the success of the school

was not racially anachronistic.  It was a remedy for the times.

As for the HBCUs, I do not view them as racially anachronistic.  I am

mindful that so many of the black pioneers (Booker T. Washington,

George Washington Carver, Martin Luther King, Jr.) were affiliated with

the HBCUs and that those institutions still produce so many of the

teachers and leaders of our communities.  I chose not to go to an HBCU

because when I was 17 the notion that I would be leaving California at

all was not even on the radar.  Going to Amherst, for me, was somewhat

of a fortunate fluke.

Rick, in all candor, for me, this list serv itself is a prime example

of how a segregated educational environment can be far more enriching

than an integrated educational environment.  This past year there have

been two list serves that were initiated that I have been a part of. 

The Class of 1975 began one and after a few bursts of excitement it has

quieted down.  That is not to say that there is total inactivity, but

there is nothing like the dialogue that you and I have had or like the

discussions that have permeated this list serve over the last few days.

  Despite Mark's trumpeting of being non-discriminatory, I would suspect

that the participation of black alums on this list serve would be

dramatically altered if it ever became an "integrated" enterprise.

Rick, I have Southern Baptist roots, and I was tremendously impacted by

the life and death of Martin Luther King.  I have always been one to

advocate integration and, indeed, I chose not to live in Phi Psi

because I truly believed that such self-segregation was

counter-productive.  But I was also deeply involved with the Amherst

Afro-Am when a young black man died on campus, when the only black dean

was fired, and when black faculty and black students alike felt as

though they were living in a hostile environment.  At the time, the

Afro-Am needed to be an all-black organization simply so that the black

community could come together collectively.

There Rick is the paradox.  Sometimes our ideals do run afoul of the

pragmatic realities of the day.  As for the upcoming Black Alumni

Weekend, I appear to be on the planning committee, but again I am far

away in distance and age and do not know what use I will be.  I think

like most everyone, I am anxious to see just what this new generation

will do.  So stay tuned.

Peace my friend,

Everett Jenkins

Class of 1975

-----Original Message-----

From: Rick

To: 

Sent: Thu, Sep 30, 2010 10:36 pm

Subject: Re: [BlackAlumni] An Integrated BSU

Dear Everett,

Your rationale for a BSU with an exclusively black membership and for

the value

of segregated education is reminiscent of the arguments used by "nice

white

racist South Africans" in support of apartheid. I am disappointed and

profoundly

disturbed to hear such views espoused by educated black Americans in

the 21st

century.

If such is your view, why did you choose to attend Amherst College

instead of

one the racially anachronistic HBCUs?

Am I correct in assuming that you would use the same rationale to

support a

self-segregated Amherst Black Alumni Weekend? If so, count me out.

Regards,

Rick 

----- Original Message ----

From: "skipjen2865@aol.com" <skipjen2865@aol.com>

To: 

Sent: Fri, October 1, 2010 12:33:40 AM

Subject: An Integrated BSU

Rick,

It seems to me that one of the unresolved issues amongst black folks

actually

stems from the work you did on the Brown v. Board of Education case,

some 57

years ago. The notion that a segregated education is one that is

inherently

inferior may not be true.  It may be that psychologically, a segregated

educational environment can actually empower people to achieve more

than they

would have been able to achieve in an integrated environment.

Rick, as a child of the 1960s, I too have always believed in striving

to achieve

an integrated society.  However, there are certain realities that one

encounters

as a minority that run afoul of the ideal.  For instance, in an ideal

world it

would be nice to have an integrated BSU.  However, what happens if over

time,

the active control of the organization is relinquished to non-black

students?

What happens if a hostile non-black group decides to take over the BSU

out of

spite?

While at Amherst, it pained me to see the self-segregation that arose

within the

black community, and yet having experienced the environment of the

times, I

fully understood the desire and even the need for such self-segregation.

Ultimately, for me, it comes down to the purpose of today's BSU.  If it

is

designed to serve as a refuge from a perceived hostile racial

environment, then

I can see why it should be exclusive.  However, on the other hand, if

it is

charged with fostering interracial understanding, then it should be

integrated.

I am mindful of our history with the leadership of the NAACP originally

being

composed of whites and blacks working together.  With the racial

problems that

still exist in this country, it would be beneficial to see the expanded

fostering of such black-white collaborations as existed with the

founding of the

NAACP.  And, from my perspective, Amherst College is as good a place to

start as

any.

Everett Jenkins

Class of 1975

-----Original Message-----

From: R

To: 

Sent: Thu, Sep 30, 2010 7:02 pm

Subject: Re: [BlackAlumni] Fw: [BlackAlumni] Back in the Saddle!

Dear Y

While respecting your opinion, I cannot support a BSU that

self-segregates by

limiting its membership to black students only. Ethnic organizational

segregation (whatever its source) has no place on a college or

university campus

which should be a place of openness and acceptance. What would you say,

for

example, if the Glee Club decided that its membership could only be

white male?

Or if the Newman Club barred all non-Catholics?

I would be interested to hear whether other black alums share your view

of BSU

membership. I, for one, do not share it.

All the best,

Rick