Today I had to speak at a Teen Summit held in Atlanta, GA. As I started speaking to the students, I asked how many of them wanted to attend a black college after graduating from high school. The majority of the students raised their hands indicating yes to the question. However, one young man boldly spoke up to tell me that he didn't want to attend a Black college. When I asked why he stated that first of all, he wanted to attend Harvard so that he could become a 'high-priced lawyer' and that (with no offense intended toward me) that wasn't possible for graduates from Black colleges. He went on to say that students who go to Black colleges only wanted to party and that they didn't want to learn.

I asked my well spoken friend who gave him this information. He told me that his parents told him this. Then I asked if his parents had attended a black college. He said no. I asked did he know anyone that had attended a black college and he said no. So, I asked how could he make a judgment call about something he knew nothing about. I also told him that I had plenty of friends who were 'high-priced' lawyers and they graduated from a black colleges!

You know...I can't blame the young man. All he was doing was repeating what he heard his parents saying. I blame his parents. I have found through my book promotions that the people who dog our schools the most are OUR people. Why is that? Do we not understand the larger picture of what Black colleges represent?

I pray that after hearing me speak that this young man will reconsider his position about Black colleges. Don't get me wrong. I don't think the HBCU experience is for everyone and the most important thing is not that our youth (especially our young men) attend a black college, but that they at least GO to college. But after hearing his perspective I am even more committed to waving my banner in support of HBCUs!!!