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The Whitest Historically Black College In America
NPR ^ | 18 Oct 2013 | SHEREEN MARISOL MERAJI and GENE DEMBY

Posted on 10/18/2013 12:12:19 PM PDT by Theoria

It opened in the late 19th century as the Bluefield Colored Institute, created to educate the children of black coal miners in segregated West Virginia. Although it still receives the federal funding that comes with its designation as a historically black institution, today Bluefield State College is 90 percent white. The road that separates those realities is as rocky as any story of racial transition in post-World War II America.

I was on the campus of Bluefield State with my colleague Shereen Marisol Meraji on homecoming weekend because we wanted to see what campus life was like at this unusual college.

The very first student we met, Antonio Bolden, or Tony as he introduced himself, looked like any other student you might see at a historically black college or university (HBCU). He's a laidback 19-year-old, stocky with shoulder-length dreadlocks and green eyes. But at Bluefield State, Tony is an outlier for several reasons. He's a teenager; the average age of his classmates is 27. He started college right after high school; many of his classmates are working full-time jobs, raising children, or both. And of course, he's black, whereas the student body is only historically so.

He came to Bluefield State to play baseball, hoping to win the starting spot on third base. But he was surprised by what he found when he got to campus. "My first thought was: There are a lot of white people," he said.

"Where all the black people at?"

(Excerpt) Read more at npr.org ...


TOPICS: Education; Society
KEYWORDS: blackcollege; college; education; westvirginia

1 posted on 10/18/2013 12:12:19 PM PDT by Theoria
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To: Theoria

They need their mascot to be the Fightin’ Whities just to get under the skin of the Reds (aka Redskins, collectivists, Communists, et al).


2 posted on 10/18/2013 12:14:10 PM PDT by Jack Hydrazine (IÂ’m not a Republican, I'm a Conservative! Pubbies haven't been conservative since before T.R.)
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To: Jack Hydrazine

The Palefaces.


3 posted on 10/18/2013 12:14:52 PM PDT by a fool in paradise (America 2013 - STUCK ON STUPID)
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To: Theoria

“Historically Black Colleges” are a holdover from our racist past and must all be shut down immediately.


4 posted on 10/18/2013 12:15:37 PM PDT by Cowboy Bob (They are called "Liberals" because the word "parasite" was already taken.)
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To: Theoria

If you want to ENSURE you get a job when you graduate from college, go to a black college. It doesn’t matter how well you do, or how much better your competition at other schools are qualified, you will be ENTITLED when the major companies come on their recruiting trips.


5 posted on 10/18/2013 12:17:18 PM PDT by The Sons of Liberty (Who but a TYRANT shoves down another man's throat what he has exempted himself from?)
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To: Cowboy Bob

Especially the ones with state funding — the private ones are welcome to continue but state-sponsored self-segregation is as wrong as a football bat.


6 posted on 10/18/2013 12:18:19 PM PDT by T-Bird45 (It feels like the seventies, and it shouldn't.)
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To: Theoria

By Line: NPR — did not need to read any further.


7 posted on 10/18/2013 12:20:05 PM PDT by EagleUSA
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To: Theoria
So are these whites, white-whites, hispanic-whites, Obama-whites, asian-whites, etc? Inquiring minds want to know.
8 posted on 10/18/2013 12:31:31 PM PDT by Huskrrrr
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To: Theoria

As usual, NPR withholds vital information.

Only 3.5% of West Virginia residents are Black.

That means the number of Black students at this college is two or three times greater than their proportion in the state.

NPR also fails to tell us that, nationally, Blacks attend college at around half the rate that whites do.

So, their representation at this school is even more impressive than the two to three times I just mentioned.

NPR does give us a 25 year old statistic to work with - 6% of faculty were Black in 1987.

Once again, compared to the number of Black state residents, and compared to the number of Black faculty nationally, this was also a very impressive number in 1987.


9 posted on 10/18/2013 12:34:19 PM PDT by zeestephen
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To: Theoria
Not to be confused with:


10 posted on 10/18/2013 12:48:03 PM PDT by Hoodat (BENGHAZI - 4 KILLED, 2 MIA)
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To: Cowboy Bob

“Historically Black Colleges”, United Negro College Fund, Congressional Black Caucus, etc., etc.

If you’re from a media/elites approved group, then racism just doesn’t matter.


11 posted on 10/18/2013 12:52:45 PM PDT by SharpRightTurn (White, black, and red all over--America's affirmative action, metrosexual president.)
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To: Theoria

“Where all the black people at?”


12 posted on 10/18/2013 12:57:02 PM PDT by SharpRightTurn (White, black, and red all over--America's affirmative action, metrosexual president.)
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To: Jack Hydrazine

OK, I’m a little too tired to make any sense of this, but as far as I’m concerned they can go back to being segregated if they want to.


13 posted on 10/18/2013 1:39:42 PM PDT by Kenton
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To: Theoria

“Where all the black people at?”

Heading for Remedial English 101, eh?


14 posted on 10/18/2013 1:42:15 PM PDT by I want the USA back (Media: completely irresponsible traitors. Complicit in the destruction of our country.)
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To: The Sons of Liberty

Become a Soul Man!
15 posted on 10/18/2013 1:44:42 PM PDT by Jack Hydrazine (IÂ’m not a Republican, I'm a Conservative! Pubbies haven't been conservative since before T.R.)
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To: Theoria

Why don’t any colleges ever advertise themselves as a “Historically White college?”


16 posted on 10/19/2013 7:08:13 PM PDT by rfreedom4u (I have a copy of the Constitution! And I'm not afraid to use it!)
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