Leake 1
Shakeema Leake
English 098
December 8, 2014

Historically Black Colleges are a source of accomplishment and great pride for the African American community as well as the entire nation, but many people question the relevance of HBCU’s in today’s society. Are HBCU’s still relevant in today’s society? Are HBCU’s relevant to the nation’s future? These are the questions that are being asked. Many believe that HBCU’s are and have been student centered through opportunities for higher education and serve as a source of empowerment for African American students. There has been many debates about this topic. Many people agree that HBCU’s are relevant and many also disagree, but they do remain relevant in today’s society. They are relevant because they have educated African American leaders and empowered students to learn and to become better citizens. Black Greek organizations have a storied history of HBCU campuses and their members continue to be highly influential today. Most HBCUs were established after the American civil war. They were established to help serve educational needs of black Americans. HBCUs have played a big role down through the years of African Americans. At one point there was only a college education from an HBCU. HBCUs hold a legacy for young African Americans and the ability to graduate. HBCUs must be protected because they are not only an important part of our history, but also an important part of our future. HBCUs are relevant in today’s society because it remains the fact of higher learning. According to the research “33% of all African Americans earning a Bachelors and Doctoral degrees, almost double that compared to Africans Americans attending a White school” (Issa 1). The students get more academic and social support. They have the opportunity to be in an environment where they will not be the minority student sitting in class. Education became the backbone for African Americans and producing leaders for generations to come. Sororities and Fraternities were founded in the 20th century and were established mostly at HBCU’s because others did not accepted blacks. They remained very active at the graduate level. Since the founding of black fraternities and sororities, these groups have played a major role in the cultural, social and civic life of their communities. Kappa Alpha Psi is a