Why Historically Black Colleges and Universities Matter: 25 Years of Historical Research for Justice(Multicultural Education Series)

With a personal and narrative style, preeminent educational historian Marybeth Gasman presents her research pertaining to HBCUs conducted over her 25-year career. In addition to conducting historical and large-scale qualitative studies related to HBCUs, Gasman has also served as a board of trustee member at three HBCUs—Paul Quinn College, St. Augustine University, and Morris Brown College. She has received wide recognition from HBCUs for her scholarly and justice-oriented work, including the Ozell Sutton Medallion for Justice from Philander Smith College and the Presidential Medallion from Wilberforce University. This volume brings together Gasman's most influential historical essays on the themes of leadership, philanthropy, art, curriculum, intellectual debate, Black agency, desegregation, and Critical Race Theory. Scholars and students alike will benefit from the way Gasman makes complex historical ideas accessible and engaging by employing a variety of historical methods that include oral history, archival research, legal research, text and image analysis, historiography, and prosopography. Readers will discover the multitude of ways that historical research can be approached and brought to life. Book Features: Concrete examples of how to use a variety of methodological approaches related to history. A clear and accessible presentation of history to help new scholars find their voices. Diverse topics related to HBCUs, featuring key luminaries across these venerable institutions. Cuts across disciplinary boundaries, including American history, education, art history, sociology, political science, and law. An introduction that explores the author's reasons for doing this research and an epilogue examining the methods used.

Table of Contents:
Contents Series Foreword  ix References  xiii Acknowledgments  xvii Introduction: The Experiences That Shaped Me as a Historian   Why Conduct Research Related to Historically Black Colleges and Universities?  5 The Evolution of My Research   Evolution of My Historical Work  7 Overview of Chapters  9 Final Thoughts on This Volume   Part I: Academic Freedom, Philanthropy, and Art .  Scylla and Charybdis: Navigating the Waters of Academic Freedom at Fisk University During Charles S. Johnson's Administration ( 94 – 95 )   7 Academic Freedom at Fisk: A Checkered Past   8 The Rise of Black Leadership at Fisk  23 The Case of Lee Lorch  2 A Decision to Secure Fisk's Future  3 2.  Modern Art in the Old South: The Role of the Arts in Fisk University's Campus Curriculum  37 Laying the Foundation for an Arts-Focused Curriculum  38 Charles S. Johnson: Fisk University President  4 The Role of Art at Fisk University  42 The International Student Center  44 Biweekly Convocations  45 The Stieglitz Collection  4 Toward an Arts-Focused Curriculum  47 Conclusion  5 3.  W.E.B. Du Bois and Charles S. Johnson: Differing Views on the Role of Philanthropy in Higher Education  53 Understanding Du Bois—Radical Intellectual  55 Understanding Johnson: Liberal Educator and Race Relations Pioneer   Uncovering their Goals   4 Philanthropy: Obstacle or Avenue?   Conclusion   9 PART II: FUNDRAISING AND RACE 4.  Rhetoric vs. Reality: The Fundraising Messages of the United Negro College Fund in the Immediate Aftermath of the Brown Decision  75 Background and Composition of the UNCF  77 Preparing for the Brown Decision  79 The Aftermath of the Supreme Court's Decision  83 Responsibility to the Black Community  85 Seeing a Wider Constituency  8 The Impact of the Brown Decision on Donor Perceptions  89 Recruiting Whites Becomes Difficult  9 Implausible Suggestions, Real Possibilities  92 5.  Salvaging "Academic Disaster Areas": The Black College Response to Christopher Jencks and David Riesman's 9 7 Harvard Educational Review Article  97 The Jencks and Riesman Article  98 Responding in the Media   4 The Black College Response   Support from the Wider Academic Community   2 Jencks and Riesman's Response to the Black College Leaders   5 Spinning Black Colleges in the Media   2 A More Organized and Informed Response: Charles V. Willie's Harvard Conference   22 Conclusion   25 PART III: HISTORY INFORMED BY THEORY .  Swept Under the Rug? A Historiography of Gender and Black Colleges   3 Coming Clean on My Own Omissions   34 The Historical Literature on Black Colleges   34 Philanthropic Outside Control   35 Internal Campus Relations   4 Black Women's Higher Education   5 Research Recommendations and Significance for Current Policy and Practice   5 7.  Perceptions of Black College Presidents: Sorting Through Stereotypes and Reality to Gain a Complex Picture   59 Review of Relevant Literature   Conclusion   8 8.  Mixed Motivations, Mixed Results: A History of Law, Legislation, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and Interest Convergence   89 Early History of Black Colleges   9 Separate but Equal?   98 The "Great" Philanthropists   99 Murray v. Pearson  2 Missouri ex rel. Gaines v. Canada  2 2 The Pre-Brown Higher Education Cases  2 4 Separate Is Not Equal?  2 Post-Brown Activity  2 7 Historically Black College and University Acts  2 2 The Impact of Fordice  2 3 Renewed Interest From the White House  2 5 Lawsuits in the Current Day  2 Concluding Thought  2 8 Epilogue: A Note on Method  2 9 Endnotes  223 Index  28 About the Author  3

About the Author :
Marybeth Gasman is the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Endowed Chair in Education and a Distinguished University Professor at Rutgers University. She is the coauthor of For the Love of Teaching: How Minority Serving Institutions Are Diversifying and Transforming the Profession.