Why Historically Black Colleges and Universities Matter

Contents Series Foreword  ix References  xiii Acknowledgments  xvii Introduction: The Experiences That Shaped Me as a Historian  1 Why Conduct Research Related to Historically Black Colleges and Universities?  5 The Evolution of My Research  6 Evolution of My Historical Work  7 Overview of Chapters  9 Final Thoughts on This Volume  11 Part I: Academic Freedom, Philanthropy, and Art 1.  Scylla and Charybdis: Navigating the Waters of Academic Freedom at Fisk University During Charles S. Johnson’s Administration (1946–1956)  17 Academic Freedom at Fisk: A Checkered Past  18 The Rise of Black Leadership at Fisk  23 The Case of Lee Lorch  26 A Decision to Secure Fisk’s Future  31 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  41 The Role of Art at Fisk University  42 The International Student Center  44 Biweekly Convocations  45 The Stieglitz Collection  46 Toward an Arts-Focused Curriculum  47 Conclusion  50 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  60 Uncovering their Goals  64 Philanthropy: Obstacle or Avenue?  66 Conclusion  69 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  86 The Impact of the Brown Decision on Donor Perceptions  89 Recruiting Whites Becomes Difficult  90 Implausible Suggestions, Real Possibilities  92 5.  Salvaging “Academic Disaster Areas”: The Black College Response to Christopher Jencks and David Riesman’s 1967 Harvard Educational Review Article  97 The Jencks and Riesman Article  98 Responding in the Media  104 The Black College Response  106 Support from the Wider Academic Community  112 Jencks and Riesman’s Response to the Black College Leaders  115 Spinning Black Colleges in the Media  120 A More Organized and Informed Response: Charles V. Willie’s Harvard Conference  122 Conclusion  125 PART III: HISTORY INFORMED BY THEORY 6.  Swept Under the Rug? A Historiography of Gender and Black Colleges  131 Coming Clean on My Own Omissions  134 The Historical Literature on Black Colleges  134 Philanthropic Outside Control  135 Internal Campus Relations  141 Black Women’s Higher Education  151 Research Recommendations and Significance for Current Policy and Practice  156 7.  Perceptions of Black College Presidents: Sorting Through Stereotypes and Reality to Gain a Complex Picture  159 Review of Relevant Literature  161 Conclusion  186 8.  Mixed Motivations, Mixed Results: A History of Law, Legislation, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and Interest Convergence  189 Early History of Black Colleges  191 Separate but Equal?  198 The ”Great” Philanthropists  199 Murray v. Pearson  201 Missouri ex rel. Gaines v. Canada  202 The Pre-Brown Higher Education Cases  204 Separate Is Not Equal?  206 Post-Brown Activity  207 Historically Black College and University Acts  212 The Impact of Fordice  213 Renewed Interest From the White House  215 Lawsuits in the Current Day  216 Concluding Thought  218 Epilogue: A Note on Method  219 Endnotes  223 Index  286 About the Author  300