To know Is Bluefield State A HBCU…Read on this article…!
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are institutions of learning in the United States that were established to educate those of African American origin. Most of these colleges came into existence some years after the American civil war and are mostly in the South of the United States.
Because most African Americans were prevented from attending regular colleges in the South at the time of segregation, these schools were formed with the interest of black people at heart. And to date, they offer an equal opportunity for education to the blacks.
So, the question is, is Bluefield State one of these Historically Black Colleges? We’ll find answers to this and more in this article.
Is Bluefield State A HBCU?
Well yes, even though Bluefield State College now has only 8% blacks enrolled in the school and over 80% of whites, it is still a Historically Black College (HBCU).
Founded in 1895 as a high-graded school for African Americans, Bluefield College was known in those days as the ‘Bluefield Colored Institute.’ That was at the time when the Constitution of West Virginia stopped colored citizens from interacting with whites and that included education.The school remained an all-African American school till late 1909 when it was re-established as a normal school for teachers’ training.
What is the Origin of The HBCUs?
During the period of intense Racism and Segregation in the United States, a constitution was passed stating that African Americans and other colored people were not to blend with the whites nor be allowed access to the same schools as they. That was during the regime of Jim Crow in 1896.
Most of the schools back then were owned and run by whites who shut the gates to the black scholars. The blacks had to find a way to get educated. So, they began to create their schools without violating the ‘Separate but Equal’ rule.
These schools are the schools we know as the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
But after Segregation and racism were reduced to the barest minimum, they began accepting students from all over the world irrespective of their race and color.
Is Bluefield State Still an HBCU?
As stated earlier, Bluefield State was one of those colleges founded with the sole aim of educating the black children of the miners who were at that time banned from attending regular schools with the whites. This alone makes it an HBCU forever even though it has more White students now than Blacks.
The reason for the reduction of the blacks in the school is not a case of racism but a case of proximity, variety of choice schools for the blacks to select from, low production on the mining site of the school which has led to the emigration of the miners, and all other factors that rose with the end of the Segregation.
So, it cannot be disqualified from being an HBCU simply because only a few African Americans attend there. The reason is that the role it played during that period of darkness cannot be thrown into the mud.
Moreover, Bluefield state still receives federal funding that is due to all HBCUs.
Is Bluefield still an all-black school to date?
A 2017 Research has revealed that the school is no more a black populated school. Ironically, black students in the school are just a minority 8.5%. While the white students are the most populated with approximately 85% of the total school population.
Because of this, Bluefield State was given the title of the ‘Whitest HBCU in America.’ But this does not stop Bluefield college from being an HBCU as explained earlier.
What other HBCUs are there?
Bluefield State University is not the only Historically Black College created. So many of these colleges were created to annul the effect of the Segregation of those days on the African American populace.
HBCUs in the United States are about 107 schools in number with approximately 228,000 enrolled students. Here are some of these colleges in no particular order.
Spelman College
Howard University
Alabama State College,
Bennet College
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
Alcorn State College
Edward Waters University
West Virginia State University
Grambling State University
Savannah State University
Florida Memorial University
Southern State University
Jackson State University
Fisk University
Mississippi Valley State University.
Tuskegee University
Lincoln University of Missouri
Stillman College, and many others.
These colleges still enroll blacks but not as much as in the past as racism has dwindled reasonably over the years. Still, every year, a week is dedicated to these schools to celebrate and appreciate them for stepping in for the African Americans.
Can International Students Apply To HBCUs like Bluefield?
Though the HBCUs were created initially for African Americans, they now accept applicants from all races and ethnicities. There is no discrimination as to who can apply to HBCUs and even qualified International students are welcome to study with them.
Bluefield College, however, ranks 1040 out of 1279 US colleges that accept international students. (Reported by College Factual rankings). And international students there are a little less than 1% of the entire populace.
This is not because it does not accept International students though.
What Is The Applicant’s Rate of Acceptance Into Bluefield College?
This highest-ranked public college in West Virginia is not selective as 90% of applicants are accepted into the school. The school is also less competitive as a majority of students enrolled fall in the SAT score range of 850 to 1070, and ACT scores of 17 to 22.
The average GPA accepted in Bluefield State is 3.0 on a scale of 4.0.
Another interesting Fact about Bluefield State is that it is one of the most affordable colleges in West Virginia and also ranks No. 37 on the list of schools with high GPAs in Virginia.
Bluefield State has a long history of quality training and education of students in a serene environment. It is indeed a school for all.
Conclusion
In this article, we have dealt justifiably with all topics and sub-topics relating to Bluefield College and HBCUs at large. In it, you’ll learn about the issues that inspired the creation of HBCUs, how they faced those challenges and more.
