Social Studies 5: Historical Black Colleges

See, after the end of the Civil War, the South entered what's known as the Reconstruction

Era.

The whole point of this period was to, well, reconstruct society and try to make the South

normal again after they got their butts kicked by the North. [Robert E. Lee saying the South surrenders]

And a big part of that included giving all the freed slaves the rights that they deserved. [The 13th to 15th amendments to the constitution]

Right-fully so.

Heh.

Get it?

So the U.S. government launched a federal agency known as the Freedmen's Bureau.

Don’t know what that means?

Say it slower.

Freed.

Men.

Ah, words.

Just like Legos.

Put two of ‘em together, and you get a boat. [A pile of words is connected together]

…That might only work for Legos, come to think of it… [The pile of words fall apart and a kid locks shocked]

Anyway, this bureau, along with the American Missionary Association, were the first to

establish colleges in the country specifically for African Americans. [Coop pointing at a blackboard]

But why was doing this so important?

Well, because education is super important, and everybody deserves one! [Dino pointing at a blackboard]

Just like everybody deserves a nap once in a while.

Including us…just…give us a minute…..or twenty…. [Someone asleep on a couch]

Ah, refreshing.

Anyway, back to the topic at hand. [Person wakes up]

Early African American colleges included Hampton University, established in 1868 in Virginia,

Howard University, established in 1867 in Washington DC, and Fisk University, established [Pictures of the colleges]

in 1866 in Nashville.

Each school had its own emphasis, whether it was industrial training, liberal arts,

or a broad range of college courses.

We hope that included "how to waste time on the internet". [Lecturer next to blackboard that says 'wasting time on the internet']

…We're pretty sure we'd ace that class.

Anyway.

Each of the colleges shared one quality: they were established with the intention of serving

the African American community, though they have always allowed admission to all races.

Other notable Historical Black Colleges include Morehouse College located in Atlanta and known [Coop and Dino showing pictures]

for producing many African American leaders including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and

Alcorn State in Mississippi, notable for being the first black college in America to focus

on agriculture and mechanics.

And those schools are just a few of the 107 total historically black colleges in the United

States today, all of which continue to produce a significant portion of African American

college graduates each year.

For the record, there is a college class about wasting time on the internet. [Coop next to a picture of the University of Pennsylvania]

Time for us to go back to college…just as soon as we finish this Buzzfeed quiz….