I was headed to college in Boston or Ithaca, NY, until my first wife's late uncle, Wiley Harris, shamed black-oriented-me into enrolling at Howard U. My earlier fantasies about Boston U. or Cornell were all based on magazine articles (Ebony especially) about their Black Student Unions. He asked me: "You like black people? Want to be around black people?" When I said, "yes." He said, "Then go to a black college. In fact, go to Howard." I protested that "They might not be ready for me." He replied with a chuckle. "They are more than ready for you, young man. Some of our greatest leaders went there. If you like black, 7,000 blacks is better than 70." Mind you, this man had just met me that same day! He totally blew my young mind. And I am so glad that he did! Encourage promising students near you to go to black colleges please. You know better than they could ever know, based on having lived!
Thursday, February 19, 2015
MY BLACK COLLEGE PEP TALK BY UNCLE WILEY HARRIS
http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2015/02/12/historically-black-colleges-enrollment/23335687/
I was headed to college in Boston or Ithaca, NY, until my first wife's late uncle, Wiley Harris, shamed black-oriented-me into enrolling at Howard U. My earlier fantasies about Boston U. or Cornell were all based on magazine articles (Ebony especially) about their Black Student Unions. He asked me: "You like black people? Want to be around black people?" When I said, "yes." He said, "Then go to a black college. In fact, go to Howard." I protested that "They might not be ready for me." He replied with a chuckle. "They are more than ready for you, young man. Some of our greatest leaders went there. If you like black, 7,000 blacks is better than 70." Mind you, this man had just met me that same day! He totally blew my young mind. And I am so glad that he did! Encourage promising students near you to go to black colleges please. You know better than they could ever know, based on having lived!
I was headed to college in Boston or Ithaca, NY, until my first wife's late uncle, Wiley Harris, shamed black-oriented-me into enrolling at Howard U. My earlier fantasies about Boston U. or Cornell were all based on magazine articles (Ebony especially) about their Black Student Unions. He asked me: "You like black people? Want to be around black people?" When I said, "yes." He said, "Then go to a black college. In fact, go to Howard." I protested that "They might not be ready for me." He replied with a chuckle. "They are more than ready for you, young man. Some of our greatest leaders went there. If you like black, 7,000 blacks is better than 70." Mind you, this man had just met me that same day! He totally blew my young mind. And I am so glad that he did! Encourage promising students near you to go to black colleges please. You know better than they could ever know, based on having lived!