Congressional Record, Volume 146 Issue 111 (Tuesday, September 19, 2000)

[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 111 (Tuesday, September 19, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H7844-H7852]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES WEEK

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of
January 6, 1999, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) is recognized
for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader.

General Leave

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks
on the subject of my special order this evening.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Maryland?
There was no objection.
Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, I am honored today to join a number of my
colleagues in celebrating National Historically Black Colleges and
Universities Week.
The contributions made by HBCUs to the African American community, to
our country, and to our culture cannot be overstated.
As President Clinton noted in proclaiming the week of September 17 as
HBCU Week, ``Generations of African American educators, physicians,
lawyers, scientists, and other professionals found at HBCUs the
knowledge, experience and encouragement they needed to reach their full
potential.''
The alumni rolls of HBCUs are very long. They include two very
distinguished, extraordinary Americans, Martin Luther King, Jr., and
Booker T. Washington. In addition, they include a number of my
colleagues who will be joining me today.
Today, Madam Speaker, Historically Black Colleges and Universities
comprise about three percent of all colleges and universities. However,
they confer nearly 30 percent of all bachelor's degrees awarded each
year to African Americans.
HBCUs, Historically Black Colleges, also confer the majority of
bachelor's degrees and advance degrees awarded to black students in the
physical sciences, mathematics, computer sciences, engineering, and
education. More than half of all African American professionals,
including 70 percent of African American dentists and physicians,
graduated from Historically Black institutions.
The real story, Madam Speaker, that underlies these figures is the
story of hope and opportunity. We cannot, we should not, we must not
run from our history no matter how painful, no matter how disgraceful.
Before the Supreme Court's landmark decision in Brown v. Board of
Education in 1954, African Americans were routinely and wrongly
excluded from institutions of higher learning. It did not matter how
smart they were. It did not matter how much talent or potential they
had. The only thing, tragically, that mattered was the color of their
skin.
But out of that rank injustice, that indefensible racism, was born a
fortitude and a determination to rise above, to overcome, to overcome
through education. Thus, the first black college, which is now known as
Cheyney University in Cheyney, Pennsylvania, was founded in 1837.
To appreciate the magnitude of this, remember that Cheyney was
created a full 28 years before the ratification of the 13th amendment
established to train free blacks to become school teachers.
Today Cheyney is one of the 105 HBCUs that continue to serve with
great pride as an avenue for African Americans to attend college and
indeed for other Americans to attend college, as well.
Four of those Historically Black Colleges are located in the State of
Maryland, including Bowie State University in my own district, which
was founded in 1865. Bowie State University is the oldest Historically
Black University in Maryland. The others, Madam Speaker, are Morgan
State, Coppin State, both in Baltimore, and the University of Maryland
Eastern Shore.
Shortly, I will be joined by my colleague, the gentleman from
Maryland

[[Page H7845]]

(Mr. Cummings), a graduate of Morgan State, who will join me in this
special order.
I want to make specific note of the four presidents of those
distinguished institutions: Dr. Calvin Burnett, president of Coppin
State College; Dr. Earl Richardson, with whom I had the privilege of
being today, president of Morgan State University; and Dr. Dolores
Spikes, president of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
Our newest president is the president of Bowie State University,
which I just mentioned, Dr. Calvin Lowe.
Madam Speaker, let me say, as a current member of the Board of
Regents of the University of Maryland systems, as someone acutely
interested in education and the needs of our youth, I see the manifest
vision and the determination of HBCUs practically every day. I see it
in the faces of the young people in my district who know that they will
have the opportunity to develop their skills and talent, whether they
choose Bowie State University, the University of Maryland College Park,
or any other school. I see it in the faces of young professionals who
have attended an HBCU and who are now working hard to build their
careers and contribute to our society. And I see it in the faces of
those here tonight who appreciate the unique role and history of
Historically Black Colleges and Universities and who understand the
importance of their continued vibrancy.

{time} 1945

In the past 20 years, at least 10 Historically Black Colleges and
Universities have closed. Others, Madam Speaker, face financial
hardship. We have in my opinion in this House a duty to help them, and
not just with dollars, though dollars are very important. The bottom
line, adequate funding, will continue to be important. But we must also
recognize, Madam Speaker, that our strength as a Nation lies not just
in the quality of the University of Maryland at College Park or any of
the other great universities but in the excellence of another great
university, Bowie State, Morgan, Coppin, the University of Maryland
Eastern Shore, and the institutions from which so many of our
distinguished colleagues have graduated. We must realize that while we
celebrate the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, we also must
take joy in the accomplishments and excellence of North Carolina A&T.
Historically Black Colleges have strengthened our country and
enriched our culture beyond measure. They have nurtured and fostered
the talents of millions. And while they can take great pride in their
glorious past, it is incumbent on all of us to ensure that they enjoy
an even brighter future.
Madam Speaker, I had the opportunity of meeting with Dr. Richardson,
as I said, and many other presidents of Historically Black Colleges.
They brought up some critical issues with which this Congress must
deal. I am sure that my colleagues will join me in doing so to ensure
the continued vibrancy and success of these extraordinary institutions.
Madam Speaker, I am now privileged to yield to my good friend,
distinguished colleague and graduate of Howard University. I said
Morgan, but Howard, University. He is on the board of regents at Morgan
State University, the distinguished gentleman from Maryland (Mr.
Cummings).
Mr. CUMMINGS. I want to thank the gentleman for yielding, and I want
to thank him for this special order tonight with regard to our Nation's
Historically Black Colleges and Universities. I also want to thank him
as the former president of the State Senate in Maryland and now as a
Member of this great body for all of the support he has given to our
colleges in the State of Maryland and then of course to those
throughout the United States as a Member of this body.
Many might ask, what is an HBCU? To clarify, the Higher Education Act
of 1965 defines an HBCU as any historically black college or university
that was established prior to 1964 whose principal mission was and is
the education of black Americans. Earlier today, presidents,
chancellors and representatives from HBCUs met with congressional
leaders to identify opportunities to advance HBCUs. Throughout their
history, HBCUs have served as emblems of excellence in higher education
for African Americans.
Often acclaimed ``the salvation of black folks,'' HBCUs have engraved
in American history the opportunity for freedom through education.
There are 117 HBCUs, a mix of 4-year colleges and universities,
community and junior colleges, public and private institutions, and
technical schools. The benefits of an educational experience at an HBCU
are significant and cannot be duplicated. Students develop
intellectually and build life skills and personal confidence about
their identity, heritage and mission to society.
Tonight, Madam Speaker, I would like to simply provide facts and
figures that will give my colleagues an idea of how many lives have
been impacted by HBCUs. Did you know that HBCUs have produced a large
number of congressional representatives, State legislators, mayors,
Federal and State judges, professors, teachers, doctors, lawyers,
business leaders, activists, writers, musicians, actors, athletes and
military leaders? Did you know that for more than 150 years HBCUs have
enrolled less than 20 percent of African American undergraduates but,
significantly, award one-third of all bachelor's degrees and a large
number of the graduate and professional degrees?
During the second session of the 101st Congress at a hearing before
the House Committee on Education and Labor entitled ``Issues and
Matters Pertaining to Historically Black Colleges and Universities,''
former Congressman and current president and CEO of the United Negro
College Fund, William Gray of Pennsylvania, said, ``HBCUs have
performed a remarkable task, educating almost 40 percent of this
country's black college graduates at either the graduate or
undergraduate level, some 75 percent of all black Ph.D.s, 46 percent of
all black business executives, 50 percent of all black engineers, 80
percent of all black Federal judges, and 85 percent of all black
doctors.''
At that same hearing, U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher, who was
then serving as president of Meharry Medical College, stated that
``historically black health professional schools have trained an
estimated 40 percent of this Nation's black dentists, 40 percent of
black physicians, 50 percent of black pharmacists, 75 percent of the
Nation's black veterinarians.''

Again, these statistics speak volumes for the value of HBCUs in
providing an opportunity for African Americans to participate and make
contributions in all walks of life. This record of outstanding
achievement comes despite daunting challenges, including limited
financial resources, as the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) talked
about just a moment ago. In fact, I must note that in comparison with
other colleges and universities, HBCUs are often underfunded. However,
these institutions have maintained their commitment to excellence in
higher education.
Locally, in my district of Baltimore, there are two HBCUs. Coppin
State College has become a staple in the community, working with school
children while also providing services to small businesses in
cooperation with the Small Business Administration. It has also
sponsored workshops, health fairs, concerts and other activities that
enable the college to serve as a repository for African American
culture. Coppin State also offers degree programs to prison inmates in
urban and rural areas. This is just one example of an HBCU working to
make their surrounding community more livable.
As President Clinton once said, ``Historically Black Colleges and
Universities continue to play a vital role by adding to the diversity
and caliber of the Nation's higher education system. Furthermore, these
institutions remind all Americans of our obligations to uphold the
principles of justice and equality enshrined in our Constitution.''
I believe that the information I have provided here tonight supports
this notion. I again thank the gentleman for the special order.
Mr. HOYER. I thank the gentleman for his contribution. I also thank
him for his service with Morgan State University, one of the great
schools in this country and in our State, and also would mention that
his alma mater, Howard, of course, has a particular relationship with
the Federal Government; and we are very supportive of

[[Page H7846]]

that institution, and Dr. Swygert is doing a very outstanding job as
its leader.
Mr. CUMMINGS. I certainly agree with the gentleman on that one. That
is why my daughter is a second-year student there at Howard.
Mr. HOYER. I appreciate that testimony. It is as strong a testimony
as you can get. I thank the gentleman.
Madam Speaker, I yield to the very distinguished gentlewoman from the
District of Columbia (Ms. Norton).
Ms. NORTON. I very much thank the gentleman for yielding. Moreover, I
am very appreciative of the initiative that his involvement brings to
this special order this evening. He is a member of our leadership. I
think a special order led by him indicates, among other things, the
attention and the importance of the Historically Black Colleges and
Universities to our own minority leadership here in the House. I
recognize that the majority has also given some considerable attention
to Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and I want to thank
them for that this evening as well. I am pleased that the gentleman
from Missouri (Mr. Gephardt), the minority leader, has taken a lead in
drawing in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities here this
week when the President has declared this to be National Black Colleges
and Universities Week, so that we could hear directly from them.
If I may say so, my own sister, a fourth generation Washingtonian
like me, is president of a Historically Black College and University,
Albany State University; so I suppose my own interest in this is also a
family interest. She is a graduate of Miners Teachers College, now the
University of the District of Columbia. My mother is a graduate of
Howard University. I suppose it is very difficult for any African
American who has gotten anywhere in life not to have in her family some
indication that the HBCUs have touched their lives. I believe that this
special order this evening is important for the way in which it
illustrates the gentleman from Maryland's understanding of the
continuing importance of these universities in the life and times of
black America, the 23 States and the District of Columbia where they
are located, almost half our States, 105 of them who bear a
disproportionate share of the responsibility for higher education for
African Americans. Because of that fact alone, these colleges and
universities are deserving of all the attention we can give them. If
they were to drop out of the higher education business tomorrow, black
higher education in the United States of America would collapse. They
give us, just at the bachelor's level, 28 percent of the bachelor's
degree. They are only 3 percent of the colleges and universities in the
United States of America. They are as vital as any network of
institutions in our country.
Madam Speaker, I do want to speak about some new developments in the
District of Columbia involving HBCUs. Of course, Howard University, in
many ways the flagship university of black America, is located here.
The gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) has indicated its special
relationship to this Congress. When the slaves were freed, what they
wanted most of all was access to education, and higher education. The
Congress has had responsibility for Howard University in a very special
way almost since the end of the Civil War.

Actually, we had two Historically Black Colleges and Universities
here, the University of the District of Columbia as well as Howard
University, the University of the District of Columbia being an amalgam
of three Historically Black Colleges and Universities. But because of a
wrinkle and mishap, the University of the District of Columbia was
never funded as a Historically Black College and University.
I want to thank this body here this evening that when the D.C.
College Tuition Act was passed, the University of the District of
Columbia received its rightful status as a fully funded HBCU beginning
in 1999. This was very important because this is the only publicly
supported university in the District of Columbia, for its lack of vital
funding, especially given the hard times the District has since gone
through, was a matter of some considerable disadvantage to the
District.
It is also, however, an open-admissions university. That means that,
by definition, it is not the university for some of our youngsters. One
size does not fit all. And so this body passed the D.C. College Tuition
Access Act. This was a historic act, because for the first time it
means that residents of the District of Columbia have what Maryland and
Virginia, to point to our two neighbors, have had historically.
Virginia has 58 public colleges and universities, I think Maryland has
almost 30, and so you can choose which one fits you. The District had
one. It was an open-admissions university. This gave us access to any
public college or university anywhere in the United States of America,
and in this its first year just begun in September, college attendance
in the District of Columbia has been raised enormously. Already in the
first year they have come. What it means is that the youngster and her
family pays in-state tuition and the Federal Government picks up the
rest.
What does that have to do with what we are celebrating here today? We
have the preliminary figures about where these students are going. And
I am here to report today that of the 10 universities most favored by
D.C. students, and they could choose any universities that are publicly
funded anywhere in the United States, six are Historically Black
Colleges and Universities, the six most favored. And they are Howard,
Norfolk State, Morgan, Hampton, Bowie State. There are a host of
others. Delaware State. There are many in North Carolina. Now I am
focusing only on the Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Private universities in the District and the region receive a stipend
of $2,500 if the student chooses the private university. We have 150
students at Hampton, a private university, of course, one of the great
Historically Black Colleges and Universities in Virginia.

{time} 2000

Mr. Speaker, the fact that so many District youngsters, who finally
have the gates open for them, choose any one they want have chosen
HBCUs speaks for itself about the importance of these universities to
African Americans.
Mr. Speaker, we are a microcosm of where black America is in their
choices of higher education. They feel welcome. They feel these schools
will help them get a degree, rather than simply attend a university.
The dropout rates for whites and blacks who go to college in the United
States is enormous. Many of our students come from very disadvantaged
backgrounds. They need special attention.
They get that attention in the historically black colleges and
universities. These universities have proven themselves to the
students, to their families and to our country for generations. More
students than ever now in the District of Columbia know the value since
the way it has been opened to allow them to go to these universities.
We are grateful for this opportunity. We are grateful for this body,
for the leadership on this side of the aisle and the other side of the
aisle that has opened the gates all over America to make up for the
fact that we do not have the same access that other colleges and
universities have.
We are grateful that we now have a funded HBCU here in the District
of Columbia, the University of the District of Columbia, and above all
we are grateful that the HBCUs are there for D.C. as they have been
there for African Americans and for people of all backgrounds
throughout their glorious history.
Mr. Speaker, I very much thank the gentleman from Maryland (Mr.
Hoyer) for yielding to me and I thank him once again for leadership on
this issue as he has always shown leadership on this issue and on other
issues facing black America.
Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman very much. I
appreciate the gentlewoman's remarks, and I believe her remarks were
very cogent. I think it is a very significant fact that the six highest
choices made by students in the District of Columbia who could go
anywhere are historically black colleges, which speaks not only to the
fulfillment of their mission, but to the quality of their work. So I
thank her for her comments.
I yield to my very distinguished friend, the gentleman from Georgia
(Mr. Bishop), a graduate of one of the most distinguished educational
institutions in America that is also a historically black college,
Morehouse College.

[[Page H7847]]

Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Maryland for
yielding to me.
Mr. Speaker, I want to express my appreciation to our distinguished
colleagues, certainly the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) and the
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings) for arranging this evening's
special order in recognition of the contributions made by the country's
historically black colleges and universities.
These 105 institutions located in the District of Columbia and in 23
States from New York to California began to emerge more than 140 years
ago, thrusting open the doors of opportunity and promise for millions
of African Americans. These centers of learning have enriched the lives
of their students, their parents and families and the communities and
the regions that they serve.
As a matter of fact, they have made contributions that have
strengthened our entire country enriching the lives of all Americans.
For me, this special order has a very personal meaning. I literally
grew up within the environment of a historically black college. This
was in Mobile, Alabama, and the college was Bishop State Community
College, which got its start in 1927 as a branch of Alabama State
Teachers College. In 1965, the branch, as it was called, gained its
independence and became Mobile State Junior College where my father,
Dr. Sanford D. Bishop, Sr., served as the first president.
My mother incidentally was the librarian at the college, and it was
literally true that the campus and family life were very closely
interwoven as I spent my formative years on and about the campus there.
In 1971, Mobile State became Bishop State Junior College by an act of
the Alabama legislature and later Bishop State Community College in
recognition of the leadership that my late father provided in building
that college into the modern, flourishing institution that it has
become. Today, it offers a wide variety of courses for our student
enrollment that exceeds 4,000. A college that is recognized for its
academic excellence and which is, perhaps, especially noted for turning
out highly skilled health care professionals.
When I decided to attend college away from home, as many young people
do, my choice was Morehouse College in Atlanta, my father's alma mater,
an institution that had grown from a small Baptist school when founded
in 1867 to become a part of a sprawling college complex,
Atlanta University Center Complex, in providing studies in liberal
arts, religion, philosophy, business administration and the sciences.

It is a place known for its leaders in the struggle to move our
country closer to fulfilling its promise of freedom and opportunity for
all from presidents like Dr. John Hope and Dr. Ben Mays to the most
famous graduate, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., not to mention prominent
leaders in the entertainment field like Spike Lee and Samuel L.
Jackson.
Today I have the privilege of representing the Second Congressional
District of Georgia, which is the home of Albany State University,
where, as we have heard, Dr. Portia Holmes Shields serves as president.
Dr. Shields is, of course, the sister of our own friend and colleague,
the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton).
Albany State, which was founded 97 years ago as a Bible and
vocational training institute, now serves a widespread area of
southwest Georgia, and it provides a wide range of bachelor's and
graduate degrees. I often visit the campus in Albany where I always
gain energy and ideas and inspiration from the relationship that I have
with the faculty and the students.
Albany State has implemented what it calls a total quality approach,
where the academic achievement translates into both commitment to the
community and the skills and knowledge needed to compete in the
workplace. Incidentally, in 1994 and 1998, Albany State was submerged
in water from the flooding of the Flint Rivers as a result of Tropical
Storm Alberta. They developed a motto the Unsinkable Albany State, and
they have rebounded, rebuilt and now have a new campus that is
flourishing.
Also we have Fort Valley State University in Fort Valley, Georgia,
which is one of the 1890 Land Grant Colleges, the only one in Georgia.
It has provided agriculture, education and liberal arts training for
many, many years with many prominent graduates who have excelled in
business and politics and medicine and other fields of endeavor. My
good friend Dr. Oscar Prater is the President there.
There are historically black colleges and universities throughout
much of the school with records and achievement very similar with those
that I am very familiar with from a relatively new facility such as
LaGuardia Community College in New York City to the long-established
Wilberforce University in Ohio which was founded in 1856, to Compton
Community College founded in 1927.
All have made contributions that loom large as the history of the
country continues to be written. Congratulations to everyone who has
helped these colleges and universities carry out their historic
mission, including everyone here in Congress on both sides of the aisle
who have helped provide the increased support for our HBCUs.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from Maryland (Mr.
Hoyer) and my other colleagues for having the foresight to have this
special order to give recognition that of course is long overdue to a
group of institutions that have really contributed greatly to the
greatness of America and the world. Godspeed to all of these
institutions as they continue to help make this Nation's promise a full
reality.
Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Georgia (Mr.
Bishop) for his comments. And as I was standing here, I thought to
myself Sanford Bishop Sr. would indeed be proud of his son, a leading
educator in our country. His father was a very distinguished American,
and his son has become someone of whom his father would be indeed be
extraordinarily proud. I thank the gentleman for his participation.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to my very good friend, the gentleman from
Chicago, Illinois (Mr. Rush), a distinguished representative, and one
of the very significant leaders in our country for most, if not all, of
his adult life.
Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Maryland (Mr.
Hoyer). I want to, first of all, commend the gentleman for his
insightful leadership, for his dedication to the historical black
colleges throughout his professional, political career. I want to thank
him for the sensitivity of which he approaches this particular issue
and really just his total dedication to the efforts of historical black
colleges as they move to try to strengthen themselves and maintain
their commitment and their mission to the American people.
The gentleman has an exemplary image and his exemplary conduct should
be noted by all Americans, because he has indeed done this Nation a
great service on behalf of its minority students throughout the
country.
Mr. HOYER. I thank the gentleman.
Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, Historically Black Colleges and Universities
are important institutions of higher learning, growth and development
for African Americans and minorities Nationwide. These institutions
offer quality education in collegiate settings that are conducive to
education and economic excellence.

The students who attend these colleges are educated, without the
deriding stumbling blocks, the deriding stumbling blocks of racial
selection for grants and scholarships and loans. The institutions are
free of racial, religious, and gender discrimination.
Historically Black Colleges and Universities graduate large numbers
of African Americans who, as previous speakers have indicated, lead,
very, very productive lives in our society, who are leaders in this
Nation among all professions, and who are leaders in the world.
In my home state of Illinois, many of our African American students
attend HBCUs. There are 23 States along with the District of Columbia
and the Virgin Islands which are home to HBCUs. While these
institutions are places where African Americans can flourish and people
prepare for the challenges of the global village. There is an important
problem which impacts the

[[Page H7848]]

quality of their students and their professors, and that problem is
finances, it is money. In the last decade, the Federal Government has
increased its support of HBCUs, and although the House appropriators
led by the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) and others have worked
hard to ensure that HBCUs have ready access to Federal dollars through
the HBCU capital financing program, more work still needs to be done.
It is this commitment to excellence which has fueled this
administration's, the Clinton administration, acknowledgment of the
needs of the HBCUs. This commitment was exemplified on November 1,
1993, when President Bill Clinton signed an executive order 12876 in
order, and I quote, ``to advance the developments of human potential,
to strengthen the capacity of Historically Black Colleges and
Universities to provide quality education, and to increase
opportunities to participate in and benefit from Federal programs.''
I am proud that President Clinton has designated the week of
September 17, 2000 as National Historic Black Colleges and Universities
week. The administration, the Democratic leadership, the Congressional
Black Caucus and the House Democratic Caucus have led in promoting
awareness of the merits of these education institutions. It is with
this leadership that this subject is discussed on the Floor today, and
that our Nation is aware of the tremendous benefits and the success of
attending HBCUs.
Mr. Speaker, I just want to say, on a personal note say that both the
previous speakers before me mentioned Albany State University, Albany
State University was the first college that I ever laid eyes on.

{time} 2015

As a young man, my mother attended Albany State University. I am a
product of Albany, Georgia, and I cannot ever forget the awe and the
delight and the sense of curiosity as a young man who was in
kindergarten, going to a school right across the street from Albany
State University, and to be excited about my first day in school, to
look across the street, to be in the shadow of Albany State University,
indeed imprinted on my mind that education was indeed the one thing
that meant the most to me as a young man. As I grew into adulthood,
education certainly became the hallmark of my activities.
I want to thank, again, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer). I
want to thank all of those who had a vision to create Historically
Black Colleges and Universities, and I want to thank my mom for
introducing me to education and to instill in me the yearning, the
need, the desire to make sure that I received all that this Nation can
provide in terms of college and higher education and higher learning.
Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my friend, the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Rush), for his generous comments and also for his cogent
comments with respect to the impact that Historically Black Colleges
and Universities have had on young African Americans, instilled in them
a sense of hope, a sense of opportunity, a sense of future. We know
that if young people do not have a sense of future, as too many do
today, that they do not work for a future. They work only for today.
That inspiration that the gentleman's mother gave him and his exposure
to Albany State has enriched us all in this country.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to my friend, the distinguished gentlewoman from
the State of California, from Oakland, (Ms. Lee).
Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank and commend the gentleman from
Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings) for
this special order tonight, and also for their consistent commitment
and hard work on behalf of Historically Black Colleges and
Universities. These institutions are so important to all of us, not
only in the African American community but to all of us in the entire
country.
Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, will the gentlewoman yield?
Ms. LEE. I yield to the gentleman from Maryland.
Mr. HOYER. I was going to make this point later, but she gives me
such an opening. We talk about these institutions giving extraordinary
opportunities to African Americans, and they do. Bowie State University
in my county is the place from which Christa McAuliffe graduated with
her Master's degree. Christa McAuliffe, as some may recall, was the
teacher in space who went up on the Challenger as it blew up and she
died. She was one of Bowie State's most distinguished graduates, a
Caucasian American but given an extraordinary opportunity through her
attendance at and the receipt of a quality education at a Historically
Black College.
Ms. LEE. That is quite a testimony; quite a testimony.
It is really an honor to be able to honor tonight our Nation's
Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Malcolm X once declared
that education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to
the people who prepare for it today.
For over 150 years, Historically Black Colleges have provided these
passports to their students. Although many African American scholars
and leaders of the 19th and early 20th century disagreed about how
African Americans would attain freedom and equality promised in our
Constitution, they agreed, however, that educating young men and women
was the most important step in succeeding in life.
Historically Black Colleges and Universities, also known as HBCUs,
have always offered African American young men and women a quality,
affordable education at times when access to institutions of higher
learning were limited or completely closed off to African Americans.
According to the Herald-Sun newspaper in North Carolina, HBCUs were
actually first founded in 1837, 26 years before the end of slavery.
Since this humble beginning, HBCUs have become revered institutions
of higher learning that have provided quality educational access to
millions of African Americans.
According to the United States Department of Education, there are 105
accredited HBCUs in the United States. These institutions enroll
upwards of 370,000 students each year. Since 1966, HBCUs have awarded
approximately 500,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional
degrees. They are providers of equal educational opportunity with
attainment and productivity for hundreds of thousands of students. They
are educating our future world leaders.
Historically Black Colleges and Universities have never been more
important in providing young men and women a superior education than
they are today; and now in this new era of technology, we must ensure
that our HBCUs receive the necessary support to educate and train young
African Americans for these unfilled jobs in the high-tech industry.
And now, in my home State of California, since the end, unfortunately,
of affirmative action, as we know it was banned in 1998 by passing
Proposition 209, California students have increasingly become more
aware of the educational benefits of attending a Historically Black
College or University and many of my constituents are thriving and
achieving academic excellence in these great schools.
Now, although I did not have the honor of attending an HBCU, I come
from a family with deep roots at Historically Black Colleges and
Universities. My grandfather graduated from Huston-Tillotson College in
Austin, Texas; my role model, my mother, she attended Prairie View A&M
and also Southern University; and my aunts followed in my grandfather's
footsteps in attending Huston-Tillotson College. My nieces graduated
from Prairie View A&M.
So I have really been the beneficiary of the values and the academic
foundation provided me through my family's attendance and involvement
at these great institutions.
Black colleges have a rich history to look back upon and a vibrant
future ahead. I am proud to join my colleagues tonight in celebrating
their many achievements and in so doing urge the United States Congress
to redouble its efforts in supporting these fine institutions of higher
learning.
Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from California (Ms.
Lee) for her very important contribution and her giving us another
example of an extraordinary American leader who has been impacted in
her family and by the images and inspiration

[[Page H7849]]

given by Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
We are advantaged by the service of the gentlewoman from California
(Ms. Lee) in the Congress; and that, I am sure, is in part due to the
inspiration she received by all of those who were enriched and given
hope and opportunity and vision by Historically Black Colleges.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the very distinguished gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Davis).
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from
Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) for yielding, but I also want to thank the
gentleman for his display of sensitivity relative to taking out this
special order and for recognizing the tremendous value of Historically
Black Colleges and Universities. We have heard all of those who have
spoken talk about the vast numbers of African Americans and others who
have benefited from these institutions.

I, too, was fortunate to attend a Historically Black College, the
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. As the gentlewoman from
California (Ms. Lee) was talking about affordability, I can never
forget on my 16th birthday going off to A&M College with $50 in my
pocket wondering how I was going to make it.
As it turned out, the tuition was only $76 at that time, and I did
have a $50 scholarship that the State of Arkansas gave to each of its
high schools. So I only had to pay $26 of those $50. So I still had a
little left over to play with.
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff has been an educational
mecca for my family. I think of the numbers. I have four sisters who
attended, two brothers, three nephews, two brothers-in-law and a whole
group of cousins. So it has been not only an opportunity but it has
been a propelling force in all of our lives.
It started with seven students; opened its doors in 1875 with seven
students. Much of the character, though, of this institution has been
shaped by outstanding administrators: J.C. Corbin, John Brown Watson,
and then, of course, President Lawrence Arnett Davis, who we called
Prexie, who was there when I was a student and now his son is following
in his footsteps, Dr. Lawrence A. Davis, Jr.
Wherever I go in America, I always run into individuals who have
excelled: physicians, nurses, under-secretaries of departments and
agencies. As a matter of fact, the Secretary of Transportation, Rodney
Slater's, mother-in-law and father-in-law, his mother-in-law was a
colleague of mine. We were students together. His father-in-law was one
of our advisors in a current events club. So these become very personal
and very direct.
I would hope that we would understand what everybody has been saying.
These institutions have existed, operated, oftentimes with little more
than baling wire; but they cannot continue in that way. We seriously
need to redouble our efforts and find additional resources, and I
guarantee if one talks about getting a bang for your buck, if we put
some more resources into the Historically Black Colleges and
Universities, I guarantee we will be reaping the dividends and rewards
for years and years and years.
So I thank the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), again, for
yielding me this time.
Mr. HOYER. I thank the gentleman for his comments. It is just
extraordinarily interesting to learn of the history of families that
have been impacted by HBCUs and the enrichment of those families being
passed on to generations that then benefit so much their district,
their State, and their Nation.
We very much appreciate his contribution and his recitation of not
only his history but his family's history.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the distinguished gentleman from Arkansas
(Mr. Dickey), who probably was interested in the history of the
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis).
Mr. DICKEY. Absolutely. I am from Pine Bluff, Arkansas. I grew up
when Prexie Davis was the president of Arkansas A&M, and I cannot say I
know as much about it from the inside as the gentleman from Illinois
(Mr. Davis), who is one of their distinguished alumnus; but I do know
that I saw it from the outside. I know that what that school did under
Dr. Lawrence A. Davis was offer scholarships to people who could not
even afford to get transportation to come to school. Some of those
people learned how to learn at Arkansas A&M at Pine Bluff.
Then to advance forward, here I am in Congress and I am on a
committee that the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) and I serve on.
We are midgets compared to Louis Stokes in this area, but we have been
striving to add money to HBCUs because we want to present opportunities
to people who want to learn and who care.
TRIO is a part of this plan, and I have gotten a lot of
encouragements from Dr. Davis, Jr., about TRIO and we are doing our job
there so that we can prepare people to come to school in places like
UAPB and HBCUs all over the country. It is a great privilege for me to
be a part of it, and I am going to continue on this committee striving
hard to bring as much money as we can in a reasonable fashion for the
benefit of the students who go to HBCUs all over the United States, but
particularly at Pine Bluff, Arkansas.

{time} 2030

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his contribution.
Mr. Speaker, it is now a great privilege of mine to yield to the
gentlewoman from Houston, Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee), one of our most
dynamic members of the House.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I would like to add my own
personal accolades to the speakers who have given their eloquence
before me and to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), in
particular, along with the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings), for
the very significant and important opportunity we have been given for
this Special Order.
Many times, people diminish or misinterpret Special Orders and do not
see the ultimate importance of coming to this august body and speaking
to our colleagues, as the gentleman from Arkansas has just done,
speaking to America, about some very vital and important issues of
concern, but also making important tributes. Let me thank the gentleman
from Maryland for not only providing this opportunity for a tribute,
but also for his legislative work and agenda of showing himself to be a
true friend of HBCUs.
Let me ask the question, since we are here together: What if? I think
the gentleman from Maryland made a very valid point, as we have
listened to some of the very charging stories of my colleagues. This
was a very instructive experience for me, listening to sons and
daughters of presidents and heroes and sheroes of our historically
black colleges, right here in the House of Representatives, now the
legacies of the teachings of those colleges are now here passing laws.
What an honor. I think it again emphasizes that the colleges are more
than places of refuge for individuals who can go nowhere else, though
they were born in a segregated history, which we are very proud of. I
have the honor and pleasure of representing Texas Southern University,
being the neighbor to Prairie View A&M, and being on the board of
directors of Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama. So I have a
familial relationship.
Although I did not have the honor or the distinct pleasure of going
to or attending an historically black college, I can certainly name a
whole list of relatives and extended family members who have had the
honor and pleasure of associating themselves with these institutions.
My father-in-law, Philip Lee, now passed, was a Tuskegee airman and a
very proud graduate of Hampton Institute, now university, along with
his dear wife, who still lives. I had the pleasure of being able to
point my younger brother, Michael Jackson, to the Oakwood Academy in
Huntsville, Alabama. And, of course, the predecessors of this seat, the
esteemed and honorable Barbara Jordan, Mickey Leeland and Craig
Washington were all respective graduates of Texas Southern University,
and I certainly count them as colleagues and friends. So the 23 States,
along with the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands, are further
homes to the HBCUs.
Mr. Speaker, I raise the question as I speak this evening, what if?
What if we did not have these places of intellectual stimulation where
Booker T. Washington could not debate with W.E.B. Du Bois about the
question of lifting up your buckets where they

[[Page H7850]]

were, versus having the Talented Tenth as W. Du Bois argued, what an
excellent and outstanding intellectual debate.
I think those of us who look back on history realize that there was
no anger between those two gentlemen; they were only seeking to lift
the recently freed slaves where they could best serve. Booker T.
Washington, who founded Tuskegee Institute, thought it was important
for us to learn how to be carpenters and artisans, for us to know how
to build and to be plumbers, and to use our hands. He knew that slaves
had just come off of the plantations, we had worked with our hands, and
he wanted us to be economically independent and he saw a vehicle to do
so, teach them to build this Nation with their hands and to be
remunerated, to be compensated.
Also, the same with W.E.B. Du Bois, a Harvard proponent and graduate,
saw that it was necessary to take the Talented Tenth and to lift them
from the buckets and send them to the East Coast at that time,
primarily because there were no institutions, at least of plentiful
numbers, that could educate the Talented Tenth and have them be
available to be the philosophers and the articulators of the agenda of
the new Negro for the 20th century as we went into the 21th century.
So I ask the question, what if? What if these institutions had not
survived or not carried us through the segregated 20th century when
many African Americans could not be educated anyplace else.
Particularly in the State of Texas and in the Deep South, there were no
places for the Talented Tenth or those who wanted to lift their buckets
where they were to be educated, and these schools saw fit to take up
the cause.
As we moved through the 20th century, of course, as we saw the
movement of A. Philip Randolph and Witney Young, and then we moved into
the 1950s and saw a young man, a graduate of Morehouse College, rise to
the occasion to be the visionary of the civil rights movement, Dr.
Martin Luther King. His original training, or his basic training was
that of a minister, but he saw fit to carry the vision of that
movement, and it was his leadership that drew young people out of
institutions all over this country, both white and black, but I believe
that historically black colleges fueled the movement of which he led
that brought young people from those institutions, because they lived
in the segregated South and they said, what can we do to begin to
follow Dr. Martin Luther King, and there lie the sit-ins and, of
course, the marches joined by young people all over the Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I think we have had a special week and I have enjoyed
participating with the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) this week,
as the President has named this week in honor of historically black
colleges. We were gratified to have the Democratic Caucus host I
imagine over 100 leaders of these colleges. They came to petition us to
have us listen to them and to have us share our vision with them.
I would just like to note, because I know of the gentleman's record
in the Committee on Appropriations, that each of us could count
opportunities where we have tried to increase their funding. As a
member of the Committee on Science, I thought it was important to
ensure that the Civilian Space Authorization Act of 1998 and 1999 would
ensure that there would be access by these colleges for direct research
programs to work with the FAA, the Federal Aviation Administration, to
ensure under their research, engineering and development authorization
act, in particular, that again, undergraduate students could do the
research that they needed.
Mr. Speaker, let me quickly conclude by noting as well that the NASA
minority research, which is an important aspect of this program, and
the land grant programs are important to be funded by some of the
agricultural authorization.
I think the key that I would like to make sure that we are aware of
is the answer to what if? We would be left with I think a gaping hole,
to not have the rich history of the historically black colleges,
Oakwood College, now chaired by Chairman Calvin Rock. We would not be
able to cite Dr. Freeman, Dr. Joshua Hill, Dr. Polly Turner, Dr. John
B. Coleman, all surrounding Prairie View A&M and Texas Southern
University doing all great works.
This is an important part of our history, I say to the gentleman, and
I believe this is an important night, because we have allowed ourselves
to reflect and to congratulate. I think our concluding commitment
should be, as our presidents have asked us, to bring them into the 21st
century and catapult them with the research institutions of this Nation
of high order. Let them be on the same plane as our institutions that
are noted as the Ivy Leaguers, which I attended one of those. But I
want them to hear our voices of appreciation and our commitment that we
believe their role is extremely vital for the future of our young
people and the 21st century.
With that, there is much more I could say, but I yield back to the
gentleman, and I thank him for the time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in recognition of the special role that
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) have played in the
education of our Nation's young people. Twenty-three states, along with
the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands are homes to HBCUs. I
have the honor of recognizing Texas Southern University, a HBCU and a
constituent of the 18th Congressional District of Texas, which I serve.
Texas Southern University like so many of the HBCUs was established in
1947 as a means of educating young African Americans who wanted to
experience the full force of the American Dream through higher
education. It was first formed under the name Texas State University
for Negroes, and became the first state supported institution in the
City of Houston, Texas. The first president of Texas Southern
University was the Honorable Dr. R. O'Hara Lanier, U.S. Minister to
Liberia.
Although Texas Southern University was first formed to educate
African Americans it has become the most ethnically diverse school of
higher learning in the State of Texas.
Texas Southern University has awarded over 35,000 degrees and
presently offers 54 baccalaureate degree programs, 30 master's degree
programs; the Doctor of Education degree in six programs; the Doctor of
Philosophy in Environmental Toxicology; and two graduate professional
degrees a Doctor of Pharmacy and the Doctor of Jurisprudence. The
University's Robert J. Terry Library has a collection of over 913,000
holdings. The campus also hosts a 25,000-watt FM radio station that
serves as a teaching and learning laboratory for communications.
Another HBCU located in the state of Texas is Prairie View A&M
University. Prairie View A&M University is the second oldest public
institution of higher education in Texas, originated in the Texas
Constitution of 1876. Originally the University was named the A&M
College of Texas for Colored Youths and opened on March 11, 1878.
Initially the College was designed by the Texas legislature to provide
education to teachers.
In 1945 the name of the College was changed to Prairie View
University, and the school was authorized to offer, ``as need arises''
all courses that were offered at the University of Texas.
Another HBCU that is close to my heart and carries the proud heritage
of education excellence is Oakwood College located in Huntsville,
Alabama. This college unlike the previous HBCU is not a public
institution, but is operated by the General Conference of Seventh-day
Adventists. Ellen G. White declared that it was God's purpose that the
school should be placed in the City of Huntsville, Alabama.
Oakwood College's beginning can be traced to 1895, when the General
Conference Association sent a three-man educational committee to the
South to select and purchase property for a school for black youth.
They began with four buildings four teachers and 16 students, eight
women and eight men; Oakwood Industrial School opened its doors on
November 16, 1896.
The faculty consisted of H.S. Shaw, A.F. Hughes, Hatie Andre, and the
principal, Solon M. Jacobs. For the benefit of both the institution and
community, the school maintained and operated a line of industries.
Students and teachers worked beside each other in agriculture,
blacksmith, bricklaying, broom making, canning, carpentry, chaircaning,
clothes manufacturing, cotton manufacturing, dairying, gardening, log
milling and woodworking.

The beginning of each of these institutions was a need and the will
to see that need met. I commend those hundreds of instructors,
visionaries, students, parents, and communities who made higher
education a reality for African American young people in our nation. My
regret is that the precious gift of higher education was not available
to every African American young person, and that desegregation came so
many generations after the institution of slavery was ended.
As a member of the House Committee on Science I have worked to offer
parity to

[[Page H7851]]

HBCUs through the application of amendments to routine legislation
designed to offer support to Colleges and University science, math, and
engineering programs, but which have historically not included HBCUs.
I included amendments in the Civilian Space Authorization Act, Fiscal
Year 1998 and 1999 that would direct that research programs funded by
this act to include Historically Black Colleges and Universities. On
the Floor of the House during the 104th Congress I had an amendment
added to the FAA Research, Engineering and Development Authorization
Act in particular to encourage research by undergraduate students at
our nation's Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Hispanic
Serving Institutions.
I also offered an amendment to increase funding for Historically
Black Colleges and Universities under NASA's minority research and
education programs. The amendment added $5.8 million to the
authorization request of $25.5 million, which restored the program to
the FY 1997 funding level of $31.3 million. This greatly improved and
expanded research programs of HBCU's with NASA and promotes science and
technology at minority universities.
Recently, during the appropriations process for the Department of
Agriculture, I sponsored a successful amendment that offered 1890
Historically Black Land Grant Colleges an opportunity to share in the
research resources that are made available to other colleges and
universities by the Department of Agriculture. My amendment will ensure
the economic viability of 105 1890 Historically Black Land Grant
Colleges and Universities. These 1890 HBCUs are part of a land grant
system of 105 state-assisted universities that link new science and
technological developments directly to the needs and interests of the
United States and the world. In addition, to strengthening agriculture,
the 1890 HBCUs conduct research, provide technical assistance in
environmental sciences, improve the production and preservation of safe
food supplies, train new generations of scientists in mathematics,
engineering, food and agriculture sciences and promote access to new
sources of information to improve conservation of natural resources.
HBCUs are unlike any other institutions of higher education in the
United States; they for decades were for many the only means of higher
education for thousands of African Americans. They were the source of
our doctors, dentists, lawyers, teachers, ministers, and artisans of
all descriptions. They have reached this level of recognition that is
being demonstrated this evening by education nearly 40 percent of our
nation's black college graduates. Today these same institutions confer
the majority of bachelor's degrees and advanced degrees awarded to
black students in the physical sciences, mathematics, computer science,
engineering, and education.
I am proud to stand with my colleagues in touting the accomplishments
of America's Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the very distinguished gentlewoman
for participating in this Special Order.
Mr. HOBSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today during National Historic Black
Colleges and Universities Week to honor the achievements of two of
Ohio's historically black institutions of higher learning which I have
the privilege of representing in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Wilberforce University, with a current enrollment of 964 students,
and Central State University, with a current enrollment of 1,111
students, have demonstrated time and time again that they are firmly
committed to academic excellence and the pursuit of knowledge. I am
very familiar with both of these universities, as I have had the
opportunity to serve on the Board of Directors of both of them.
Before coming to Congress, I served as the President Pro Tempore in
the Ohio State Senate and became very involved with both institutions.
I have found their respective administrators and educators to be of the
highest caliber, and I am proud to represent their interests in both
the Ohio Statehouse and the U.S. Congress.
Wilberforce University, which is named in honor of the 18th century
statesman and abolitionist, William Wilberforce, was established in
1856. It is affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church and
was the first institution of higher learning owned and operated by
African Americans.
Central State traces its origin to legislation passed by the Ohio
General Assembly in 1887 to create a Combined Normal and Industrial
Department at Wilberforce. In 1951, the general assembly officially
changed the name of the state-supported portion of Wilberforce to
Central State College, and then to Central State University in 1965.
Central State University remains the only public historically black
university in the State of Ohio.
The true resilience of these educational institutions has been
demonstrated in the way they have recovered following the tornadoes of
April 1974, which devastated large portions of both campuses. Both
schools have been revitalized and have produced aggressive plans for
the future to continue producing outstanding graduates for the State of
Ohio for generations to come.
As Ohio's Seventh District Representative to the Congress of the
United States, I am very pleased to have this opportunity to honor the
efforts and the achievements of Wilberforce and Central State
Universities. Their many contributions to higher learning in the State
of Ohio are greatly appreciated by all.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Nationally Historic
Black Colleges and Universities Week to pay tribute to Paul Quinn
College of Dallas, Texas. Founded in 1872, it is the oldest Liberal
Arts College for African-Americans in Texas and west of the
Mississippi.
Born of humble roots, Paul Quinn College was founded by a small group
of African Methodist Episcopal preachers. A faculty of five taught
newly freed slaves blacksmithing, carpentry, and tanning saddle work.
The founders faced early challenges: a poor congregation, limited
resources, and a country struggling with post-Civil War race relations.
To construct the college's first building, the church launched a ``Ten
Cents a Brick'' campaign throughout their congregation. Although poor,
together the congregation's pennies built the first solid monument to
their dreams.
Paul Quinn College soon expanded its curriculum to include
mathematics, music, Latin, theology, and English. As the increasing
service and value of the institution became apparent, the student
population grew, the academic program evolved, and more buildings
appeared on campus.
Today Paul Quinn College is a thriving institution, rich in history.
Its 150-acres campus is a far cry from the schoolroom built with
pennies, and today its 741 students take advantage of a liberal arts
education, a diverse student population from around the globe, more
than 40 clubs and organizations, and a strong athletic program, all
steeped in an atmosphere of Christian ideals.
Although it has come a long way from humble beginnings, Paul Quinn
College is now, as it was 128 years ago, still serving the
intellectual, spiritual, emotional and social development of its
students, preparing them for leadership and service.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud of the opportunities this fine institution
has provided for so many people and the contributions it has made to
the Dallas community. I know my colleagues will join me in saluting
Paul Quinn College and all historically black colleges and universities
this week.
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of
the 29,300 students that graduate from Historically Black Colleges and
Universities (HBCUs) each year. I come to this floor as a proud 1968
graduate of Tougaloo College and a 1972 graduate of Jackson State
University. I am also proud to say that, located in my congressional
district is the nation's oldest historically Black land-grant
institution--Alcorn State University.
In the year 2000, we find that nearly 40% of Black undergraduates at
HBCUs are first-generation college students. While we applaud the
services that these institutions provide, we must also show support for
HBCUs by increasing funding for them, developing programs to make
federal dollars more accessible and encouraging private investments. In
my home state of Mississippi, public HBCUs have been faced with the
challenge of achieving funding levels equal to those of traditionally
White institutions. For 25 years, Mississippi Valley State University,
Jackson State and Alcorn have been engaged in a legal battle for equal
funding. This fact emphasizes the need for increased public and private
support. In spite of the circumstances, we find that HBCUs are
continuing to fulfill their missions as institutions of higher learning
and the first outlet for Blacks who desire to attend college.
Yes, Mr. Speaker, HBCUs have stood the test of time. Today, more than
25% of Blacks earning bachelors degrees received them from HBCUs. As
President Clinton has designated this week as Nationally Historic Black
Colleges and Universities Week, let us commit to improve upon the past
successes of schools like Tougaloo College, Rust College, Alcorn State
University and Jackson State University.
I thank Representatives Hoyer, Cummings, Lewis and Wynn for their
leadership on bringing this issue to the floor. God bless our HBCUs and
their supporters.
Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, as a proud graduate of a
Historically Black College, I am more than happy to be a part of the
National Historical Black College and University week here in
Washington. Today, over half of all African American professionals are
HBCU graduates, as is 42% of the Congressional Black Caucus.
Historically Black Colleges and Universities were created back in
1837 to provide African Americans access to higher education. Because
of the terrible history of racism in many parts of our country, the
goal of these schools, although straight forward, has not been easy: to
educate young black Americans and empower them to play a role in the
affairs of our

[[Page H7852]]

country. Since African Americans have been denied educational
opportunities until very recently, these schools have really been the
only avenue open to blacks to further themselves through education.
Today, a majority of African American college students graduate from
HBCU's. 28% receive their bachelor's degrees from these schools, and
15% obtain their Master's degrees from these schools. Since their
creation, HBCU's have graduated more than 70% of the degrees granted to
African Americans.
In my state of Florida, we are blessed with four HBCU's, two of which
are located in my district. In Tallahassee, we have Florida's largest
Black College, my alma mater, Florida A&M, which has nearly 10,000
students. In South Florida, we have Florida Memorial College, and my
district, Florida's third, is lucky to have both Edward Waters College
in Jacksonville, and Bethune Cookman College, which was founded by a
determined young black woman, Mary Mcleod Bethune, in 1904 in Daytona.
Among the many exciting things happening in Florida's black colleges
is the acquisition of a law school at Florida A&M, which is set to open
in 2003. The opening of the school will officially mark the return of
the FAMU College of Law since its closing in 1968. I remember when I
was a student at Florida A&M, when the FAMU College of Law, which had
provided the only avenue in the state of Florida for African Americans
to undertake a career in the influential field of law, was stolen from
us and merged with the law school at Florida State. This was a time
when African Americans were not allowed to study at Florida state
schools at the graduate level, consequently, African Americans were
excluded from the field. Not surprisingly today, although that law has
been repealed, there are very few African American attorneys in
Florida. With the reinstallation of FAMU's law school, minority
students will once again have greater access to be represented in the
legal profession.
In closing, I am, and always will be, a strong supporter of HBCU's,
and will continue to work hard to allow these schools to continue on
with their valuable mission, the educational advancement of young
African Americans.
Mr. SISISKY. Mr. Speaker, thank you for this opportunity to speak on
behalf of the positive influences that Virginia State University and
Saint Paul's College, two Historically Black Colleges and Universities
in my district, have had on Virginia in particular, and African
American culture in general.
Virginia State University, located in Ettrick, Virginia, is America's
first fully state supported four-year institution of higher learning
for African-Americans. In its first academic year, 1883-84, the
University had 126 students and seven faculty; one building, 33 acres,
a 200-book library, and a $20,000 budget.
Tuition was $3.35 and room and board was $20.00.
From these modest beginnings, Virginia State University now offers 27
undergraduate degree programs and 13 graduate degree programs.
The University, which is fully integrated, has a student body of
4,300, a full-time teaching faculty of approximately 170, a library
containing 277,350 volumes, a 236-acre campus and a 416-acre farm, more
than 50 buildings (including 15 dormitories and 16 classroom
buildings), and an annual budget of $64,238,921.
I am pleased to have been on the Board of Visitors of Virginia State
University.
When I was a delegate in the Virginia General Assembly, I sponsored
the legislation which changed Virginia State College to Virginia State
University.
Saint Paul's College, founded in 1888 in Lawrenceville, Virginia, is
a small liberal arts college in which the attributes of integrity,
objectivity, resourcefulness, scholarship, and responsible citizenship
are emphasized. Over 15 undergraduate degrees are offered.
Its liberal arts, career-oriented, and teacher-education programs
prepare graduates for effective participation in various aspects of
human endeavor.
Intentionally small, its 600 students represent a wide variety of
areas in the United States and several countries. However, the active
campus life is characterized by a strong sense of camaraderie.
Education has always been very important to the people of Virginia.
Whatever part of the Commonwealth you hail from, there is a place for
our children to go for advanced learning.
Both Virginia State University and Saint Paul's College rank with the
best colleges and universities in the country for preparing our young
people to enhance this world.
As a Historically Black Colleges and Universities, the opportunities
offered by these schools have been very important to the development of
Virginia, and will continue to be for the future of this nation.
Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, Lincoln University, in Jefferson City,
Missouri, is an historic black college that has served Missouri and our
nation well since the latter part of the 1800s. Today, it serves as a
beacon of education for our state of Missouri. I am so very proud of
the faculty, the students, and its extension service, which have put
this university on the map. I am pleased to represent such an
outstanding institution.

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