Education Important to African-American Youth, Finds CPA Survey

Volunteer Activism High in Hip-Hop Generation
Tomorrow’s African-American leaders are publicly engaged, involved and concerned about their communities and see quality education at all ages as a critical tool to improve the quality of life in African-American communities, found a recent CPA poll of eleven Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

Optimism about their ability to improve their situations prevails among HBCU African-American students.

"If young people don’t get busy and do something now about the problems facing African-American communities, no one’s going to do it for us," said Morgan State University student Stacey Jones. "This is the world we’re going to be leading in a few years."

Nearly 60 percent of those polled at Bennett College, Clark Atlanta University, Florida A&M University, Fort Valley State University, Howard University, Morehouse College, Morris Brown College, Morgan State University, North Carolina A&T University, Southern University and Spelman College responded that they participated in volunteer activities outside a fraternity or sorority. At North Carolina A&T, 84 percent of those polled said they volunteer.

"We’re looking at the next generation of African-American leaders in this survey," said Darold Johnson, Director of CPA’s Southeast Policy Leaders Forum. "Contrary to popular perceptions, public service and working for the greater good are important to young African-Americans. Their voices have been overlooked even though we know their counterparts in previous generations changed the world. We’ve got to start listening."

The Southeast Forum conducted the survey on college campuses from October 1998 to February 1999. Issue conferences were held by the Southeast Policy Forum for African-American students at North Carolina A&T and Clark Atlanta in October 1998.

"It’s my mission to battle and conquer apathy and ignorance," stated North Carolina A&T sophomore Montica Talmadge. "I want to stand for those who won’t be moved and speak for those who remain silent."

Students view education _ through after school programs, improving public education and other means _ as the key to upgrading the conditions of African-American families and communities. Twenty-three percent of respondents said improving public education will better the lives of African-Americans. Conversely, respondents listed lack of adequate education programs as the biggest threats to the success of African-Americans. HBCU students also identified still-pervasive racism and sexual issues (sexually trans mitted diseases, the threat of AIDS and unplanned pregnancies) as obstacles.

Beginning in 1996, CPA’s Youth Voices project has worked to identify the concerns of young adults and increase their involvement in shaping policies that affect their communities.

For more information about CPA’s HBCU survey, contact Southeast Forum Director Darold Johnson at [email protected].