The frustration is understandable. The antiblackness is not: The reaction to Howard University’s unenrollment of over 500 entering freshmen has been both reactionary and naive. Many in my own Black community have condemned the action and shared narratives along the lines of “this would never happen at a predominantly white school.” That strikes me as the product of a colonized mind, thinking that automatically equates “white” with “better.”
Should Howard be scrutinized for its actions? Absolutely. Are the testimonials from the unenrolled students and their parents heartbreaking? Another resounding yes. But to suggest majority white schools are somehow utopias where bad things never happen is uninformed.
In today’s climate, safety must be part of this conversation, and the truth is Black students aren’t safe, and often don’t feel safe, at predominantly white institutions. DEI offices are being dismantled nationwide. Protections that used to exist are disappearing. And this isn’t a new phenomenon.
Let’s talk about the myriad white institutions where nooses have been found in dorms, on statues, and in common areas. Ole Miss found one on the statue of its first Black student. Duke found one in a tree. Stanford has found three in four years. Oklahoma had an entire fraternity caught chanting about lynching on camera. And it’s not just racism. Penn’s had mold outbreaks displacing students for months. Maryland evacuated hundreds from a mold-infested dorm. Florida’s New College moved kids through hotels three times in one semester.
So spare me the fantasy that white institutions run smoothly and Black institutions don’t.
Randi Bryant is a DEI specialist based in DC and a Tiktok influencer
