The 2021 NCAA Tournament has officially tipped off in the Hoosier state and boy was it a fun Day 1!!! In case you’ve been living under a rock for the past several months with some noise cancelling headphones on. The ENTIRE tournament will be played in the Indianapolis metropolitan area including West Lafayette’s Purdue Mackey Area and Bloomington’s Indiana Assembly Hall.
There were four games to tip the festivities off and ironically two HBCU’s came out winners on Day 1. There has been a ton of focus on HBCU’s this year. The NBA just dedicated their All-Star Weekend to raising money for Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
On Thursday evening my parent’s Alma Mater Texas Southern knocked off Mount St. Mary’s 60-52 and Norfolk State outlasted Appalachian State 54-53. It was the first time in tournament history that both a MEAC and SWAC school won a game. That was HUGE!!!
I know a lot of folks on the outside looking in get upset when we talk about the rich history of the HBCU. The first question folks ask is why do you need black colleges? WHAT!!!? That’s a real question that folks ask.
Well if we’re going to keep it real. The only reason the black college started popping up after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed freeing the slaves is because white folks wouldn’t allow them to be educated. They were necessary. They weren’t about to stand around and just be ignorant.
Therefore, there is pride in those institutions because they serve an important place in our history in this country.
While you’re playing these great colleges and universities are responsible for 75 percent of all black PhD’s, 46% of black executives, 50% of black engineers, 80% of black federal judges, 85% of all black doctors, 50% of black attorneys, 75% of black military officers, 40% of dentists, 50% of black pharmacists and 75% of black veterinarians. It’s also responsible for producing our first black vice president.
Therefore, don’t ever question the usefulness of the HBCU. So when Norfolk State and Texas Southern handled their business on Thursday there was a since of pride racing throughout the black community even if you didn’t attend one of these schools.
I went to both Purdue and Indiana University and it was simply a business transaction. I paid them money, they let me attend classes and I graduated from IU. I didn’t love those schools because they didn’t love me back.
My wife and son are graduates of Jackson State University and they love their school because it loved them back. My parents went to Texas Southern in the mid 1950’s. My father was a pharmacist and my mother an educator. They weren’t allowed to attend the University of Texas because of the color of their skin not because they didn’t qualify academically. What a slap in the face.
This is why folks love their HBCU’s. I love them because they loved my child and my wife. Go TSU and Norfolk State represent!!!! Winning on this stage gives all HBCU’s exposure. It was a proud day for all of the schools. Stop me when I start lyin’!