Reply #40: That's really an interesting question [View All]

[Number23]

I can't speak for all black children, but I know that having an all black environment certainly shaped me and made me incredibly proud of my racial heritage. I never once had to worry about a teacher not liking me/disciplining me more strictly etc. because I was black as I've heard countless times from other black people.

I grew up in an all black environment until I went to college where I went to the biggest, whitest school around. I was interested in the rest of the world and to be honest, I kept hearing that black people were a minority but I honestly had no idea what that meant until the second I arrived at my university campus. :) And there, I learned first hand what it was like to be treated differently and to have lesser/greater expectations solely because of my skin color. It was an eye-opening experience to say the least.

I had many friends from back home who did go to HBCU's (historically black colleges and universities) and every single one had at least ten stories of black kids they knew that got to the college campus and openly wept. It was the first time in their lives that they hadn't been the first or only or one of 5 black kids in their class and they were literally overwhelmed with joy.

So I guess what I'm saying is that segregation is harmful, but that SELF-segregation can have some benefits, if that makes any sense.