What is Racial Identity

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are linked to P-12 Black education through a shared history and purpose in the United States. As HBCUs are in question, it will be important to not only provide the historical perspectives of HBCUs in higher education, but to think broadly about the role of HBCUs in the entire P-20 Black education spectrum. This chapter explores HBCUs role in P-20 Black education by exploring the experiences and perspectives of Black HBCU alumni in educational spaces and shedding light on how their HBCU experiences shaped their racialized identity and consciousness (i.e., Black identity and racial consciousness). Drawing on a 90-minute focus group interview with seven HBCU graduates, the author contends three themes of experiences at HBCUs that contributed to the development of Black alumni's racial consciousness and identity and that may translate in P-12 Black education: (1) a perspective of self in educational spaces, (2) HBCUs as safe spaces, and (3) HBCUs helping to create Black and racially conscious individuals.