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The Impact of Historical Racism on African American College Enrolment Rates from Reconstruction to the Present

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Title: The Impact of Historical Racism on African American College Enrolment Rates from Reconstruction to the Present
Language: English
Authors: Promethi Das Deep
Source: Higher Education Studies. 2025 15(3):63-73.
Availability: Canadian Center of Science and Education. 1595 Sixteenth Ave Suite 301, Richmond Hill, Ontario, L4B 3N9 Canada. Tel: 416-642-2606; Fax: 416-642-2608; e-mail: hes@ccsenet.org; Web site: http://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/hes
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 11
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: African American Students, College Enrollment, Enrollment Rate, Racism, State Universities, Educational History, Racial Discrimination, School Desegregation, College Students
Geographic Terms: Texas
ISSN: 1925-4741
1925-475X
Abstract: Racial inequality still strongly affects colleges and universities in the American South, particularly those that were historically segregated. This study examines the historical and ongoing impact of institutional racism on African American enrollment at Sam Houston State University (SHSU). This qualitative study draws on historical documents, university archives, and scholarly literature to examine exclusionary admissions, SHSU's desegregation response, enrollment trends, and lasting institutional erasure. The findings show that although SHSU officially desegregated in 1964, informal policies, institutional silence, and weak structural support continued to limit access and inclusion. Today, many African American students report feeling isolated, fatigued by racial stress, and underrepresented. Initiatives like the ELITE (Establishing Leadership In and Through Education) program and the Race and Reconciliation Project represent efforts to support minority students and acknowledge the university's legacy of exclusion. However, these programs are not enough on their own. Achieving true racial equity at SHSU will require sustained structural reform, inclusive leadership, and a fundamental rethinking of the university's cultural and historical identity.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1482477
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Canadian Center of Science and Education. 1595 Sixteenth Ave Suite 301, Richmond Hill, Ontario, L4B 3N9 Canada. Tel: 416-642-2606; Fax: 416-642-2608; e-mail: hes@ccsenet.org; Web site: http://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/hes
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22African+American+Students%22">African American Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Enrollment%22">College Enrollment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Enrollment+Rate%22">Enrollment Rate</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Racism%22">Racism</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22State+Universities%22">State Universities</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+History%22">Educational History</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Racial+Discrimination%22">Racial Discrimination</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+Desegregation%22">School Desegregation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Students%22">College Students</searchLink>
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  Data: Racial inequality still strongly affects colleges and universities in the American South, particularly those that were historically segregated. This study examines the historical and ongoing impact of institutional racism on African American enrollment at Sam Houston State University (SHSU). This qualitative study draws on historical documents, university archives, and scholarly literature to examine exclusionary admissions, SHSU's desegregation response, enrollment trends, and lasting institutional erasure. The findings show that although SHSU officially desegregated in 1964, informal policies, institutional silence, and weak structural support continued to limit access and inclusion. Today, many African American students report feeling isolated, fatigued by racial stress, and underrepresented. Initiatives like the ELITE (Establishing Leadership In and Through Education) program and the Race and Reconciliation Project represent efforts to support minority students and acknowledge the university's legacy of exclusion. However, these programs are not enough on their own. Achieving true racial equity at SHSU will require sustained structural reform, inclusive leadership, and a fundamental rethinking of the university's cultural and historical identity.
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      – Text: English
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        StartPage: 63
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: African American Students
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      – SubjectFull: College Enrollment
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      – SubjectFull: Enrollment Rate
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      – SubjectFull: Racism
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      – SubjectFull: State Universities
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      – SubjectFull: Educational History
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      – SubjectFull: College Students
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      – SubjectFull: Texas
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