Sites of Immanent Social Critique

Abstract

The continued social and cultural value of sustaining America's history of segregation by maintaining what could be considered atavistic, race-assigned, public and private colleges remains an open axiological question in post-modern American society. With the loss of the traditional roles of these institutions as necessities for the education of marginalized African-American populations, the future role and identity of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) has been called into question beginning in the last quarter of the 20th and continuing into the 21st century. However, questions of race identity remain highly motivating socio-cultural catalysts for discourse in the first quarter of the 21st century. The following discussion considers the ways in which Historically Black Institutions produced scholars and cultural critics who have offered significant challenges to the status quo of American exceptionalist discourse and how museums at HBCUs have helped shape the foundational concerns of a 21st century re-imagining of American identity and shared values.