Harvard University to have black only graduation ceremony.

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http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...y-graduates-may-2017-ivy-league-a7730686.html

What do you reckon then? Discrimination or a positive thing? Is it driven by white guilt at all?

Other American universities have done so too, but I don't understand why at graduation? You can have a ceremony celebrating black history any time, so why the need to split graduation specifically into two separate events?

Side note: I like how they seem to bemoan the fact black people made up just 14% of students, in a country where they make up 13.7% of the population. :lol:
 
I mean what can you even say, we've gone from needing the President himself deploying the national guard so black students can attend the same university as whites to separate graduation ceremonies.

MLK must be spinning in his grave.
 
sigh

To be honest, I don't think most people on this forum will understand how exhausting it is to be a black person in a predominantly white environment.

I'm sure this thread will evolve into such retorts as "imagine if there was a white only graduation, wouldn't that be racist?"
Just. So. Exhausting.

Reading the article, the event was crowdfunded by the students and will celebrate black excellence, sounds fine to me.

Also a side note about the % of black students, Harvard's demographic isn't representative to the American population so not sure why you're comparing the two statistics..
 
vi1lain said:
sigh

To be honest, I don't think most people on this forum will understand how exhausting it is to be a black person in a predominantly white environment.

I'm sure this thread will evolve into such retorts as "imagine if there was a white only graduation, wouldn't that be racist?"
Just. So. Exhausting.

Reading the article, the event was crowdfunded by the students and will celebrate black excellence, sounds fine to me.

Also a side note about the % of black students, Harvard's demographic isn't representative to the American population so not sure why you're comparing the two statistics..
Click to expand...

Surely this is a negative thing to do though. Segregation in 2017?
 
Billy Blaggs said:
Surely this is a negative thing to do though. Segregation in 2017?
Click to expand...

Not sure how you can compare this with actual segregation?
People's rights aren't being violated :confused:

A group of students want to celebrate their achievements, that otherwise wouldn't have been recognised at the formal ceremony.
 
vi1lain said:
Not sure how you can compare this with actual segregation?
People's rights aren't being violated :confused:

A group of students want to celebrate their achievements, that otherwise wouldn't have been recognised at the formal ceremony.
Click to expand...

But many students' (of all races) achievements aren't recognised at the formal ceremony, I don't know how Harvard conducts their ceremony but I imagine only the very best are singled out for recognition.
 
vi1lain said:
sigh

To be honest, I don't think most people on this forum will understand how exhausting it is to be a black person in a predominantly white environment.

I'm sure this thread will evolve into such retorts as "imagine if there was a white only graduation, wouldn't that be racist?"
Just. So. Exhausting.

Reading the article, the event was crowdfunded by the students and will celebrate black excellence, sounds fine to me.

Also a side note about the % of black students, Harvard's demographic isn't representative to the American population so not sure why you're comparing the two statistics..
Click to expand...
I'm sure even those of us (white people) who don't descend into mockery really have no idea.
 
vi1lain said:
sigh

To be honest, I don't think most people on this forum will understand how exhausting it is to be a black person in a predominantly white environment.

I'm sure this thread will evolve into such retorts as "imagine if there was a white only graduation, wouldn't that be racist?"
Just. So. Exhausting.

Reading the article, the event was crowdfunded by the students and will celebrate black excellence, sounds fine to me.

Also a side note about the % of black students, Harvard's demographic isn't representative to the American population so not sure why you're comparing the two statistics..
Click to expand...

What she said.

I regret not going to the one at my alma mater.
 
vi1lain said:
sigh

To be honest, I don't think most people on this forum will understand how exhausting it is to be a black person in a predominantly white environment.

I'm sure this thread will evolve into such retorts as "imagine if there was a white only graduation, wouldn't that be racist?"
Just. So. Exhausting.

Reading the article, the event was crowdfunded by the students and will celebrate black excellence, sounds fine to me.

Also a side note about the % of black students, Harvard's demographic isn't representative to the American population so not sure why you're comparing the two statistics..
Click to expand...

What do you think this achieves?
 
While I think this isn't a great idea, always interesting to note the types of people who get all worked up about it.
 
vi1lain said:
sigh

To be honest, I don't think most people on this forum will understand how exhausting it is to be a black person in a predominantly white environment.

I'm sure this thread will evolve into such retorts as "imagine if there was a white only graduation, wouldn't that be racist?"
Just. So. Exhausting.

Reading the article, the event was crowdfunded by the students and will celebrate black excellence, sounds fine to me.

Also a side note about the % of black students, Harvard's demographic isn't representative to the American population so not sure why you're comparing the two statistics..
Click to expand...

Does this kind of thing further marginalise/exhaust other minority groups (e.g. disabled, LGBT, etc.)?
 
Billy Blaggs said:
They are segregating themselves. And why wouldn't they be recognised?
Click to expand...

horsechoker said:
But many students' (of all races) achievements aren't recognised at the formal ceremony, I don't know how Harvard conducts their ceremony but I imagine only the very best are singled out for recognition.
Click to expand...

The original article quotes

“This is not about segregation,” Huggins added. “It’s about fellowship and building a community. This is a chance to reaffirm for each other that we enter the work world with a network of supporters standing with us. We are all partners.”
Click to expand...

They aren't segregating themselves, when fraternities & sororities & clubs or whatever are filled with only white people - nobody suggests that they are segregating do they?
No because a group of white people doing something isn't politicised. Yet a group of people of colour doing something means they are descending into reverse racism, it's so tiring.

I'm sure the Harvard ceremony is absolutely fine - however for some of these black students they will be the first/one of the first people in their family to graduate college, and they're graduating from one of the mot prestigious schools in the world, plus most likely overcame hardships along the way too - if they've raised the money and are organising it themselves, what's the problem?
They're not demanding the school have a separate ceremony just for them.
 
vi1lain said:
sigh

To be honest, I don't think most people on this forum will understand how exhausting it is to be a black person in a predominantly white environment.

I'm sure this thread will evolve into such retorts as "imagine if there was a white only graduation, wouldn't that be racist?"
Just. So. Exhausting.

Reading the article, the event was crowdfunded by the students and will celebrate black excellence, sounds fine to me.

Also a side note about the % of black students, Harvard's demographic isn't representative to the American population so not sure why you're comparing the two statistics..
Click to expand...
Fully agree with this
 
adexkola said:
What she said.

I regret not going to the one at my alma mater.
Click to expand...

I wish my university had one.

berbatrick said:
What do you think this achieves?
Click to expand...

Building a community of friends and network to take with them after they graduate? Representation? Fun? Parties?
Harvard has the highest rate of black student graduation rate in the Ivy League, yet a lot of it's black students feel isolated and alienated on campus. Surely that translate to a disconnect?

Blatzo said:
Does this kind of thing further marginalise/exhaust other minority groups (e.g. disabled, LGBT, etc.)?
Click to expand...

Well considering you can be black, disabled and a member of the LGBT community at the same time - I'm not sure how this would marginalise other minority groups?
 
Yeah, we're fine with literally centuries of white people making useful contacts for life through elite universities, Masonic organisations etc etc but god forbid black people do something far more innocent...
 
vi1lain said:
The original article quotes



They aren't segregating themselves, when fraternities & sororities & clubs or whatever are filled with only white people - nobody suggests that they are segregating do they?
No because a group of white people doing something isn't politicised. Yet a group of people of colour doing something means they are descending into reverse racism, it's so tiring.

I'm sure the Harvard ceremony is absolutely fine - however for some of these black students they will be the first/one of the first people in their family to graduate college, and they're graduating from one of the mot prestigious schools in the world, plus most likely overcame hardships along the way too - if they've raised the money and are organising it themselves, what's the problem?
They're not demanding the school have a separate ceremony just for them.
Click to expand...

Yes they are. They are having a black only graduation. It's alienating others which IMO is wrong. I'd be disappointed in my kid who's currently I college if she told me she was going to a whites only graduation. Or any racial graduation.
Segregating yourselves like that is totally at odds with the ideals that every student is the same and puts color into the argument.
 
SteveJ said:
Yeah, we're fine with literally centuries of white people making useful contacts for life through elite universities, Masonic organisations etc etc but god forbid black people do something far more innocent...
Click to expand...

I'm not fine with it at all and i have told my redneck family members as such even to the point of fighting.
 
The talk of alienating others is bloody rich considering how long some have had to wait for inclusion; and even then it's had to be enforced with regulations & legal repercussions.
 
Billy Blaggs said:
I'm not fine with it at all and i have told my redneck family members as such even to the point of fighting.
Click to expand...
I'm not really picking on you, Billy - just ranting about the white tendency to effectively tell black people how they can and can't behave.
 
vi1lain said:
They aren't segregating themselves, when fraternities & sororities & clubs or whatever are filled with only white people - nobody suggests that they are segregating do they?
No because a group of white people doing something isn't politicised. Yet a group of people of colour doing something means they are descending into reverse racism, it's so tiring.
Click to expand...

Umm, there are numerous clubs, frats, etc. on campuses that are comprised of whites, or blacks, or (insert other ethnicity or race). Many are based simply on being male or female. So that availability is not simply limited to one race, or one sex, or whatever.

Comparing to a graduation is a puzzling analogy.
 
So the answer to segregation is more segregation...

And it was Harvard students that came up with this?!
 
Billy Blaggs said:
Yes they are. They are having a black only graduation. It's alienating others which IMO is wrong. I'd be disappointed in my kid who's currently I college if she told me she was going to a whites only graduation. Or any racial graduation.
Segregating yourselves like that is totally at odds with the ideals that every student is the same and puts color into the argument.
Click to expand...

I didn't see anywhere in the article that suggests that white people aren't welcome to come? I could be wrong.

It's a celebration of black students graduating at Harvard. That's it. Can they have a place to celebrate their own achievements?
 
MrMarcello said:
Umm, there are numerous clubs, frats, etc. on campuses that are comprised of whites, or blacks, or (insert other ethnicity or race). Many are based simply on being male or female. So that availability is not simply limited to one race, or one sex, or whatever.

Comparing to a graduation is a puzzling analogy.
Click to expand...

Yes but if we're talking historically, in America alone there's a long history of racism & sexism in it's frats & soro's, and inclusivity only began to happen in the last couple of generations, and not always because of choice.

And i'm sure its still happens whether intentionally or not, they may not limit them by race, but it may be a - invite only club, or you have to pay a fee to enter, your parents have to have graduated from an Ivy League etc.
 
But why request to hold a graduation solely for your people? Should the Asians at Harvard do such? Should Harvard just divide it all up for this race on this day, this race on this day, and so on?

Or, like everyone else, further celebrate with your group/people/whatever after the official ceremony. I'm quite accommodating and understanding of various persons desires and plights and views but this just seems nonsensical and self-aggrandizing.
 
MrMarcello said:
But why request to hold a graduation solely for your people? Should the Asians at Harvard do such? Should Harvard just divide it all up for this race on this day, this race on this day, and so on?

Or, like everyone else, further celebrate with your group/people/whatever after the official ceremony. I'm quite accommodating and understanding of various persons desires and plights and views but this just seems nonsensical and self-aggrandizing.
Click to expand...

If you read the article you would have realised
1 - why they did it
2 - they raised the money themselves and organised it over the course of a year
3 - Harvard themselves aren't actually being forced to do this
4 - they are all still going to the official ceremony

If Asians want to do the same, I see no reason why they can't?
 
SteveJ said:
I'm not really picking on you, Billy - just ranting about the white tendency to effectively tell black people how they can and can't behave.
Click to expand...

I agree. But I think a black only anything just starts the idiots to want a white only something. I fact I think both are idiots that subscribe to this kind of stuff. I'd never say either shouldn't be allowed but it's just seperating student's.
 
vi1lain said:
If you read the article you would have realised
1 - why they did it
2 - they raised the money themselves and organised it over the course of a year
3 - Harvard themselves aren't actually being forced to do this
4 - they are all still going to the official ceremony

If Asians want to do the same, I see no reason why they can't?
Click to expand...

And if you are the only one of your race, or even don't know what your racial origin is? Maybe treating people as individuals instead of races or colours would be a better way forward.
 
vi1lain said:
Also a side note about the % of black students, Harvard's demographic isn't representative to the American population so not sure why you're comparing the two statistics..
Click to expand...

Well, because they seem to be saying there's something wrong with the fact that 'only' 14% of students are black. Were they expecting a 50-50 split? You'd expect it to line up with the population to an extent, wouldn't you?
 
vi1lain said:
Building a community of friends and network to take with them after they graduate? Representation? Fun? Parties?
Click to expand...

But is having an exclusionary, single-race graduation necessary to have a network/have fun?

vi1lain said:
Harvard has the highest rate of black student graduation rate in the Ivy League, yet a lot of it's black students feel isolated and alienated on campus. Surely that translate to a disconnect?
Click to expand...

That's a good point. But I don't see how this helps with it.


I'll freely admit that I have been very privileged in life and so may be missing something. At home (India) I was born rich+upper-caste+male, so there was no chance of being a minority/disadvantaged group.
But even now in the US, I feel minimal connection with other Indian students on campus and zero connection with American-born Indians. I wouldn't attend a ceremony designed around either group. Again, I could be missing something.
 
vi1lain said:
I didn't see anywhere in the article that suggests that white people aren't welcome to come? I could be wrong.

It's a celebration of black students graduating at Harvard. That's it. Can they have a place to celebrate their own achievements?
Click to expand...
Yes but why? Why not a celebration of students?
 
I've been a liberal leftie my whole adult life, but I still maintain that the best 'tactic' is to ignore race almost entirely. If we want actual progress, that is.

When my future kids grow up, I hope that 'being black' is as trivial as having blue eyes or brown hair. It shouldn't be something worthy of conversation. It shouldn't be something to be embarrassed about. It shouldn't be something to be proud about.

That's the dream...
 
vi1lain said:
Well considering you can be black, disabled and a member of the LGBT community at the same time - I'm not sure how this would marginalise other minority groups?
Click to expand...

Because you can belong to those groups and not be black?
 
fair enough if they are paying for it themselves but this seems like Harvard is endorsing this by allowing it to go ahead. I feel this takes us further away from an integrated and cohesive society where one's skin colour is of no more significance than it needs to be. Institutions and groups in the past have marginalised black students and continue to do so in some cases but separatism is not the answer.
 
Oh my god like 6 of you quoted me at once, Jesus Christ. :lol:

Look - I stand by what I said, you don't have to agree with me.

Being black in a predominantly white space is exhausting.
Hell, being in this thread is exhausting.

Sometimes you need an environment you feel comfortable in, I don't blame these students for wanting that.
Maybe you should question why they don't feel entirely comfortable in the institution first.
 
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