I have to admit that my initial reaction to this headline was not positive, but after reading the articles about Morehouse College's 2008 valedictorian, I am completely convinced that on both sides of the race conversation, we all need to talk less and listen more.
As a graduate of an HBCU (historically black college & university), we are fiercely protective of our status as meccas for the next generations of college students to get the "black experience". I just had this discussion with my good friend C.K. yesterday. Going to Southern University was a complete culture shock for me. I had never been around that many black people before in my life! I had gotten a glimpse of black college life by watching "A Different World," but to actually experience it was life changing. I just remember being in awe of the all the different shapes, sizes, and shades of black men...oooweee!!!
*fanning* ...okay, I just had a flashback...
Anyway, Morehouse College is the ultimate HBCU destination for the all-male experience. Women swoon when you talk about a 'Morehouse Man' not because of a look, but because we know that a certain old school value system has been instilled in him. He is the epitome of what we imagine a successful black man should be.
Enter a young man named Joshua Packwood. He's handsome. He smart. He's not black. Packwood is not the first white student at Morehouse, there have been many. But he is the first white valedictorian that the college has ever graduated in 141 years and according to the published reports, he has earned his place and much respect.
From his first day at Morehouse College _ the country's only institution of higher learning dedicated to the education of black men _ Joshua Packwood has been a standout. The 22-year-old from Kansas City, Mo., will graduate on May 18 with a perfect 4.0 GPA and a degree in economics.
When Packwood applied to Morehouse, he had frequent conversations with George Gray, an alumnus who was a recruiter at the school. Gray was impressed by Packwood's credentials and spent months trying to talk the sought-after senior into choosing Morehouse over other elite schools."He had outstanding numbers," said Gray. "He was the kind of kid we were looking for to be a presidential scholar." After several conversations, Packwood began to suspect that Gray had no idea that he was white. His suspicions were confirmed when one of Gray's calls caught Packwood in the middle of track practice. "Don't let the white kids walk you down," Gray quipped. "Wait," Packwood responded. "You know I'm white, right?" Silence. Uneasy laughter. Confirmation.
For Packwood, knowing that he had been picked on his merits, and not as a token white recruit, made the difference.
Being surrounded by black men for his undergraduate career has taught him more about diversity, Packwood said."I've been here for four years and yet, I cannot give you the definition of black," he said. "I cannot tell you what a black man is. I really learned to look much deeper. It takes a lot of effort to know people."
(read entire article here)
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