The Long Path to Higher Education for African Americans

When we consider the possibilities for a new progressive era in American higher education, it seems wise to review the past. Unfortunately, for the first two-thirds of its history, American higher education had a decidedly apartheid-like character. It was not until the late 1960s that the nation finally broke through the barriers that had effectively separated races, religions, and genders into separate colleges. This article examines some of the key social, economic and political forces that generated these changes.