ARLINGTON, Va – White House Domestic Policy Council director Melody Barnes helped kick off the 2010 National HBCU Week conference with a keynote address that praised the Black institutions for the contributions they’ve made to both the African-American community and the world at large and reminded them how important they are to the U.S.
“Because your institutions are so vital to our country, it is important that you join with us as we ask others to recommit ourselves to ensure that every single student who dreams of going to college can attend college,” Barnes said.
She noted that, despite a long-held tradition of educational excellence in the U.S., the reality for many Americans is that college is inaccessible. The nation now ranks 15th among its peer nations in college degree attainment, which Barnes said is a problem for African-Americans.
“Inarguably, we have understood the importance of an education and that every single right we have in a democracy is dependent upon an educated citizenry. We need [that] to protect and enforce and demand those rights,” said Barnes. “A good education is the ticket to opportunity and the ticket out of economic insecurity.”
In addition, a well-educated workforce is critical to the nation’s economy and competitive standing in the world, she noted.
Barnes cited individuals such as aerospace engineer and Tuskegee University graduate Lonnie Johnson, the inventor of the wildly popular super soaker, as examples of innovators HBCUs have produced over the years. Johnson has also been active in efforts to convert solar energy into electricity, helping to make the nation a leader rather than a follower in alternative energy, according to Barnes.
“That’s why we need HBCUs to continue to nurture innovators for today and tomorrow,” Barnes said.
