IS Black Consciousness still alive at HBCUs? By: Rico Rivers
When I was a student at Grambling State University in the 90s, there was a large population of students that were referred to the "conscious" students on campus. They went under the names of The Sons and Daughters of Imhotep, Gods and Goddesses of the Earth, Five Percent Nation of Islam, and the Nation of Islam Student Association. These groups of students added that much needed cultural balance on campus. There were also individual students who were not members of these groups who also referred to as conscious or campus activists. I was often referred to as conscious, controversial, militant, and even a shit starter. It all depended on what opinion I wrote in the university’s newspaper, The Gramblinite, or in my own self published campus newsletter entitled, "In My Opinion.” I created this campus newsletter because the then editor of the Gramblinite, Reginald Owens, stopped accepting my opinions/articles for publication in the university’s newspaper. What’s interestin...