Black Commencement and the Value of Affinity Initiatives
As appeared in the NEA Higher Education Journal
In 2017, Harvard’s Black Commencement gained national headlines for being the school’s first commencement exercise intended solely for its Black students. And yet, with this occasion, Harvard was merely catching up to many other institutions across the country, including Stanford, Temple, Michigan, and schools in the California State University system.1 It’s almost certain that the trend toward minority-specific ceremonies will continue in future years, which might astound or concern some people. For those who continue to be shocked or confused by initiatives that appear—on the surface—exclusive in their intent, I offer a modest primer, with last year’s event at Harvard serving as an example.
