Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are more than just football, tightly choreographed halftime performances, marching bands and fraternity/sorority steps shows. However, unless you’re a Black college graduate or an alum, you aren’t always aware that the Black athletic excellence and academic excellence at these schools are intertwined.
WORLD, a public media broadcaster, in February premiered the two-part HBCU Week films as part of its Local, USA series.
Local, USA “brings viewers to communities around the country to examine important issues and the community figures doing something about them,” says a release statement.
“HBCU Week: Beyond the Field” spotlights the story of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), the oldest Black athletic conference in America. “HBCU Week: Traditions and Competition” explores the history and culture of two HBCUs—Howard University and Hampton (VA) University.
The two HBCU films are presented in partnership with Maryland Public Television (MPT) along with WHUT (Howard University Television), PBS North Carolina, SCETV, and Louisiana Public Broadcasting.
MPT Senior VP and Chief Content Officer Travis Mitchell is the executive producer of the HBCU documentaries. He recently spoke to the MSR from his MPT offices.
Public media along with streaming today, is the perfect platform to amplify HBCUs and its rich tradition and contributions, said Mitchell.
“Public television remains one of the last neutral safe spaces for public debate in the country,” he explained. “It is important for us to place the story of HBCUs in the public square where their contributions and their historic origins can be seen clearly through unbiased and objected lenses.”
Mitchell, a Morgan State University graduate, said attending an HBCU had a profound impact on him.
Before he joined Maryland Public Television, he launched news and sports programs as a top executive at the Black Family Channel, which grew from being available in only two markets to serving 31 million homes, 3,600 markets, and 48 states.
His first experience in public broadcasting came when he joined UNC-TV, known today as PBS North Carolina, where he served as its chief content officer for two years before moving back to Maryland to take up his current position at MPT, which he launched four years ago the HBCU Week initiative.
Mitchell has spent most of his broadcasting career telling HBCU stories.
“I still believe that PBS holds the opportunity to give all Americans access to see cultural representation on air that reflects them … through that authentic presentation of culture,” continued Mitchell. “I think PBS has the ability to augment and amplify our voices that have long been muted.”
As Mitchell pointed out, telling the stories of HBCUs, especially at a time when there are efforts to stifle Black history and culture throughout the country is even more so important.
HBCUs have stood the test of time said Mitchell. “I find it very striking and somewhat amazing that HBCUs were born in the aftermath of the Emancipation Proclamation. I found it very amazing that in the post-Reconstruction era with the rise of Jim Crow … HBCUs continued to strive. They continued to rise in the 40s, 50s and 60s.
“So here we are today,” said Mitchell, “in the midst of this conversation about affirmative action and the elimination of race-based policies and admissions. HBCUs are some of the original places of diversity, equity, and inclusion in this nation, and they serve as a model of possibility that in the face of opposition, a commitment to Black excellence and a focus on education …
“And the only thing I can do is be hopeful that the resilience of HBCUs will continue to propel them forward,” said Mitchell.
Mitchell remains committed to elevating HBCUs at every opportunity: “We don’t want the story of HBCUs to be relegated to one special [area]. We want HBCUs to be covered on a consistent basis” as well as mainstream media regularly highlighting HBCU professors and graduates “to speak on things that are shaping their communities and also the national conversations,” he said.
“Our goal is to make sure that every HBCU in the country is represented by its local PBS affiliate. There are probably about 20 PBS affiliates in the nation that currently overlap with 100% of HBCUs in the country. Our goal is to make sure that we add the top PBS affiliates in the top 25 markets that may not have HBCUs but they have a large concentration of HBCU graduates.
“We have to be successful … when HBCUs are mainstreamed, their voices are amplified and people are able to see them side by side with the best and brightest that our Ivy League schools or PWIs. These voices emerge that people truly understand the HBCUs are not just good for the Black community, they are good for America overall as well,” concluded Mitchell.
“HBCU Week: Beyond The Field” and “HBCU Week: Tradition and Competition,” as well as the entire Local, USA series, are now available to stream on WORLD’s YouTube channel, WORLDChannel.org, and the PBS App.
This story was updated March 6, 2024 to clarify
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