ABSTRACT
The experiences and concerns of African American college students have been topics of discussion and research for many years. The primary reason can be traced back to the period between slavery and the Jim Crow era of segregation. The overt discrimination that existed during those times represented a clear impediment to democracy and educational opportunity. The fact that many African Americans were not permitted (by law, in some states) to exercise the basic human rights outlined in the Constitution is indicative of the historical negation of opportunities for African Americans. The forms and structures of discrimination, including not being able to drink from certain water fountains and socialize in various establishments, had spillover effects on all other areas of human enterprise, especially education.
