Black male graduates have it the hardest.
First, we represent the smallest number of graduates in the country.
According to the1999 Digest of Educational Statistics, Black men make up 11 percent of the total college population.
We endure the most paramount obstacles in life. To simply have a degree is not enough.
Black men must walk the walk and talk the talk just to get an application. The journey is long, hard and sometimes seems endless.
While battling remedial classes, prejudice malicious white teachers and family instability throughout high school, the black male must climb mountains just to rest upon a hill.
Outlasting the traditional four years of training, a black man must embark on a cold world that fears his very existence.
So just imagine being a confident black man. A black man with a sparkling mouth of gold teeth and a head blooming with long, naughty dredlocks, with no chance in hell of getting the job that you deserve just because you choose to display a distinct style.
Black males must conquer crusades, confrontations and contests to be conceived as equal or simply qualified for the dwindling number of positions in America’s job market.
However, since most black males also have a criminal record in addition to a college degree, other situations occur and prevent opportunities from flourishing.
According to 2001 Bureau of Justice Statistics, it is estimated that 30 percent of black males between the ages of 20 to 29 are under correctional supervision.
I personally understand and empathize with the thousands of young brothers who are tangled in the elaborate circuit of espionage known as the judicial system.
It is quite disheartening to realize that even though I have a college degree, I may not be able to find the job that I desire or need to support my family.
I cannot play ball that good and I cannot rap, but I can calculate quantum physics.
Is the degree really worth having to continue to fight through a capitalistic jungle?
Did I just waste four or five years of my life just to get a job from a white man?
No.
Not me.
I came to college to get more money, and with or without a degree, I will make history.
Remember my name.
Larry who?
Larry what?
Larry Love.
Larry Love is a senior African-American Studies student from Lakes Wales. He can be reached at larrylove70@ yahoo.com.