Not So Black and White: A community's divided history

Historically Black Colleges and Universities, known as HBCUs, are in a period of resurgence. They have more status thanks to high-profile business partnerships and celebrity endorsements. They have more money due to recent increases in federal support and philanthropic giving. For many Black students who could have gone to prominent, mostly white schools, HBCUs have become their first choice.Since 2010, overall college enrollment has been on a steady decline. And during the pandemic, it plummeted 9.6%, according to the Education Data Initiative which uses federal figures to track the numbers. But since the pandemic, HBCUs are seeing a surge that predominantly white institutions are not.

What happens when you’re too Black or brown for some spaces, and not Black or brown enough for others? Is it okay to use white privilege just because of your skin tone?

African American churches have long been social, political and educational centers for many Black communities. But that role is evolving amid what some historians and sociologists are calling the "Third Reconstruction". This is the period starting from President Barack Obama's election in 2008, and encompasses the rise of social and racial justice movements that began shortly thereafter.

The racial and social justice movements over the past several years are being met with blow back. Recently, Florida has been at the forefront of a growing push to downplay or gloss over the history and stories of Black Americans. Now, Black historians, academics and activists are fighting back in an effort to protect and preserve their stories.

The positive role gardens play in Black communities, then and now. Not So Black and White is a podcast produced by WFSU Public Media tracing the divided history of Tallahassee and Leon County.

In part 2 of this episode, we examine the rise of private schools that excluded Black students even after integration, the origins of the school choice movement, and how our choices often impact others.

A report released earlier this year found Leon County Schools are the most segregated they've been since 1994. The study also found students who attend school here in Leon County are in one of the most highly-segregated school districts in the state. So what's happening? And how did a majority-white county end up with a majority-minority school district?

Railroad tracks divide Florida State University and Florida A&M University. The campuses sit about a mile and a half apart.The tracks remain a symbolic separation between FSU, a largely white university, and FAMU, a historically Black university. But, efforts are underway to change that.In our first episode, we hear from Southside residents who are working to erase the dividing line.

Coming September 22, 2022, Not So Black and White is a new podcast from WFSU Public Media tracing the divided history of Tallahassee and Leon County. Through conversations with the community, WFSU investigates the barriers that continue to separate the places we live, work, play, educate and worship.