Gender Gap Persists Among Black Students

At the first Black Students' Association party Friday night, first-year women were introduced to a social phenomenon they will soon be familiar with--a room full of black Harvard women among only a few handful of black Harvard men.

In the class of 2002, 79 black men were admitted, compared to 128 women, meaning males should comprise a little less than 40 percent of the class--an admitted class that was overall 52 percent male. (Figures on matriculated students are not yet available.)

These ratios are roughly in line with those of recent years. In fact, the number of black males is up significantly from the class of 1996, in which fewer than 25 percent of black students were male, the lowest figure since the 1960s.

These numbers reflect a nationwide gender gap in higher education, where black women make up the majority--63 percent--of black student enrollment at colleges and universities, according to The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education.

Over the past 20 years, the number of blacks in higher education has increased by 40 percent--and women have accounted for 75 percent of those gains, according to The Journal.

While this is encouraging to women, it raises the question of what happened to the men--and, conversely, what does it means for the women? Here at Harvard, many black women say they are aware that something is missing as soon as they arrive.

"I was unaware of the gap before coming here, although I definitely see it now," says Naomi F. Coquillon '02. "I'm not sure how it will affect me yet; I guess in the same way as it affects the rest of the school. We'll lack the experiences and opinions that a larger variety of black men would provide."

In the Company of My Sisters

For years, many black women have been frustrated with the social effects of the gender gap. Their frustration has been made into books (most notably, Waiting to Exhale), talk shows and movies. Like all women who have lived in a place under-populated by men, many black women at Harvard struggle with developing relationships and a strong community without enough men to go around.

"The gender gap makes it really problematic tohave a relationship," says Alisha R. Alleyne '01."I think the males tend to exploit theiradvantage."

For Jessica M. Reid '00, the social scene atHarvard has been very different than what sheexpected.

"Dating existed before I came here, and Iexpected it to continue, but people actdifferently here than they do where I come from,"Reid says. "Obviously people date--not everyone'salone--but a lot of us are unable to findsomebody, and it's hard, because all of us want tofind somebody. You just have to focus on otherthings."

The majority of black women interviewed saythey would rather date someone of their same race,even if it means a long search.

Reid says the dating scene is just as harsh--ifnot more so--at other schools.

"I know in the Ivy Leagues the numbers are bad,and the guys take advantage of that," Reid says."And even at the historically black institutionsthere's a lot more females than males, and thecompetitiveness is crazy there."

Explaining the Gap

While the gender gap has obvious effects onblack women, black men say they are affected inequally serious ways.

Although there may be advantages to being amongthe chosen ones, it can also be disheartening. Forblack men, the question arises, what has happenedto the others?

"Those black men who aren't in college may bein the criminal justice system, underemployed orunemployed, or simply very bright people who justhave not been given the opportunity to show theycan earn a college degree," says Black StudentsAssociation Vice President Jason B. Phillips '99."It's another problem that black people on campushave to confront and try to solve in the largersociety."

Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III says thegender gap has been around for decades.

"It was the trend when I went to college 30years ago," Epps says. "It has to do with thechoices black men are making. When I was inschool, men had to work. Now, they're facingdifferent obstacles to education."

Alleyne says she noticed different academicpressures on males when she was in high school.Black men can be accused of "acting white" orselling out. Some are genuinely afraid of losingtheir identity by going to a mostly whiteuniversity.

"There's a lot more pressure on males to dothings that aren't conducive to doing well inschool, whereas with girls there's not the wholemacho thing about being tough, cutting class, andnot getting your work done," says Alleyne.

Like a majority of the black students atHarvard, Kenny N. Ebie '01 went to a majoritywhite high school. Even so, he said he still feltthe same pressures Alleyne cited.

"After school is out at 3:30, you still have toface the expectations of society and of yourpeers," Ebie said. "The only thing that assistedme was the fact that I was surrounded at school bypeople who shared my motivations."

Thompson Professor of Government Martin Kilsonalso places responsibility on society as a whole.

"The black female has always been a moretolerable interface with white America," Kilsonsays. "Plus, the feminist movement has helpedthem, while there's been no such encouragement forblack males from the white male sector."

Kilson also mentioned the historical traditionof black women in the workforce and education,noting that up until recent years, the number ofworking black women has far outpaced white women.

"Black women have always worked and gone toschool, and it's no different now," Kilson says."It's the classic crisis of the urban black male,matched with the fact that the adjustment of blackmales to the post-industrial age has been moredifficult than it has been for women."

Phillips says the lack of males is a little bitof everything--including societal and economicpressures and choices of the males themselves.Regardless of the reasons, it's a big problem.

"Increasing the enrollment rates of black menwould involve improving many other aspects of oursociety," says Phillips, who is a Crimson editor."If I had the answer to that question already, wemight not be having this discussion."

Amelia E. MorrowCrimsonSource: U.S. Dept. of Education, U.S. Bureauof the Census, Harvard Admissions OfficeA Woman's World?EnrollmentWomen account for approximately 60% of blackenrollment in the U.S. and at Harvard.

Women  MenU.S.  62.3%  37.7%Harvard '01  59.7%  41.3%Harvard '02  61.9%  38.1%*Harvard figures represent admitted students, notthose enrolled.GraduationAs at all degree levels, black women earn amajority of bachelor's degrees awarded to blackstudents.AggregateOf the nearly 2 million blacks holding bachelor'sdegrees, most are women.

"The gender gap makes it really problematic tohave a relationship," says Alisha R. Alleyne '01."I think the males tend to exploit theiradvantage."

For Jessica M. Reid '00, the social scene atHarvard has been very different than what sheexpected.

"Dating existed before I came here, and Iexpected it to continue, but people actdifferently here than they do where I come from,"Reid says. "Obviously people date--not everyone'salone--but a lot of us are unable to findsomebody, and it's hard, because all of us want tofind somebody. You just have to focus on otherthings."

The majority of black women interviewed saythey would rather date someone of their same race,even if it means a long search.

Reid says the dating scene is just as harsh--ifnot more so--at other schools.

"I know in the Ivy Leagues the numbers are bad,and the guys take advantage of that," Reid says."And even at the historically black institutionsthere's a lot more females than males, and thecompetitiveness is crazy there."

Explaining the Gap

While the gender gap has obvious effects onblack women, black men say they are affected inequally serious ways.

Although there may be advantages to being amongthe chosen ones, it can also be disheartening. Forblack men, the question arises, what has happenedto the others?

"Those black men who aren't in college may bein the criminal justice system, underemployed orunemployed, or simply very bright people who justhave not been given the opportunity to show theycan earn a college degree," says Black StudentsAssociation Vice President Jason B. Phillips '99."It's another problem that black people on campushave to confront and try to solve in the largersociety."

Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III says thegender gap has been around for decades.

"It was the trend when I went to college 30years ago," Epps says. "It has to do with thechoices black men are making. When I was inschool, men had to work. Now, they're facingdifferent obstacles to education."

Alleyne says she noticed different academicpressures on males when she was in high school.Black men can be accused of "acting white" orselling out. Some are genuinely afraid of losingtheir identity by going to a mostly whiteuniversity.

"There's a lot more pressure on males to dothings that aren't conducive to doing well inschool, whereas with girls there's not the wholemacho thing about being tough, cutting class, andnot getting your work done," says Alleyne.

Like a majority of the black students atHarvard, Kenny N. Ebie '01 went to a majoritywhite high school. Even so, he said he still feltthe same pressures Alleyne cited.

"After school is out at 3:30, you still have toface the expectations of society and of yourpeers," Ebie said. "The only thing that assistedme was the fact that I was surrounded at school bypeople who shared my motivations."

Thompson Professor of Government Martin Kilsonalso places responsibility on society as a whole.

"The black female has always been a moretolerable interface with white America," Kilsonsays. "Plus, the feminist movement has helpedthem, while there's been no such encouragement forblack males from the white male sector."

Kilson also mentioned the historical traditionof black women in the workforce and education,noting that up until recent years, the number ofworking black women has far outpaced white women.

"Black women have always worked and gone toschool, and it's no different now," Kilson says."It's the classic crisis of the urban black male,matched with the fact that the adjustment of blackmales to the post-industrial age has been moredifficult than it has been for women."

Phillips says the lack of males is a little bitof everything--including societal and economicpressures and choices of the males themselves.Regardless of the reasons, it's a big problem.

"Increasing the enrollment rates of black menwould involve improving many other aspects of oursociety," says Phillips, who is a Crimson editor."If I had the answer to that question already, wemight not be having this discussion."

Amelia E. MorrowCrimsonSource: U.S. Dept. of Education, U.S. Bureauof the Census, Harvard Admissions OfficeA Woman's World?EnrollmentWomen account for approximately 60% of blackenrollment in the U.S. and at Harvard.

Women  MenU.S.  62.3%  37.7%Harvard '01  59.7%  41.3%Harvard '02  61.9%  38.1%*Harvard figures represent admitted students, notthose enrolled.GraduationAs at all degree levels, black women earn amajority of bachelor's degrees awarded to blackstudents.AggregateOf the nearly 2 million blacks holding bachelor'sdegrees, most are women.

Women  MenU.S.  62.3%  37.7%Harvard '01  59.7%  41.3%Harvard '02  61.9%  38.1%*Harvard figures represent admitted students, notthose enrolled.GraduationAs at all degree levels, black women earn amajority of bachelor's degrees awarded to blackstudents.AggregateOf the nearly 2 million blacks holding bachelor'sdegrees, most are women.