Special Report: George W. Bush, the NAACP, and the Persistent Damage to Black Higher Education

Last month President Bush addressed the annual convention of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in Washington.

In his address to the convention the president made an appeal for NAACP votes. He cited his support for historically black colleges and universities, his appointment of several African Americans to high-ranking positions in his administration, and his support for the renewal of the Voting Rights Act.

Clearly, Bush’s appearance at the NAACP convention was driven by political considerations. In past years the GOP believed it could win more white votes in stonewalling black aspirations than it would gain by appealing to black votes. Now with the GOP facing the possible loss of one or both houses of Congress in the coming midterm elections, President Bush’s GOP is fighting for every vote it can get, and now that includes those of African Americans.

But many NAACP members appear to have been pacified by the president’s rhetoric. This should not have been the case. The administration’s record on support for measures that would improve the educational opportunities for African Americans has been, and continues to be, dismal. In fact, the president’s policies have inflicted serious harm.

Here is a link to the JBHE special report detailing the serious damage the president’s policies have done to African-American aspirations for higher education.