An African proverb says, “not to know is bad; not to want to know is worse.”  There are more than 100 historically black colleges and universities  in the United States which are highly successful in their quest of graduating students of color and sending them to top professional schools.  Here are some myths that need to be corrected

Someone forgot to tell Virginia Union University graduate, Ben Wallace, who plays for the Detroit Pistons and won a championship in 2004.

Pulitzer Prize winning author, Toni Morrison, earned a Bachelor's of Arts degree in English before entering Ivy-League Cornell's master's program.

Myth #3 - Graduates of black colleges cannot make it in the "white" world. 

L. Douglas Wilder, who earned a Bachelor's degree in chemistry from Virginia Union University, became the first African American elected Governor in 1990.

Comedian Wanda Sykes entertains audiences with her own sense of humor.  She earned a bachelor's degree in marketing from Hampton University.

These, and other myths, keep families from learning about historically black colleges and universities.  Though they represent only 3% of the nation’s colleges and universities,  these schools are responsible for graduating 20% of the country’s African American graduates.  Many residents of the Pacific Northwest have never experienced the awe of the black college.