Since the genesis of independent Black institutions in the United States, during the period of African enslavement, they continue to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds to educate African minds. The mere existence of these self-reliant institutions is in direct contrast to spurious notions that suggest African Americans do not value education. This article contends that Blacks do not value schooling-the process that trains them to maintain White hegemonic control-but that they hold in high regard education-the process that leaves them more capable of expressing who they are as defined by their culture and community. This assertion finds support in the communal struggle to develop, erect, and sustain independent Black institutions, and in the historical discourse concerning the consciousness that laid the foundation for their existence.
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