Negro Higher and Professional Education in Alabama

Abstract

By constitutional directive, Alabama provides a dual system of education on all educational levels. Because of the high concentration of Negroes (the third largest of any state in the South) in the population, this legal requirement has imposed a tremendous burden upon the state. Notwithstanding its efforts to provide adequate educational opportunities for two racial groups, the state has fallen short of a satisfactory standard of educational provisions, most especially in its institutions of higher learning. There are fourteen institutions of higher learning for whites in Alabama, seven of which are supported and controlled by the state. Alabama College (a state college for women) offers courses in four general divisions leading to two bachelors degrees as follows: bachelor of arts in (a) liberal arts, (b) art, (c) music, (d) retail economics, (e) sociology and social studies, (f) speech and dramatics; and the bachelor of science degree in (a) biology, (b) biology for public health and medical technicians, (c) chemistry, (d) mathematics, (e) physical education, (f) secretarial science. Alabama Polytechnic Institute offers residence instruction through eleven schools and a department of health and physical education. The schools are agriculture, architecture and the arts, chemistry, education, engineering, home economics, military science and tactics, pharmacy, science, and literature, veterinary medicine; and the graduate school which admin-