In today’s world, schools all across the country struggle to find diversity inside white dominated schools. Schools like New Trier have over 80% of their students being white. This leaves the other races to be isolated and in some cases tormented for having a different skin color then the majority of students. Mecca is a city in the western part of Saudi Arabia, where only Muslims are allowed in the city’s limits. Ta-Nehisi Coates refers to Howard University as the Mecca because of the opportunity it gives African Americans to get a great education and feel comfortable being surrounded with students of the same race. Coates, “was admitted to Howard University, but formed and shaped by the Mecca… I saw everything I knew from my black self multiplied out into seemingly endless variations” (p.40). During Coates’ first day on campus, he was amazed to see many other African American students that were just like him. Howard has always, “held a commitment to the study of disadvantaged persons in American society and throughout the world. The goal is the elimination of inequities related to race, color, social, economic and political circumstances. As the only truly comprehensive predominantly Black university, Howard is one of the major engineers of change in our society” (Howard.edu). Howard actively fights against the disadvantages African American students are challenged with in our society. They offer Howard as a place for the students to earn an education in a safe work environment. I believe this is why Prince Jones selected Howard as his college of choice. Prince could have gotten into some of the most prestigious schools in the world but, “Prince did not apply to Harvard, nor Princeton, nor Yale, nor Colombia, nor Stanford. He only wanted the Mecca” (p.142). Prince Jones knew that at schools like Stanford and Yale, he would stick out and not be accepted by other students because of his race. At Howard however, he would not have to worry about trying to fit in with majority white students, but rather on becoming the best student he can be and obtain a very prestigious college degree. That is a big concern for African American students. But, “Here at The Mecca, we are without fear, we are the dark spectrum on the parade”(p.57).
