Dr. Marisela Martinez-Cola, Associate Professor of Sociology, has recently published an article, “At an HBCU, I’m a Scholar—A Chicana Feminist’s Academic Journey from Performance to Peace,”.
The piece serves as both scholarly analysis and deeply personal reflection—a “love letter” to her time at Morehouse College. Drawing on her own educational journey, Dr. Martinez-Cola uses W.E.B. Du Bois’s writings in The Souls of Black Folk, Dusk to Dawn, and The Journal of Negro Education to explore the profound differences between working at historically white institutions (HWIs) and her experience at Morehouse.
In the article, she shares how her time at HWIs taught her to “perform” in predominantly white spaces—a survival skill rooted in navigating the expectations of whiteness, diversity work, and muted scholarship. In contrast, she describes Morehouse as a Black/Brown space that offers an authentic sense of peace, where performance is unnecessary and scholarship is fully valued.
“Not all my experiences at HWIs were overwhelmingly oppressive,” she writes, acknowledging moments of growth and support along the way. “However, the heart of this article is devoted to identifying the lessons that can and should be learned from HBCUs.”
By weaving her personal narrative with Du Bois’s reflections about Atlanta University, Dr. Martinez-Cola situates her story within a larger tradition of scholars who have found intellectual and personal liberation within historically Black institutions. Ultimately, her testimony highlights both the cost and the gift of pursuing peace and authenticity in academia.
This work affirms the transformative power of HBCUs and amplifies Morehouse College’s enduring role as a place of intellectual freedom, cross-cultural solidarity, and human flourishing.
Read the full article in Humanity & Society: SAGE Journals