The student population at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is continuing the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the many others that stood with him and fought for civil rights.                         

            For the past two weeks a group of journalism & mass communication students did a thorough survey process that took place to develop data and information regarding this topic. The team that conducted the survey targeted the young adult population at the university but wanted its participants to be diverse in ethnicity, major, classification and hometown so that the results would be diverse as well.

            Participants of the survey were asked questions about the continuance of civil rights among their peers at the university, themselves, family and ethnicity. Questions such as: Do you believe the spirit of civil rights exist today and does it exist in you?, were asked to get an understanding of how each participant felt about it personally regarding themselves on the topic. Each willing participant knew what the survey entailed before completing it due to the sensitive nature of the topic.

There were two waves of surveys conducted and each survey wave followed an analysis of the data. Both sessions of the surveys had very similar, almost identical analysis of information, which, as a result, brought the team to the conclusion mentioned at the very beginning.

In fact, results indicated from the analysis of both waves of surveys that many students do care and recognize what is going on in the world. These students see the injustice, understand that such things have been occurring for decades and try to oppose it in their own way.

However, there are a select few who do not care what is going on and feel that it has nothing to do with them personally; feeling that people only care about justice for blacks when it is mentioned in the media. One participant said, “We are far more privileged.” As a result, due to their beliefs on the matter, it leaves other students of the young adult population or age to group at the university to deal with the issue.

Therefore, it cannot be said younger generations don’t care and are not aware of what is going on in the world. Despite what many think, there are many students that do care and that are continuing the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the many others that fought with him.

 

              SURVEY

 

Are students continuing the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.? :

Q1:      State your age, race, and native city

Age:21

• Race:African-American

• Native City:Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Q2: Do you believe the spirit of civil rights and what it stands for exist today and does it exist in you and your peers…if so how?

Yes, everyday we like to make the best of the opportunities we now have as African Americans and would like to continue to see our race thrive.

Q3: Do you personally think students care enough about the issues today regarding civil rights and do you think the actions of students and your peers convey that they care enough? If so how?

They care to a certain extent but there is a select few that will act on it.

Q4: Are you woke to what is going on in the world?

What does woke actually mean? That's not really a good term to use.

Q5: Is that fight currently still going on… if so how?

Definitely. It's never ending.

Q6: What did those ones involved in civil rights fight for?

To have the same opportunities that were denied of them because of their race.

Q7: Do you personally think students at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and other students at other HBCU’s think it’s their fight just as those in the past felt it was their personal responsibility to take action?

Not at all because we are far more privileged.

Q8: Do you believe young students at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University are continuing the spirit of civil rights and the legacy of Dr. King…if so how?

Yes by going to HBCU's and doing amazing things with their degrees.

Q9: Do you personally try to carry on the work of Dr. King in your own way…if so how?

Somewhat. I try to look at things with a neutral eye

Q10: Do you think most people of your ethnicity believe in what Dr. King stood for?

Partially