National HBCU Speech and Debate League
Speech and debate education and competition is the most profound pedagogy ever created and has proven effective in building critical thinking skills, improving communication skills, increasing reading and writing scores, furthering social and emotional learning, promoting civil discourse, developing soft skills, and preparing students to be global citizens. Speech and debate competitors are widely regarded as some of the most qualified potential employees because of their communication skills, problem-solving abilities, ability to work in groups, and proven work ethic.
Historically Black Colleges and Universities have been combating education inequity for more than one hundred and fifty years. However, a substantial lack of funding has required HBCUs to cut back on programs like speech and debate competition, furthering educational inequity. The Association was initially started to combat the educational injustice created by a lack of funding for competitive speech and debate. Though the mission has not changed, educational inequity is not exclusive to HBCUs or even college students. Therefore, The National HBCU Speech and Debate Association is a reflection upon the need for educational equity at various levels and institutions.
The League
Tournaments give students gratification, recognition, and an aspiration for which to strive. Learning and education becomes the product from the ambition to achieve. To create the foundation and a competition model, the creation of a National HBCU Speech and Debate League would provide students the educational benefits, reduce the vast competition and travel costs associated with forensics, as well as allow students multiple opportunities to participate in competition throughout their respective regions.
Pedagogical Outcomes
Speech and debate, more commonly known as forensics has so many tangible and intangible benefits. Forensics teaches many skills that are indispensable to professional success; the ability to think critically, to communicate effectively, the ability to work in teams, research, effective communication, and leadership skills. Moreover, forensics alumnae understand the skills developed competing at the highest level, and former competitors may be in a position of distinction, corporate authority, or in a position that may be mutually beneficial within a professional network. Thus, forensics students are able to build a strong and healthy professional network, which can be an integral part of career and business development.
Debaters enjoy higher GPAs [on average 3.6], higher reading scores [up to 25%], and higher critical thinking scores [more than 17%] (Billings, 2000). Over the course of the last ten years (2008-2018) since the restoration of The Great Debaters at Wiley College, 97% of those debate competitors graduated and 91% received scholarship offers to graduate school. Ultimately, graduation is the greatest outcome of speech and debate education.
The educational completion rates have a direct benefit to African American students. Income for African Americans with a four-year college degree is nearly double for those with only a high school diploma. And for African Americans with a Master’s degree, the annual income is nearly triple those individuals with only a high school diploma. Ultimately, due to class inequalities, there is an inverse relationship between education and incarceration. The more students that graduate from college, the less likely they will be to commit crimes.
Professor Timothy O'Donnell, at the University of Mary Washington contends that practically every profession requires individuals to create arguments: Lawyers present cases supported by evidence in defense of their clients. Corporations make arguments to sell products and services. Legislators make arguments to advocate for, and against, policy changes. Politicians make arguments in the election process. Academics make arguments in the course of their teachings and publications. Accordingly, O’Donnell, declared that “Argumentation is the lifeblood of society” (O’Donnell, et al., 2010). Debaters learn much more about critical thinking and general issues because of the “devil’s advocate” approach to issues. Debaters learn how to identify and respond to errors in reasoning, gain a greater respect for other ideas and learn how to constructively criticize based on facts and logic, which leads to greater civil discourse. Many former debaters acknowledge that participation in debate prepared them for graduate school and their professional lives.
Regional Distribution
In order to insure that students have the ability to compete, network, and practical competition experience, all HBCUs will be distributed into four regions. The regions have been chosen for geographic proximity as well as school distribution, to keep an approximate balance. This will reduce the distance schools will have to travel for regional tournaments.
Region – 1 – States PA, OH, WV, VA, MD, DC, NC - Schools 28
Region – 2 – States FL, GA, SC - Schools 21
Region – 3 – States TN, MS, AL, KY - Schools 26
Region – 4 – States TX, LA, OK, AR, MO - Schools 20
Diversity in Speech and Debate Competition
Although the benefits and opportunities are measurable, there is still a disparity in the number students of color competing at the collegiate level. The last real study that was done on the subject was published in Argumentation and Advocacy, The Journal of the American Forensics Association, Winter of 2004. An article entitled, "Diversity in United States Forensics", by Mike Allen, Mary Trejo, Michael Bartanen, Anthony Schroeder, and Tommie Ulrich, states, "The picture regarding ethnic diversity is different. In activities classified as debate...7% are African American." "In individual events [speech], the percentages are similar...5% are African American (Mike Allen, et al., 2004)." Though racial diversity in forensics continues to grow, the pace of growth is slow, creating an inequity in accessing the benefits of speech and debate competition.
