The long road to recognition : a historical investigation of the activities of the Association of Colleges for Negro Youth, 1913-1934

The purpose of this study was to assemble and document an account of the Association of Colleges for Negro Youth's (ACNY) more significant activities, 1913-1934, with particular emphasis on the organization's work to standardize black institutions in its membership. In addition, the researcher sought to provide an analysis of ACNY's efforts to encourage the development of its member colleges in harmony with those white institutions recognized by the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools (SACS). Specifically, this investigation sought to discover and present information concerning: (a) ACNY's origin and establishment; (b) ACNY's activities from 1913- 1934, including the reasons for its reorganization to the Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools for Negroes (ACSSN) in 1934; and (c) ACNY's efforts to standardize its member colleges based on SACS's institutional membership requirements. A historical research method was used in the collection and analysis of the data gathered. Componential analysis, an ethnographic research tool, was also utilized to determine ACNY's efforts to standardize its member colleges in accordance with the by-laws and standards created by the Southern Association. The results of the study show: (a) that ACNY was founded in November, 1913 by George E. Haynes as the result of his work with the National League on Urban Conditions Among Negroes; (b) that, although, ACNY operated as a rather loose organization, it did attempt to standardized its member colleges; (c) that ACNY's reorganization in 1934, was the result of SACS's assumption of the rating function for black colleges, and subsequently, its threat to discontinue that function; (d) that ACNY did attempt to develop its member colleges in harmony with those recognized by SACS; and (e) that where ACNY did not address certain issues relative to SACS's requirements, it was presumably due to the financial hardships imposed on its member colleges as a result of the constricting segregative framework in which they endeavored to operate.