The Souls of Black College Students: Reclaiming Space and Community in the Digital Age

• In Event: The Possibilities of "Green Book" Approach to Higher Education

Abstract

During the Great Migration and beyond, as Black people moved out of the South in large numbers and traveled for leisure, The Negro Motorist Green Book provided a critical guide to safe places for eating, sleeping, staying, and seeking refuge in a racially hostile landscape. On college campuses, particularly at predominantly white institutions (PWIs), Black students establish spaces of refuge, including Black Greek-letter fraternities and sororities, Black Student Unions (BSUs), and physical spaces like Black resource centers. This paper theorizes how Black students leverage new technological tools, specifically social media, to help peers contend with the challenges of predominantly white institutions (PWIs), where they often face small Black populations, a lack of formal Black spaces, and pervasive racism. We ask: What does a digital Green Book practice look like for Black students at PWIs? Drawing on qualitative data from two studies conducted at large public PWIs, we constructed a composite narrative using Critical Technocultural Discourse Analysis (CTDA) and Black placemaking frameworks to examine how Black college students use digital platforms to access educational resources, build networks, and foster collective survival. These digital practices echo the original intent of The Green Book, enabling students to navigate through college environments successfully, safely, and with dignity. This work provides both theoretical insights and practical strategies for scholars and practitioners to better support Black students while offering a valuable example for Black collegians and their families as they pursue higher education.

Authors

• Tré Watkins, University of San Diego

• Heather Streets, University of San Francisco