One of the challenges is cultural. In a global context, the term 'minority' is virtually irrelevant. California, where I lived before returning to Atlanta, frequently describes itself now as a combination of various minorities. Although that state may offer an extreme example, it is not unique. Many urban areas throughout our nation are experiencing similar trends.
Many anthropologists argue that there are one hundred or more racial groups.
Clearly, racial distinctions, which have never enjoyed much biological validity, do not lend themselves readily to simple classifications such as black, white, red, yellow, or brown. Another challenge we face, as we adjust to the new realities of the 21st century, is moral and ethical education. Advances in communications technology, in physical and electronic travel, give us the opportunity and obligation to understand, more than ever before, each other's cultures. Indeed, higher education must instill in students a set of values appropriate to our international community. There is perhaps no better testimony to our success in that arena than the College's remarkable tradition of service to others, a tradition imbedded in our original mission to educate freedmen and evidenced today in many ways, including our students' outstanding commitment to tutoring children in local elementary schools and a host of other community service activities.