The first time I stepped on Howard University's campus was freshman move-in day. Unlike many of my classmates, I never toured or visited. But entering this new chapter in an unfamiliar place nearly 500 miles away from where I was born and raised immediately
felt like I was returning home. Not only because I was finally at an institution that centered my educational and cultural wellbeing as a Black student, but also partly because I'd lived vicariously through the students on "A Different World."
Hillman College, the show's fictional school, gave me the secondhand glimpse of a historically Black college or university my parent's resources couldn't. The show came a bit before my time, running from 1987 to 1993. But watching reruns with my dad, who attended an HBCU but didn't graduate, became a ritual. "You know Thurgood Marshall went to an HBCU. And Oprah. Spike Lee, too," my dad would say, challenging himself to list off every notable alumni name recalled.
I'd half-listen to him while quietly gushing over how cool Denise Huxtable (Lisa Bonet) was even in the most awkward situations; rooting for Whitley Gilbert (Jasmine Guy) and Dwayne Wayne (Kadeem Hardison) to choose each other for good; and aspiring to be a passionate free-spirit like Freddie Brooks (Cree Summer). And though the characters and their relationships with each other were compelling enough, it was the world they occupied that piqued my interest the most. It was the first TV series to depict a predominantly Black cast in higher education.
"A Different World" showed me how dynamic life was at HBCUs. It shined a light on our unique touchstones like homecoming, Greek life, step shows, and fellowship. But it didn't shy away from hard-hitting issues impacting young Black America, especially after Debbie Allen took creative control in the second season. Through its six seasons, the show tackled racism, sexual consent, domestic violence, apartheid, and HIV through. This was all through the lens of young Black people who were given the space to learn, evolve and express themselves in a space that celebrated them not in spite of who they were, but because of who they were.
I didn't have the words for it early on, but that representation was aspirational to me — and clearly to many others as HBCU attendance spiked 26 percent during and after the show's run. Though I attended college more than twenty years after "A Different World" originally premiered, it influenced my decision to apply for three HBCUs and ultimately make one of the best decisions of my life: choosing Howard University. I credit my longterm friendships, strong conviction to speak truth to power, and career in journalism to my HBCU.
The show's sequel, namesake to the original, premieres on Netflix on Sept. 24. It stars a new cast of Hillman College students, centering around Whitley and Dwyane's youngest daughter, Deborah Wayne (Maleah Joi Moon). Showrunner Felicia Pride keeps the original show's tradition of celebrating HBCUs while tackling serious issues that have made headlines at these institutions including financial woes, limited student housing, racist bomb threats, and homophobia.
This show comes at a critical moment for the 107 HBCUs across America. With limited resources — made even leaner with the current presidential administration — HBCUs continue to offer vital spaces for Black students from diverse backgrounds to get some of the most impactful nurturing in their formative young adult years. For Kennedi Reece, a recent graduate, Howard wasn't her first choice. But she told Popsugar that her HBCU experience molded her into "the person I needed to be." It also landed her the role of Hazel — a personified blend of Whitley and Freddie — in the Netflix sequel, her very first acting role. "My biggest dream is just to have enrollment at HBCUs be up like it was with the original show," Reece said. "They can look at this show as an accurate representation of what an HBCU is like and maybe feel that community through the screen. And hopefully [they] come see it for themselves."
I cosign Reece's vision. I hope that Gen Z, Gen Alpha, and beyond watch "A Different World" and see a place for themselves at HBCUs because it's already waiting for them. I hope that we see an increase in both attendance and resources for students and faculty alike to thrive. I also hope that we turn our attention to not only the HBCUs that get namedropped often, but also the other universities doing the same important work, from Cheney University in Pennsylvania, to Miles College in Alabama.
With a powerful alumni network, rich cultural traditions, and a foundation of confidence building up Black students, HBCUs are a cornerstone of America that we can't afford to neglect. The original "A Different World" showed us how HBCUs pour into our community. The sequel is pushing us to see how we can pour back into them.
Taryn Finley is an award-winning journalist based in Brooklyn, specializing in storytelling that intersects identity, culture and politics. Her work has appeared in HuffPost, The New York Times, Refinery29, Essence, Ebony and more. She's hosted podcasts, including HuffPost's "I Know That's Right" and co-hosted MadameNoire's "Listen to Black Women."
