Fresh Air

In his new book, 'The State Must Provide,' Adam Harris explains how slavery, segregation and continuing racism prevented or stymied Black education. He examines some of the turning points when higher education could have been made equal and centuries of discrimination could have been remedied. He also writes about the important role Historically Black Colleges and Universities have played, and the reasons why they have been underfunded. Harris went to an HBCU, Alabama A&M University. He's now a staff writer at 'The Atlantic.'