While attending Howard University, Coates realized that “[His] Mecca was, and shall always be Howard University” (39). A Mecca is, “a place regarded as a center for a specified group, activity, or interest” (Webster). While growing up, Coates found it hard to feel part of something, and even into adulthood he never felt like he belonged in America, but he felt a part of something at Howard University. Coates explains that “the Meccas is a machine, crafted to capture and concentrate the dark energy of all African peoples and inject it directly into the student body” (40). The Mecca helped Coates feel as if was part of a larger community and was needed. He understood the secluded feeling that many African Americans feel throughout life, but
