<p>They would come from all spheres of success, gathering whenever the tie that binds them was -- or was in danger of -- being demeaned. They are corporate executives, artists, politicians, writers and moguls, and all attended one of the nation's nearly 100 public and private historically black colleges and universities. You've heard of some of them: Oprah Winfrey (Tennessee State) and Vernon Jordan (law degree from Howard), Branford Marsalis (Southern) and director Spike Lee (Morehouse), writer Alice Walker (Spelman) and poet Nikki Giovanni (Fisk).</p>