Pro Football Hall of Famer Ed Reed has agreed in principle to take over the Bethune-Cookman football program as head coach, the school announced Tuesday.
Reed is widely regarded as one of the best safeties in the league during his time with the Baltimore Ravens. He led the NFL in interceptions three times, won defensive player of the year in 2004, and won a Super Bowl with the Ravens.
His coaching experience consists of spending the past three seasons in a support staff role at his alma mater, Miami, most recently as a senior football adviser. Before his time on the Miami staff, Reed was an assistant defensive backs coach with the Buffalo Bills in 2016.
Bethune-Cookman’s hiring of Reed follows the trend of well-known former NFL players committing to Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Reed’s new appointment follows in the footsteps of Deion Sanders at Jackson State and Eddie George at Tennessee State. According to HBCU Legends, Jackson State offered Reed the head coach position, but he decided not to accept.
Reed replaces Terry Sims, who was let go in November after seven seasons.
The Wildcats did not play in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, moved to the SWAC for 2021, and went 2-9 in 2022 and 2-6 in SWAC competition.
Bethune-Cookman is expected to release more information soon.
Virginia State University alum Alisha Sellers, professionally known as China Lovelace, and Jackson State University alum, La’Janee have been tapped to host a new Shade Room spin-off radio-based show, The Shade Room Live Radio on Amp.
China says The Shade Room Live Radio is focused on discussing current events, hot takes, and even a little celebrity tea, “but we aren’t focused on drama,” she noted.
The 1-hour format show has a weekly round-up of celebrity guests and has featured rapper and reality star Akbar V and Saucy Santana so far. The Roommates get to call in, ask questions to the celebrity guests and play games alongside China, La’Janee, and their co-host, actor Khleo Thomas.
China says her time at VSU has helped prepare her for her career today.
“VSU changed my life in ways that I can’t explain. Working in radio will always be my first love, as it was my first introduction to the entertainment industry. Without the skill set that I learned at VSU’s radio station, WVST, and the time spent at VSU, I wouldn’t be where I am in my career today,” said China.
She hopes that hosting The Shade Room Live Radio will open more doors and opportunities for her to host events, do more correspondent work, and even have her own radio show one day.
For any HBCU student or graduate aspiring to work in media and entertainment, China encourages them to keep pursuing their goals.
“Start now! With all the access to social media, create your own lane and platform now. Even when the road is long, and it feels like success is not happening, keep going. Always bet on yourself and know everything will work together in God’s timing!”
Listen to The Shade Room Live Radio on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. EST by downloading the Amp mobile application.
Tis’ the season for curling up under a warm blanket, sipping hot chocolate, and of course watching your favorite holiday movie. Whatever your Christmas traditions are, putting on a cozy Christmas movie is a must! Whether it’s a romcom, a comedy, or a family film, Christmas movies bring the whole family together and can instantly put you in the holiday spirit.
For this list, we’re counting down some of the best Black Christmas movies to watch this holiday season. There are countless Christmas classics, but far too often Black holiday films get left out of the conversation. Some of the Christmas movies that people regard as the “greats,” either feature black people as side characters or not at all. While movies like Elf, Home Alone,or The Holiday, are good movies, they don’t do much black representation. Black Christmas movies are great because they are some of the few movies that display black joy on screen.
What the world needs is more joy and so our gift to you this holiday season is our list of 12 Must-See Black Christmas Movies! Everything from the classics to newcomers, to laugh-out-loud comedies, to heartwarming favorites, your Christmas watch-a-thon is complete with this list. Get to watching and Merry Christmas from HBCU Buzz!
This star-studded film follows the Whitfield family as they come together for Christmas for the first time in four years. Six siblings carry secrets with them that threaten to ruin the holiday as they reunite at their mother’s house. To get through the holiday they must put aside their differences and learn the true meaning of family. Led by Loretta Devine as the matriarch of the Whitfield family, this movie features an all-star cast, including, Chris Brown, Idris Elba, Lauren London, Regina King, Columbus Short, Mekhi Phifer, and Sharon Leal.
In the third installment of the beloved Friday series, Craig and Day-Day take on Christmas in Compton. After “ “Ghetto Santa Claus” breaks into their apartment on the morning of Christmas Eve, they are forced to get jobs as mall security guards in order to pay their rent and not get evicted. As expected, hilarity ensues as Craig and Day-Day experience another crazy Friday.
This Christmas classic features Denzel Washington as an angel sent to help a struggling reverend remember what’s important in life. Played by Courtney B. Vance, Henry Biggs is a pastor overwhelmed with the problems of his church and prays for divine guidance, which is where Denzel Wahington’s character comes in. In walks Dudley, an angel sent to help Henry yet ends up falling for his wife, Julia, whose played by the incomparable Whitney Houston. Dudley’s presence begins to threaten Henry’s marriage, causing him to begin to remember what is truly important.
Queen Latifah stars in this feel-good holiday film about living life to the fullest. It follows a shy saleswoman who upon learning she has three weeks to live, takes out all of her life savings and lives it up in Europe. She lets go of all her inhibitions and comes to the attention of the chef and the hotel’s powerful American guests: a Congressman, a Senator, a retail magnate, and his mistress. She has nothing to lose, so she tells them what she thinks. L.L. Cool J also stars as her long-time crush in this must-see Christmas movie.
This Christmas comedy follows the dysfunctional Meyer family as they gather together for the first Christmas since the passing of their matriarch. The film stars Danny Glover as a retired mechanic who invites his grown children home for Christmas, with the hope that they get along. Guaranteeing laughs and maybe a couple of tears, Almost Christmas is the perfect holiday film and features an impressive cast including, Danny Glover, Gabrielle Union, Mo’Nique, Kimberly Elise, Romany Malco, J.B. Smoove, Nicole Ari Parker, and Omar Epps.
This sequel to 1999’s The Best Man, takes place fourteen years after the events of the first film. The cast reunites over the Christmas holiday and though much has changed in their lives, the friends discover just how easy it is for long-forgotten rivalries and passionate romances to be reignited. Much like the first movie, you’ll laugh and you’ll cry and be left feeling thankful for the friends and family within your life.
This musical fantasy film starring Phylicia Rashad and Forest Whitaker became an instant Christmas classic when released on Netflix in 2020. It tells the story of a formerly successful toy maker finding joy again decades after his apprentice betrays him. With his imaginative granddaughter by his side, he finds new hope. This movie is fun for the whole family and features music by Grammy award-winning artist John Legend.
This 2007 comedy stars Gabrielle Union as a lonely divorced mother of three during the holidays. When her daughter asks a department store Santa, played by Morris Chesnut, to grant her mother’s wish of a perfect holiday, he works to fulfill that wish. This movie also features the talents of Queen Latifah, Terrence Howard, Charlie Murphy, Katt Williams, and Faizon Love
Romany Malco plays a widowed radio DJ who loses his job just before Christmas. As he and his four spoiled kids downsize and move in with his aunt, they begin to realize there are more important things to life than materialistic things.
In this Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner-like story, Madea accompanies her niece to a small country town to surprise her daughter for Christmas. As the small, rural town prepares for its annual Christmas Carnival, new secrets are revealed and old relationships are tested while Madea dishes her special brand of holiday spirit to all.
Kelly Rowland returns as Jacquie in the third installment of Lifetime’s Liddle Christmas film series. A year after their holiday wedding, Jacquie and Tyler prepare for the arrival of their first baby, while her sister Treena and her husband Julian are thinking about adoption.
This updated version of the popular Langston Hughes play follows Baltimore teen, Langston as he journeys to New York City to spend the Christmas holiday with his estranged relatives. But in the face of their strict rules, he is determined to return back home. Langston embarks on a surprising and inspirational journey as discovers the true meaning of faith, healing, and family. This holiday musical drama stars Angela Bassett, Jennifer Hudson, Forest Whitaker, Tyrese Gibson, Jacob Latimore, and Mary J. Blige.
A team of students from Tuskegee University’s Department of Architecture won first place in the National Organization of Minority Architects Student Competition (NOMA) held in Nashville, Tennessee.
The team made history as the first HBCU to win the competition as they competed against nearly 30 NOMAS chapters.
Journi Goodman was awarded the 2022 National NOMAS Student of the year for her work as an undergraduate student at Tuskegee University.
First row Vicki Carter (assistant professor), Carla Jackson Bell (TSACS Dean), President Charlotte P. Morris, Amma Asamoah (assistant professor), and Kwesi Daniels (department head of architecture). Trenton Scott and Chance Huff (not pictured), who were the primary presenters at the conference. Second row from left to right Jounri Goodman (winner of the 2022 National Student of the Year Award); Satchel Sandifer, Trenton Scott, Rikeya Wallace, Andrea Mejia. Third row from left to right, Nilreigh Johnson, Marco Aubin, Tyler Littles, Lawrence Thompson, India Scott, Jalen Carlyle, Fourth row Elijah Cintron, and Kvaughn Dildy.
NOMA is an organization with the mission to empower its local chapters and membership to foster justice and equity in communities of color through outreach, community advocacy, professional development, and design excellence. They are seeking to be an effective source of motivation and inspiration for minority youth to minimize the effect of racism in the architectural profession.
At this year’s Nashville Unplugged Conference, The 2022 NOMA Barbara G. Laurie Student Design Competition was focused on a project that addresses the gentrification and displacement of North Nashville community members as the result of the Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Interstate Highway System in the 1960s. The idea for the competition was to specifically show how design and architectural strategies can rebuild a community. Designed to stimulate an actual planning and development scenario, students were asked to envision a complex that serves as a cultural center to preserve the history of North Nashville and a new bridge to serve as a landmark and monument for the community.
Tuskegee earned First Place with their Barbara G. Laurie Student Design Competition entry “Selah”
“The winning proposal, “SELAH,” is a prime example of how Tuskegee architects preserve the culture and history of underrepresented populations in the built environment, said Amma Asamoah, assistant professor of architecture and faculty advisor at Tuskegee. “Our students’ design solution spoke to the values and future of the North Nashville community while amplifying African American culture,” she added.
“Their creative process was intentional.” “They understood the assignment and worked tirelessly through the various iterations before the final SELAH was conceived,” said Vicki Carter, Tuskegee assistant professor, and 5th-year studio faculty.
“It was a proud moment for us and a challenge to uphold for the students that will follow in their footsteps.”
– Tuskegee Assistant Professor, Vicki Carter on the Department of Architecture’s victory at the NOMA Competion
The Tuskegee students have been competing in the NOMA student competition longer than any other HBCU. The following student competition will be in Portland, Oregon, in 2023.
Tuskegee professor and dean of the School of Architecture and Science and Management (TSACS), Dr. Carla Jackson Bell described the university’s architecture students as “phenomenal.”
“The Tuskegee students won third place in 2015 and second place in 2020, so they are eager to win first place this year. I want to thank our top donors Corgan, Deck Group, Gensler, HOK, Moody Nolan, and Studio Libeskind, for the endless support, making this the second historical recognition of our school memorable this year” Bell said.
South Carolina State University is closer to achieving their goal of getting more Black male teachers in the classroom thanks to a $90,000 grant donated toward their Call Me MiSTER program.
The Call Me MiSTER program was launched in 2000 to address the significant shortage of Black male educators and to prepare and place them as teachers and role models in elementary schools. The program provides tuition assistance, academic help, an ecosystem of social support, and job placement opportunities.
School officials says the 90K grant will help them increase efforts to recruit and train black male teachers.
CREDIT: ABC COLUMBIA
SC State received the donation from the Leveraging Innovation for Educator Excellence (Life2), a program dedicated to improving teacher efficacy.
Program Director for Life2, Dr. Thelma Sojouner expressed the importance of having Black male representation in the classroom.
“There is a tremendous need for children to see young men coming in and working in the schools,” Sojourner told ABC Columbia.
“Thank you for what you’re doing here. I’m excited for what we are going to be able to do for you at South Carolina State,” she added.
CREDIT: ABC COLUMBIA
Dr. Rashad Anderson, an Assistant Professor of Teacher Education at SC State and campus director for the university’s Call Me MiSTER program has been active with the initiative since 2017.
He described the program as a revolutionary and life-changing experience.
“We are one of the top HBCUs in the country that educates African American male teachers,”…“and I am truly honored to work with some of the most brilliant, creative future Black male educators who are so powerful that one MiSTER can transform an entire school’s culture.”
– Dr. Rashad Anderson, SC State Associate Professor of Teacher Education and Campus Director for the Call Me MiSTER program.
According to ABC Columbia, Dr. Anderson says the program is in part, an extension of what SC State was founded on back in 1869. A place where people of color could attend school, but also a location where black educators can learn how to hone in on their craft.
After winning 111-95 against the Los Angeles Clippers Thursday night, the Phoenix Suns point guard flew to North Carolina to walk across the stage to accept his bachelor’s degree.
Paul received his bachelor’s degree in communications after enrolling in WSSU in 2020. He initially began pursuing his degree at Wake Forest in 2003 but left the school in 2005 to join the NBA.
Along with his accomplishment, Paul will give each fellow graduate $2,500.
According to NBA reporter Marc J. Spears, the graduates are getting the money through a Greenwood account in which Paul will deposit $100 in each account and cover the $200 per month membership for an entire year, which equals out to a total value of $2,500 per graduate.
Greenwood is a Black-owned banking system aimed to help Black and brown communities build generational wealth.
“Man it’s cool, I’m excited, Long time coming,” Paul told The Arizona Republic after the Suns’ victory on Thursday night during the post-game press conference.
“To be able to go back home and do that with my family is something that snuck up kinda quick but I’m probably most excited that I get to spend the next 10 days with my wife and my kids.”
After beating the Clippers in LA last night, Suns guard Chris Paul is getting ready to graduate from Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina this morning. @andscapepic.twitter.com/pjQpzFg1w0
Paul’s donation is a portion of his advocacy for HBCUs.
In 2020, he created an internship pipeline at North Carolina A&T through the Chris Paul Family Foundation. He also produced a docuseries that focused on the lack of resources that athletic departments at HBCUs have to deal with.
“I speak about it every now and then when I get a chance, but I think HBCUs are so important for trying to make sure that we level the playing field,” Paul told the Arizona Republic last month. “Make sure that they’re provided with the same opportunities that a lot of these other schools are blessed with, and the guys are just as talented, if not more talented, they just need the platform. They need people to see them, to believe in them.”
According to SB Nation, Paul’s second annual Boost Mobile Chris Paul HBCU Challenge will take place in Las Vegas as four HBCUs — Hampton University, North Carolina A&T, Texas Southern, and Norfolk State will participate in Vegas MGM Grand over the upcoming weekend.
Texas Southern University’s Center for Justice Research has received a $351,000 grant from the Walmart Foundation through the Walmart.org Center for Racial Equity to develop the first-ever HBCU Criminal Justice Research Hub.
Texas Southern University’s Center for Justice Research has received a $351,000 grant from the Walmart Foundation through the Walmart.org Center for Racial Equity to develop the first-ever HBCU Criminal Justice Research Hub.
In collaboration with HBCU researchers, community organizations, and community members, the hub will study how to reduce incarceration and violent crime in hopes to be a resource for city leaders.
The hub will also conduct a crime needs assessment in Houston to create an action plan to solve the problems of mass incarceration and violent crime and then share the results with other HBCUs across the country.
“As an academic institution, our job is to make sure that we provide them with more solutions, because that’s what we’re supposed to do,” said Dr. Howard Henderson, Professor of Justice Administration and Founding Director of the Criminal Justice Research Center at Texas Southern.
“We’re supposed to share our knowledge and share our understanding of the problem but also bring together this national collection of thought leaders – who have a career and a background of knowledge and information experience to further solve these problems because crime can be solved and we refuse to accept otherwise.”
According to Houston Public Media, Henderson said the idea of creating the hub stemmed from years of conversations about community engagement and incorporating community experiences into solutions.
Community involvement is imperative for Henderson.
“You can’t have a conversation about how to improve policing, without having a conversation with people who are arrested, you can’t have a conversation with solutions to community problems without talking to the community,” he said.
“We’ve been able to incorporate, not only Third Ward, but Fifth Ward and other wards in the city, into our projects,” he said. We don’t do anything relative to research in our center that does not involve some aspect of community engagement” Henderson added.
The hub will also focus on researcher development, incorporating the Center’s Researcher Development and Training Institute and focusing on cultivating a diverse cohort of criminal justice researchers and social engineers.
However, the hub will not only benefit criminal justice majors but all students, especially those from the affected communities.
“I think that when you look at the news every night, and you see issues of crime and justice, when many of us come from these communities and these neighborhoods – we’re being directly impacted by these issues of mass incarceration and violent crime – I think that there’s a natural desire to solve the problem,” said Henderson. “I think this provides an opportunity for our students to be engaged in a national conversation that’s focused on solving problems.”
Texas Southern’s Center for Research Center has been active for five years. According to Henderson, the center’s research has been used at the federal, state, and local level to have conversations around criminal justice issues.
The hub is currently in its planning window and is expected to open next year.
Basketball Hall of Famer and sports analyst, Charles Barkley is continuing his streak of giving back to HBCUs, this time donating $1 million dollars each Bethune-Cookman University, and Jackson State University.
Basketball Hall of Famer and sports analyst, Charles Barkley is continuing his streak of giving back to HBCUs, this time donating $1 million dollars each to Bethune-Cookman University and Jackson State University.
The donations to Bethune Cookman (B-CU) and Jackson State University (JSU) are the seventh and eighth significant donations he has made to Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
B-CU’s athletic director and head men’s basketball coach, Reggie Theus played in the NBA at the same time as Barkley and preceded him as a commentator on TNT’s ‘Inside the NBA.’
“I’m just so incredibly humbled by what he’s done. It’s just a big thing. He’s my NBA brother. It’s a small fraternity,” Theus said. “I was actually surprised. I didn’t know this was coming.”
According to Theus, B-CU hasn’t yet determined how the funds will be used.
“We’ll figure those things out,” Theus said. “These kids deserve it. … This is just going to help us move in the direction of building a championship culture, which extends beyond athletics to academics. It’s on and off the floor or the field.”
Charles Barkley recognizes his blessings and says he wants to give back.
He recently signed a 10-year deal with TNT which is expected to be worth more than $100 million.
“I’m just so lucky and blessed beyond anything I can imagine,” Barkley told AL.com. “All this [expletive] money is crazy. I’m gonna use the rest of my life to bless as many people as I possibly can.”
Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant and the Durant Family Foundation are donating $500,000 toward Bowie State athletics.
The donation will go toward installing a new basketball court at A.C. Jordan Arena, additional bleachers, and enhancements to the press box.
A portion of the money is also earmarked for “financial support for men’s and women’s basketball and university athletics programs.”
According to Wanda Durant, KD’s mother and the president of the Durant Family Foundation, it was imperative for them to give back to the county KD grew up in, Prince George’s County, Maryland.
“Bowie State was the perfect place to make a meaningful impact,” she said. “We are dedicated to providing resources and possibilities to students for higher education, especially in Prince George’s County.”
Durant’s donation to Bowie State is just the latest in the Seat Pleasant native’s philanthropic efforts in Prince George’s County. In 2019, Durant’s foundation partnered with College Track to establish College Track at the Durant Center in Suitland, Md, to help first-generation and low-income students pursue higher education.
NEW: @KDTrey5 and the Durant Family Foundation have announced a $500,000 donation to help transform the Bowie State basketball gym and revitalize the school’s athletics programs.https://t.co/9mgPC8LavH
The Durant Family Foundation has also previously renovated 27 basketball courts around the globe in cities like Berlin, Oklahoma City, Guangzhou, Taipei, New Delhi, Redwood, San Francisco, and Tokyo.
“We’re grateful for the resources that Kevin Durant and his family foundation have generously donated to Bowie State University to advance student success in achieving their academic goals,” said Bowie State president Aminta Breaux. “His contributions will go a long way towards updating our facilities and ensure a top-tier athletic experience for all of our students.”
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff will replace Jackson State University to face off against Tennessee State University in the annual Southern Heritage Classic football game.
Every year, fans pack out the stadium in Memphis for the Southern Heritage Classic. This year was no different as more than 51,000 fans came out in September to what they feared may be the last game, according to WLBT.
On Wednesday, their fears subsided when it was announced that UAPB would be replacing JSU in the annual game.
UAPB is less than 200 miles away from Memphis and was a natural fit according to Southern Heritage Classic founder, Fred Jones.
“It was my number one choice especially when I started to do the research Little Rock, Arkansas, is the top 5 feeders into Memphis in terms of tourism,” Jones told WLBT.
Although UAPB is a smaller school compared to JSU, Jones is sure that they will bring the same numbers and excitement. Jones said local enthusiasm went into the decision for the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.
“There are a lot of alums from the school in the Memphis area and then Arkansas especially around the Little Rock area is a big feeder market for Memphis tourism area already,” Jones said to ABC24.
This change marks the first time in over two decades that Jackson State won’t be participating in the Southern Heritage Classic.
Earlier this year, JSU’s former head coach Deion Sanders publicly criticized the amount of money the school was being paid to participate and called for the school to pull out of the game.
This resulted in Jones and his management company suing JSU for breach of contract as the school signed a contract in 2019 to play in Memphis through 2024.
Jones says he and JSU have reached a settlement. “We had a very good relationship for 29 years, and you know, changes had to be made and we made them and we’re moving on,” he said.
UAPB and Tennessee State University will be the featured teams for the next two years and preparations for the game are already in the works.
On Tuesday night, three members of Southern University’sHuman Jukebox band were killed in a crash involving a tractor-trailer.
Louisiana State Police report that on Tuesday around 7 p.m., troopers responded to a major two-vehicle crash on I-49 north of Natchitoches.
The police identified the victims as Broderick Moore, 19, Tyran Williams, 19, and Dylan Young, 21.
Dylan Young, Broderick Moore, and Tyran Williams(WAFB)
Police report that the students’ 1999 Jeep Laredo was stalled on the shoulder of the interstate while two of them were trying to change a flat tire on the vehicle. A tractor-trailer driven by Clyde Gay, of Coushatta, drifted into the shoulder, striking the left side of the Jeep and impacting the three young men.
Williams, Young, and Moore sustained fatal injuries and were pronounced dead on the scene, while Gay sustained no injuries.
Police say the crash remains under investigation and routine toxicology tests are pending.
tyran Williams, Dylan Young, and Broderick moore were some of the most promising, humble, and talented student musicians i’ve had the pleasure of instructing. the dedication and work ethic they displayed to the human jukebox was inspiring.”
– Kedric Taylor, Southern University’s band director
Moore was a freshman majoring in music from Cedar Hill, Texas; Young was a sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering from Cedar Hill; and Williams was a freshman majoring in music from Irving, Texas. Two of the students were tuba players and the other was a percussionist.
Southern University President, Dennis Shields, also issued a statement on the students’ deaths Wednesday morning.
As they respect the privacy of the families of the three students, Shields says that the school will share ways to remember them in the near future.
Clark Atlanta University (CAU) was recently awarded $578,000 from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to use over three years to develop a digital humanities infrastructure at the college.
According to the university, Digital Humanities (DH) is an interdisciplinary field that includes various topics in Humanistic research while incorporating computational/digital tools and quantitative methodologies.
These tools can include mapping neighborhoods, mining texts, digital storytelling, and more
“We are thankful to the Mellon Foundation for this incredible gift that furthers our ability to study our past and understand how the continuum of history informs our present and shapes our future,” said Dr. George T. French, president of Clark Atlanta University. “Our university’s mission is to uplift lives. We enjoy fuller, more purposeful lives when we understand the richness of our past and can pass that knowledge on to our children, who will be made stronger and more resilient for it. This is a gift for them as much as for us.”
CAU has a history of collaborative approaches to research that combine various academic disciplines with data visualization.
Nearly a century ago, one of Clark Atlanta University’s parent institutions, Atlanta University, pioneered a course that applied computational tools and methods to traditional humanities disciplines such as literature, history, and philosophy.
In 1900, while at Atlanta University W.E.B. Du Bois conducted a comprehensive study of the Black experience through imagery that ranged from local Georgia population diagrams to graphs depicting Black businessmen in the United States to bar charts examining African American religious affiliations.
“We are building on the legacy of W.E.B. Du Bois, who created a series of data portraits while at Atlanta University,” said Dr. Rico D. Chapman, associate dean of CAU’s School of Arts & Sciences and Director of the Humanities Ph.D. Program. “This work, completed more than one hundred years ago, is foundational to current practices in digital humanities, where data visualization is critical in making research findings accessible to a broader audience.”
According to the university, Digital Humanities is often described as a field that symbolically and tangibly connects the past, present, and future.
This year, CAU conducted a Workshop Series and Summer Institute aimed at helping faculty and HBCU graduate school students to think deeply about digital humanities and how to build this type of program at their respective institutions.
According to Chapman, the founding director of the Center for Africana Digital Humanities at CAU, the University will continue to use the funds to:
Organize faculty development workshops that introduce various computational tools and concepts that can be used in the classroom or included in collaborative research projects.
Conduct summer institutes focused on the context necessary to understand digital humanities and its relationship to the recovery, honoring, preservation, and storytelling of the black experience.
Clark Atlanta University reports that they plan to host an interdisciplinary HBCU Africana Digital Humanities conference open to all scholars from HBCUs. The gathering will explore history, literature, sociology, politics, and the arts using technology as a means of recovery, healing, and knowledge production.
On Sunday, sports analyst and former NFL player Shannon Sharpe created a Twitter uproar after tweeting that he wouldn’t have chosen to attend a Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) if he had better grades coming out of high school.
On Sunday, sports analyst and former NFL player Shannon Sharpe created a Twitter uproar after tweeting that he wouldn’t have chosen to attend a HistoricallyBlack Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) if he had better grades coming out of high school.
He continued to respond to tweets defending Sanders’ decision, saying that Black people should uplift him as he has been given an opportunity “few have gotten” to coach a Power 5 program.
Why can’t black ppl be happy for other black ppl. We always talk about talk lack of opportunities, but criticize when blks take opportunities https://t.co/3UuArKzUHT
Time gave Jax St 2 Gr8 yrs. Jax St and HBCU’s should be glad he came and put new eyes on HBCU’s . Stop pretending like owes someone something. Gr8 opportunity and he took it. Be happy or be miserable and keep it moving either way https://t.co/ARigtmRWK7
Despite Sharpe’s intentions, one tweet in particular ignited outrage on HBCU Twitter.
“I went to an HBCU. But only because I was Prop 48. It would out GR8 for me,” tweeted Sharpe on Sunday. “Had I had the grades coming out of HS. I wouldn’t have chosen an HBCU.”
I went to an HBCU, but only because I was prop 48. It worked out gr8 for me. Had I had the grades coming out of hs. I wouldn’t haven’t chosen an HBCU. https://t.co/dC2sFXB4iT
Other users argued that Sharpe’s statement was strictly based on the athletic programs at HBCUs, and not the institutions in their entirety.
I really dont think Shannon Sharpe was trying to bad mouth HBCUs. I think he was strictly talking bout athletics. It worked out for him but he wasnt his first choice.
I think two things can be true: yes, athletes aim for certain schools due to the exposure & opportunities provided those schools AND ALSO what Shannon Sharpe said perpetuates the negative stereotype that HBCUs are default/last-choice schools for ppl that couldn’t get into others
Sharpe continued to defend his statement and respond to the backlash he received.
In response to a user who took issue with him comparing living in the neighborhood you grew up in, to attending an HBCU, he fired back saying, “From an educational stand HBCU’s are on par with PWI’s but from a facilities and resources stand point it’s not close. Stop trying to pretend it is. It isn’t.
From an educational stand HBCU’s are on par with PWI’s, but from a facilities and resources stand point it’s not close. Stop trying to pretend it is. It isn’t https://t.co/KAlIvQKitR
Sharpe stood on his original comment that going to an HBCU wasn’t his first choice. However, he said that he would still choose to go to Savannah State University ‘knowing what he knows now.’
Let’s be excited for @DeionSanders. He gave JSU 3 great years, 2 SWAC championships, a new football facility and a blueprint of what they can become. pic.twitter.com/JaqBPGcD9d
He also revealed in a tweet that he chose to stay at Savannah State even after having the opportunity to transfer to a Power 5 school his sophomore year.
Despite his comments, Sharpe appears to suggest that he remains a proud graduate of an HBCU with no disdain for them.
Dumb Dumb I’m a graduate of an HBCU. You’ve come to the conclusion because HBCU wasn’t my 1st choice. I have disdain for them? That is utterly RIDICULOUS https://t.co/L0hSZmwrCF
Legendary film director and producer Spike Lee and his wife, Tonya Lewis Lee joined Spelman College on Nov. 28 for a celebration honoring his familial connection with the college.
Legendary film director and producer Spike Lee and his wife, Tonya Lewis Lee, attorney, filmmaker, author, and activist, joined Spelman College on Nov. 28 for a celebration honoring his familial connection with the college.
The college dedicated the Admissions Office in Packard Hall to Lee’s grandmother, Zimmie Reatha Shelton, and his mother, Jacquelyn Shelton Lee, both of who graduated from Spelman in 1929 and 1954, respectively.
They both lived in Packard when it was a residential hall, and Lee’s grandmother also attended Spelman High School in 1925.
“Spelman women are known for their ability to influence and change the world,” said Dr. Gayle, M.D., MPH, 11th president of Spelman College.
“We are witnessing the influence of two Spelman alumnae and the legacy work of their grandson and son, respectively, Spike Lee. We are proud to lay claim to some of their aspirations and impact on Spike, through their experiences in this very place during their matriculation at Spelman, including their dorm life at Packard Hall.”
Following the dedication, they unveiled banners outside of the building showcasing historic black and white photos of Mrs. Shelton and Mrs. Lee.
“My father went there, my grandfather went there, and my mother and grandmother went to Spelman,” said Lee, who followed in his family’s footsteps and graduated from Morehouse in 1979.
Dr. Gayle said that Lee’s family can be an inspiration to others to create new legacies and continue to pass the torch.
“It represents not only the Lee family, but other families that have a history and a legacy that they pass on to their children and to their children’s children,” said Dr. Gayle.
“Hopefully it’s a reminder that we are in process, and they’re part of the process,” said Tonya Lewis Lee, referring to current and future students.
Following the dedication ceremony, Spike and Tonya joined President Gayle for her inaugural broadcast of “Courageous Conversations: Black in the C-Suite” listening series.
The series was created to highlight stories of Black women in leadership. The conversation with the Lee family focuses on pathways to social and economic mobility, through health, wealth, and education equity and the power of an HBCU education.
After weeks of speculation, it has been confirmed that Sanders is leaving his position as head football coach at JSU and taking his talents to the University of Colorado.
The announcement of his departure came just hours after he led the Jackson State Tigers to victory at the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) championship on Saturday, defeating Southern University 43-24.
After the big win, Sanders did not attend the SWAC-sanctioned postgame press conference but instead met with the team at Jackson State to inform them of his decision to accept the offer to be the next head football coach at Colorado.
“It’s not about a bag but it is about an opportunity. … If you dominate your opportunity and you treat people right, the bag is gone always come… I’ve never chased a bag. A bag has always chased on me” Sanders told the players.
That same night he boarded his flight to Boulder, and Colorado made the news official.
Coach Prime came to JSU in 2020 in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic with the task of revitalizing the football program.
That he did, compiling a record of 26-5, including going undefeated this season. In 2021, Jackson State won the Southwestern Athletic Conference title for the first time since 2007, defeating every single conference team it played, and claimed another on Saturday.
WLBT reports Coach Prime’s financial impact on the capital city, saying that JSU’s four home games brought in $16.2 million for the city this season, up from $7.2 million in 2017.
Sanders has said that coaching the Tigers was a “calling,” and brought national exposure to the program through appearances on shows like ESPN College Gameday and 60 Minutes on CBS.
During his appearance on “60 Minutes” he said that he accepted the offer to coach Jackson State three months after the murder of George Floyd because “a lot of folks sit back with Twitter fingers and talk about what they’re going to do; I wanted to do it.”
He detailed his goal, saying he wanted to “change lives, change the perspective of HBCU football. Make everyone step to the plate and do right by these kids.”
Although his departure comes as a huge disappointment to many JSU fans, some may say that he completed his goal and that he’s leaving the program in better shape than he found it.
While breaking the news to the team, Coach Prime shared that he was aiding the program in finding its successor. He said that he recommends T.C. Taylor, who currently serves as JSU’s wide receivers coach. It remains to be seen who will fill Sanders’ shoes.
A New Journey at Colorado
On Sunday, Sanders held his first news conference as the new football coach at the University of Colorado.
“There were a number of highly qualified and impressive candidates interested in becoming the next head football coach at Colorado, but none of them had the pedigree, the knowledge, and the ability to connect with student-athletes like Deion Sanders,” Colorado athletic director Rick George said in a statement.
“Not only will Coach Prime energize our fanbase, I’m confident that he will lead our program back to national prominence while leading a team of high quality and high character.”
– University of Colorado Athletic Director Rick George
During Sunday’s news conference Sanders confirmed that he intends to see Jackson State through the Celebration Bowl, which takes place Dec. 17 as they face off against North Carolina Central.
By taking the position to coach the Buffaloes, Sanders will be one of few black coaches at a Power 5 program.
“It’s been four or more African American head coaches that has been terminated [at the FBS level]. I haven’t heard not one like a candidate like myself and to me, that’s a problem” Sanders told the Jackson State team.
Sanders thanked Colorado Athletic Director Rick George for having the “courage” to replace one Black coach with another one.
“Because there are several African American coaches around the country that were terminated,” Sanders explained, “and they were not replaced by an African American coach. But you had the audacity to do such a thing. … I thank you for seeing past the color and the ethnicity, and seeing the man with a plan to bring you back to the place of promise.”
Sanders also indicated that his son Shedeur Sanders, Jackson State’s starting quarterback, will be joining him at Colorado.
Deion Sanders introduces his son Shedeur in his opening statement:
During Sunday’s news conference, Deion Sanders pointed toward Shedeur and said, “This is your quarterback.”
“He’s going to have to earn it, though,” Sanders added.
A sophomore, Shedeur can enter the transfer portal and follow his father to Boulder.
“I just want you to know we’re on the way,” Sanders said. “Not to compete, but to win. Not to show up, but to show out. Not to be among the rest, but to be the absolute best. We’re coming to work, not coming to play. We’re coming to kill, not to kick it.”
Mixed Reactions From Fans
Sanders decision to leave Jackson State University, a Historically Black College or University (HBCU), for University of Colorado, a Predominately White College (PWI), has received mixed reactions from fans on social media.
Some feel as though he fulfilled his goal of helping advocate for HBCUs and should now be able to pursue other opportunities, while others feel as though he used Jackson State as a stepping stone and has sold out by leaving an HBCU for a PWI.
Everybody mad at Deion Sanders. He’s helped JSU, set attendance records, new practice fields, new locker rooms, Under Armor endorsements deal. Countless other things. You leave places better than you found it. He did that. He’s done a lot for HBCU Football in 3 years.
if the destination was Florida State or another top echelon team, i’d get it. but Colorado? that cheapens what Deion Sanders built at Jackson State and sends a message that a bad football program at a white college is better than the best HBCU. this ain’t it, Prime. https://t.co/BwkBSECnSG
If Deion Sanders leaves Jackson State & takes Shedeur, he proving folks right. Deion was preaching elevating HBCU programs & looks like he was just using JSU as a launching pad for his coaching career, which is fine, but don't go around acting like it was for altruistic reasons.
By leaving for Colorado, Coach Prime broke his four-year, $1.4 million deal with Jackson State, and will now owe about $300,000 for a contract buyout according to the Clarion-Ledger.
Although it’s hard to see Sanders go, one can only hope that his impact on HBCU sports will sustain.
A homicide investigation is underway after an unidentified male student at Jackson State University was found shot to death on campus.
According to WAPT, police were called to the scene on Friday at about 8:30 a.m., where the body was found inside a Dodge Charger in a parking lot between Dixon Hall and Campbell College Suites.
JSU President Thomas K. Hudson confirmed the victim was a student and that the person of interest was in custody.
JSU family, it is with a heavy heart that I confirm the death of a JSU student. The loss of a young person is always a devastating circumstance for our campus community. Our thoughts are with the family during this difficult time. pic.twitter.com/jPktddkMql
JSU President Thomas K. Hudson released a statement Friday, saying, “It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the death of a JSU student. The loss of a young person is always a devastating circumstance for our campus community. Our thoughts are with the family during this difficult time.”
Hudson said that grief counselors are available to offer support to students.
BREAKING Hinds county coroner just arrived on Jackson State University campus near crime scene tape in the parking lot behind Dixon and Campbell halls. pic.twitter.com/cCv9M7Jc6Z
The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation (MBI) also released a statement saying it was working with campus police to investigate.
“The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation and Jackson State University Police are working together to investigate the recent homicide on JSU campus. At this time, there is no further threat to those on campus.”
The MBI said that it is an open and ongoing investigation and that they will share their findings with the local District Attorney’s Office upon completion.
