Ambitious Hampton University alumna Rashida Jones is set to be her alma mater’s commencement speaker this spring. Jones, who was announced as the new president of MSNBC in December, became the first Black executive to lead a major cable news organization. She will undoubtedly have a wealth of knowledge to share with the graduating class! Get the full story in the release from Hampton University below.
Credit: Virginia Sherwood/NBCUniversal/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
Hampton University President William R. Harvey announced that alumnus Rashida Jones ’02, President of MSNBC, will serve as the University’s 150th Commencement speaker on May 9, 2021. Commencement will be held virtually at 10 a.m.
“Ms. Rashida Jones and her professional success are an example of what Hampton University founder Gen. Samuel Chapman Armstrong envisioned when he founded this institution to educate recently freed slaves 153 years ago. His dream was to prepare the best and the brightest to lead our great nation and make a positive impact on the world at large,” said Hampton University President, Dr. William R. Harvey. “Her address will truly be well-received on this historic day. Not only will we recognize our graduates, but this ceremony will also recognize Hampton University taking another major step towards returning to normalcy since the beginning of the pandemic. Ms. Rashida Jones’ star is among the brightest in her field. She will inspire and enlighten our graduates as they prepare to make their own historical marks on the world.”
Jones is a 2002 Hampton University Mass Media Arts graduate and has had a very successful career in the journalism industry. Jones became the first Black executive to lead one of the major cable news organizations when she assumed her current position Feb. 1, 2021. Her industry credits include news director of WIS-TV, director of live programming and executive producer for The Weather Channel, as well as a producer for WTKR-TV. Prior to her appointment, Jones severed as the senior vice president for MSNBC and NBC News, succeeding longtime network president Phil Griffin. As senior vice president, Jones led breaking news and major events coverage. She also oversaw MSNBC’s daytime and weekend programming.
In 2019, Jones was inducted into the Hampton University Scripps Howard School Hall of Fame.
In a stunning turn of events, now former president of Bethune-Cookman University E. LaBrent Chrite has suddenly resigned, but not without a plan. Read the shocking story from Eileen-Zaffiro Kean originally published in The Daytona-Beach News-Journal below to learn why Chrite is leaving Florida for Massachusetts.
Credit: Bentley University
E. LaBrent Chrite, who abruptly resigned as president of Bethune-Cookman University on Tuesday morning without informing the school’s Board of Trustees, already has a new job.
Chrite is the new president of Bentley University, a private school located in Waltham, Mass. The school is focused on business education and is touted as one of the best business schools in the Northeast. Bentley has undergraduate, masters degree and PhD programs. Its enrollment includes 4,000 undergraduate students and 1,000 graduate students. Waltham is a city of about 63,000 people located about 11 miles northwest of downtown Boston.
Bentley’s website indicates that the search for a new president began in September 2020 — an indication that Chrite has been looking to leave B-CU for months.
The school’s homepage on Wednesday displayed a large color picture of Chrite with the headline “Brent Chrite named Bentley’s ninth president.” An announcement on a link from the homepage says Chrite will be the first Black president in the university’s 104-year history. The posting states Chrite will begin his new position on June 1.
Credit: The Daytona-Beach News-Journal
The announcement also states that Bentley’s board of trustees voted unanimously to confirm Chrite as the next president.
“Brent Chrite shares our vision and passion for educating ethical leaders who make business a force for positive change,” Paul Condrin, interim president and chair of the Bentley University board of trustees, said in the announcement. “He has dedicated his career to improving business education and expanding economic opportunities across the country and around the world, and I know he will lead Bentley University to greater heights in the years to come.”
North Carolina A&T State University journalism students are getting proactive about health on campus. Amid the pandemic, the young journalists are sharing how they’re keeping their peers healthy with creative PSAs. Read the full release from N.C. A&T to learn about the lengths students are going to get back to normal.
As the global community marked the anniversary of the World Health Organization declaring COVID-19 a pandemic, students in their first semester multimedia storytelling course at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University produced a series of audio public service announcements designed to persuade their peers across campus to continue wearing masks, frequently washing hands and social distancing.
Kim Smith, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, incorporated the idea for students in his classes that are offered online this spring because of the virus. The PSAs aired on WNAA-FM 90.1, A&T’s radio station.
“The PSAs could not come at a better time,” said Smith. “Health experts are worried about coronavirus fatigue and gains made at curbing the spread might disappear. The PSAs reinforce the safety measures.”
The PSAs are based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, as well as health communication research on how best to persuade the public to wear masks, wash hands and social distance.
A study conducted by researchers at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill revealed the most persuasive PSAs are those framed around positivity and “I care about you, we are in this together” messages.
“Another factor is that the messages come from students who are experiencing some of the same coronavirus challenges as their fellow students,” said Smith. “Students’ voices, which convey their concerns over the virus, add to the messages’ credibility and appeal. Who can better relate to an A&T student than a fellow Aggie?”
Breakr is a black owned, HBCU alumni founded, hot new music app that connects influencers with artists to facilitate the “breaking” of new music. Record labels and artists management groups have utilized influencers to “break” new music for years with high ticket promotional contracts on Tik Tok, IG, etc. The music industry knows exactly how to monetize the power of influence but what about the influencers themselves or independent artists? Breakr gives any level influencer the power to set their own price for the content they create and any level artists to reach out directly for a partnership. It cuts out the messy middleman and democratizes music for all.
Breakr is one of the seven chosen recipients out of 1,200 applicants of the Andreessen Horowitz’s Talent x Opportunity Fund, set up to support entrepreneurs from underrepresented backgrounds who have the “talent, drive, and ideas to build great businesses.”
Meet the four FAMU (Florida A&M University) alumni that found music’s hottest new app Brearkr: Ameer Brown, Anthony Brown, Rotimi Omosheyin and Dan Ware. Ameer, Rotimi and Dan met at FAMU while pledging the same fraternity (Alpha Phi Alpha) and Anthony is Ameer’s older brother.
Ameer Brown, Breakr Co-Founder, and CTO: Ameer Brown is the genius behind Breakr and Head of Product at Breakr. After years working in the music and promotion industry, running his own brand for a decade and working with major recording artists, influencers and DJs around the U.S., he saw first hand the problems both influencers and artists faced when collaborating with one another. As an engineer by trade, naturally Ameer invented a technology to solve this problem. Ameer told Built In, “We consider this a Trojan horse,” Ameer Brown told Built In. “We’re solving this one problem in terms of allowing influencers to charge off their social capital. But we believe that, down the line, we’re going to resolve this problem for brands in a more streamlined manner. And we’re also going to be able to solve this problem for record labels at scale. There’s a lot of opportunity down the road that keeps me excited and keeps us up at night, working hard.”
Anthony Brown, Breaker Co-Founder, CEO: Anthony (Tony) Brown, Ameer’s older brother is the Chief Executive Officer of Breakr. Tony comes from the financial services background, having worked as a principal at Acumen Fund and both J.P. Morgan and Goldman Sachs. In an interview with Afrotech, Tony said of the opportunity in Breakr, “There are ~20mm emerging artists worldwide generating ~40,000+ songs a day, suffering from extreme content saturation. This environment makes generating consumer and label awareness a gargantuan task for new artists. Simultaneously, there is 157 million micro to mid-tier influencers who are not effectively monetizing their social capital and not currently organized as a collective to facilitate the breaking of new music digitally.”
Rotimi Omosheyin Jr., Breakr Co-Founder, President of Partnerships & Marketplace acquisition: Rotimi (Timi) Omosheyin is the Head of Marketplace Liquidity and Strategic Partnerships at Breakr. Timi holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administrations (MBA) and has an extensive background in sales and business development. Most people would be scared to start a business during COVID but Timi saw an unique opportunity and told Afrotech: “As COVID-19 exacerbates existing trends toward greater use of digital channels, new tech-enabled music platforms will have to emerge to fill the void created by crumbling traditional business models used to promote new music and support artists. With live events being few and far between in this new normal, artists must rely 100% on online music promotion to promote their new music.”
Daniel Ware, Breakr Co-founder, Chief Marketing Officer: Daniel (Dan) Ware is the Chief Marketing Officer at Breakr with an extensive background in growth marketing. Dan has worked with brands such as Pepsi, Nike, Twitch, and more. Now Dan is bringing his growth marketing expertise and disruptive focus to the music industry with Breakr. Dan told Afrotech: “there is a massive untapped market of creators, influencers, and deejays who are willing to integrate new music into their content. However, no platform exists to organize the sourcing, filtration, and payment process for micro-to-mid-tier influencers looking to participate in the music promotion business.”
The Tennessee State University forensics team is now a back-to-back champion. They are not only forensics national champions, but reigning as the top HBCU forensics team. Get the full story from Lucas Johnson on the team that has tackled prison systems, the effect of COVID-19 on prisoners of color, and more.
Credit: Tennessee State University
Tennessee State University’s Forensics team was recently named the overall national champions and the top HBCU speech and debate team in the country for the second consecutive year.
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, this year’s HBCU National Speech and Debate Championship was held virtually Feb. 27-28. It featured 14 historically black colleges and universities. In addition to the overall win, TSU’s team walked away with 10 national championship titles, 54 total awards, and the top overall speaker in the tournament for the fourth consecutive year.
“The coaching staff and I are so proud of these students and what they were able to accomplish this season during a time like this,” said Sean Allen, a professor and TSU’s Director of Forensics. “The switch from traveling during the year to suddenly learning to compete virtually was not an easy feat for the students nor the coaches. Not to mention, most of our practice sessions had to be done virtually. Keeping these students motivated was challenging, but they ultimately came together for their love of the activity and were able to make their best showing at the tournament to date.”
TSU sophomore Maya McClary placed first in the “Persuasive Speaking” category. She talked about the impact COVID-19 has had on prison systems, particularly the disparity in the death rate among black and white inmates. Statistics show 60 percent of inmates dying from the coronavirus are African American.
McClary said adjusting to competing virtually was challenging, but she credited coaches Allen and TSU Professor Earnest Mack with preparing the students to compete, regardless of the circumstance.
“Our coaches do a great job of making sure we’re left with little room for excuses,” said McClary, a mass communications major from Orlando, Florida. “During this pandemic, it was very difficult. But our coaches always require the best out of us. Because of our work ethic, it allowed us to do well.”
Credit: Tennessee State University
Dr. Samantha Morgan-Curtis, Interim Dean of the College of Liberal Arts at TSU, said the Forensics team’s success once again “showcases TSU excellence.”
“These results demonstrate the continued commitment of our faculty and students to lift student voices and their presence in the world,” said Morgan-Curtis.
Dr. Tameka Winston, Mass Communications Department Chair and Associate Vice President at TSU, agreed.
“Our talented students continue to display excellence and I’m so proud of their hard work,” said Winston. “I had the opportunity to attend the virtual championship this year and our students represented the university and the department well. Our wonderful coaches prepared our students to consistently produce and operate on the highest level. The next goal is to earn this title in 2022 and continue to take our team and the forensics area to new heights.”
Other Forensics team members that placed top in their categories include: Trey Gibson, “After Dinner Speaking”, “Poetry Interpretation”, and “Overall Individual Speaker”; Tayneria Gooden, “Program of Oral Interpretation”; Tayneria Gooden and Kierstan Tate, “Duo Interpretation”; Trae Hubbard, “Prose Interpretation”; and Chase Garrett, “Dramatic Interpretation”.
The TSU Forensics team, which claimed first place in “Individual Event Champions” and “Overall Tournament Champions”, will end their season April 16-20 at the National Forensics Association competition, an elite national tournament where students must qualify throughout the year to compete. For the first time in the team’s history, every member of the TSU team secured a qualification to compete in the competition.
Morgan State University alumna and DeltaApril D. Ryan has had an accomplished career. The no-nonsense journalist has made a name for herself for getting directly to the point, and in a new article from Essence she’s opening up about what her life has been like behind the scenes. “Give me a pen, a pad, a microphone or a camera and I’m there,” she shares in the opening. “I can work it out in a minute.” Learn more about this living legend in the article written by Ashlee Banks below.
Credit: Black Enterprise
It’s Women’s History Month and what better way to celebrate than to spotlight White House Correspondent April D. Ryan. Ryan is a veteran journalist who has worked at the White House for 24 years, while also serving as a major voice for the Black community.
ESSENCE spoke with Ryan about her early days in the news industry, how she overcame working in the White House under a racist, sexist president, and her new role with theGrio.
When did you realize you wanted to be a journalist?
RYAN: I realized when I was at Morgan [State University]. I started out doing radio, being a DJ between classes on Friday and overnights on Sunday. I was a DJ at WEAA FM and WEBB AM [previously owned by singer James Brown]. I always had a passion for knowing what was going on, and that stemmed from my home in Baltimore from my late parents. They always had the radio on first thing in the morning. You get up you hear the sounds of the news, traffic and temperature. In the evenings we would sit and watch Walter Cronkite. That’s the way it was. News was always in me, but I didn’t realize how much it was until I got tired of spinning the records and I wanted to do more. I was always the one who wanted to get the people talking, to have it on the record, to make it credible, so that you could believe this is something you need for your daily life. I think being a DJ is the best thing in the world. I couldn’t do it, but news, give me a pen, a pad, a microphone or a camera and I’m there. I can work it out in a minute.
As someone who attended Morgan State University, how do you respond to people who argue HBCUs are archaic and need to be eliminated?
RYAN: I would not be April Ryan if it weren’t for an HBCU. I attended predominately white catholic schools for the vast majority of my education and then I attended Morgan. This is my quote: ‘HBCUs love you to success.’ It’s like a family. There’s an intimacy there and we understand, we want you to survive and thrive. We are building you up because we’ve been down for so long. HBCUs are not archaic. When some institutions won’t accept us now, family accepts us. There is still a non-even playing field for admissions for us. The same reasons we needed them [HBCUs] now are the same reasons we needed them yesterday. A lot of these schools would not take us in.
The nation watched the fiery exchanges that took place between you and Trump during his presidency. You’re the epitome of a strong Black woman, but how did it feel to be challenged by a racist, sexist president who was never fit to lead this country?
RYAN: It wasn’t necessarily about me. When you’re a mother, you don’t necessarily think about yourself, you think about your children. I wanted to make sure my children were okay. My children know I’m a fighter and they know I stand up when something is said or something is wrong. But my concern was for them most of all. One, that they were safe. Two, that it didn’t hurt their mother as much as other people felt hurt for me. When many of those fiery exchanges were happening, my oldest daughter was in class in Baltimore in current news watching the ticker go by, Donald Trump says this to April Ryan. She would text me, ‘mom are you okay?’ I said, ‘I’m great.’ And that’s the hurtful piece, when you’re doing your job and your family and friends get it before you can say what happened.
Let’s discuss your new role with the Grio. What are you doing and why the Grio?
RYAN: I am a White House correspondent Washington bureau chief with the Grio. I’m learning things, like the Tik Toking and all that stuff. I said I need to go digital, but I wanted to stay at the White House and build something great for Black America. The Grio is offering me the opportunity to help lead that side of it. It’s amazing what the team has. I love the energy there, young people who aren’t new to this, but true to this. They believe in giving information to Black America.
What advice would you give to Black women and girls who are looking to enter the media industry, but may feel discouraged?
RYAN: Believe in yourself. There’s something called a dream deferred. It could be a dream that’s deferred or you can believe in yourself and still work towards your dream. Never walk away from your dream, even if it is part time or a hobby. I’ve been in this business since 1985. For me to still be here in 2021, you don’t see a lot of that. I’ve been at the White House for 24 years. You don’t see that. I’m saying all that to say, this business has changed so much. Be open. You need to be able to get on Zoom calls and hold conversations that bring people in. You need to be able to write your a** off. You need to be able to speak the queen’s English. You need to be able to handle the camera at a moment’s notice. Practice your craft.
April D. Ryan (left), Chris Cuomo (middle), Keisha Lance Bottoms (right); (Credit: Twitter)
For many, the respect and adoration for HBCUs has come from those in your circle: your parent, your teacher, your big brother or sister figure. For Johnson C. Smith University graduate James Ewars, the support he received from HBCU grads in his life growing up has made a world of difference. Learn about his story and how HBCUs differ in his eyes from his recent story in The Charlotte Post.
Historically Black Colleges and Universities have always been academic cathedrals of learning, hope and inspiration. Long ago and years gone by, they created educational opportunities for people who look like me.
Johnson C. Smith (Credit: Gary O’Brien/Charlotte Observer/MCT via Getty Images)
They continue to provide the knowledge needed to compete today.
The HBCU community is spread throughout the world. Alumni from these schools have achieved and excelled at a high level.
I grew up in a North Carolina city that was surrounded by HBCUs. Within a short drive there were at least five of them.
In a good way, I took them for granted. Growing up in Winston-Salem, I could walk to Winston-Salem Teachers College, now Winston-Salem State University. On my street lived Dr. Kenneth R. Williams, a former president of the school.
And around the corner was Clarence “Big House” Gaines, his wife Clara and their two children. I had a first-hand view of the legend of Coach Gaines before he was a legend.
I would see players like Earl “The Pearl” Monroe, Richard Glover and Ted Blunt on a regular basis. I do not know at what point I began to realize these guys were star basketball players.
Mrs. Gaines, who passed away recently, was my Latin teacher at Atkins High School.
Bethune-Cookman University Students (Credit: UNCF)
The HBCU mindset was imbedded in me at an early age. Older guys on my street like Ray Joyner (Lincoln University of Pennsylvania), and James Arthur Price (North Carolina College, now North Carolina Central University) would come home during their breaks and talk about these schools.
They were recruiting and did not know it.
My teachers at Atkins High were HBCU graduates. They often talked about their college experiences and how they became teachers. We had HBCU ambassadors teaching us every day.
These early times of having HBCU students in my neighborhood and HBCU alumni as teachers were fundamental in my developing a love for HBCUs.
All of this was coupled with the fact that each year at the Memorial Coliseum, there was the CIAA basketball tournament. The CIAA, the oldest African American athletic conference in America, was founded in 1912.
As elementary and high school kids, we would go and have fun. If you have never attended a CIAA basketball tournament, you are missing out on a grand celebration of HBCU excellence.
There is so much to do and see. I cannot describe it. You just have to go.
The majority of HBCUs are in the South. The oldest HBCU is Cheney University of Pennsylvania, founded in 1852.
As I matured, I knew I would attend a Black college. There was never a question about it.
I am a graduate of Johnson C. Smith University. It was founded in 1867. I have countless memories of my JCSU days and I hold them close to my heart. I was blessed to have attended JCSU.
HBCUs continue to make history. Kamala Harris, a graduate of Howard University in Washington D.C., is vice president of the United States.
It is great that Chris Paul (basketball) and Deion Sanders (football) are using their platforms to talk about the importance of HBCUs. Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has given away millions of dollars to our schools so that they can continue their missions.
Our schools have endured the trials and the tough times. The light will never go out on Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Part of being a trailblazer is filling a gap where you see lack. For chef and Alabama State University graduate Obi Oti, what was missing was good southern cooking on the west coast. Determined to bring back flavors from his own parents’ shuttered restaurant, Oti is now finding his own success in the kitchen.
Before he discovered cooking was something he was good at, it was the ambition of Obi’s parents that opened his eyes.
“It all started in 2007 when when my parents opened up a soul food restaurant in Huntsville, Alabama,” Obi reminisced. “It was doing good but unfortunately the business started to suffer and eventually we had to close our doors due to the recession of 2008 and my father falling ill…”
Determined to carry on his parents’ legacy, Obi fostered his talent. He went from just cooking general dishes for friends and his Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity brothers at Alabama State, to getting pretty good at grilling. He became a legend at the grill among his LA friends once he eventually moved to California.
“People wouldn’t know my name, and they would just call me ‘the BBQ man,’” he laughed. “Grilling turned into me creating, and recreating dishes in the kitchen. I started competing and I was winning. So I decided to take this skill to a higher level.”
Fast forward to 2021, and Obi has gathered all his favorite southern recipes, and rolled them up into a business plan. He thoughtfully named the now limited liability company “Krunches” as an ode to his parents’ old restaurant.
Garlic lamb chops with eggs and mushrooms (Courtesy of Krunches)
“I will carry the legacy of Krunches and prove to them that they didn’t fail,” he said proudly. “Their legacy will live on forever, through me. I’m doing this for them.”
Obi’s business is gaining traction, but lifting it off the ground wasn’t easy. He struggled with discovering which exact permits and licenses he needed to conduct business in the state of California. There were numerous applications, sacrifices, and sleepless nights. He ultimately opened his business in the middle of the pandemic.
Nevertheless, Obi’s work is not in vain, as there is actually a high demand for comfort food in Los Angeles despite its culture of healthy eats. There aren’t many eateries that specialize in homemade bourbon glaze like Krunches. In fact, Obi’s bourbon glaze shrimp mac n’ cheese has won multiple awards over the last few years!
“The thing that sets me apart from the rest is my uniqueness in my food and the flavor,” he said. “I combine sweetness with the love of savory for a mouth full of undeniable flavors. My bourbon glaze is something you don’t see everyday and people love and want me to bottle it up.”
Our mouths are watering! If yours is too, choose Krunches the next time you or your small event guests are looking for mouth-watering southern cuisine.
Bourbon glazed stuffed salmon with shrimp (Credit: Krunches)
The Fisk Jubilee Singers of Fisk University did not leave the 63rd Grammy Awards empty-handed! In fact, the group was shocked to have won their very first Grammy “Best Roots Gospel Album” for “Celebrating Fisk! (The 150th Anniversary Album).” After 150 years of singing, the win was well deserved! Learn more about the group and the expansive history of the Fisk Jubilee Singers in the article from Dave Paulson at The Tennessean below!
Fisk Jubilee Singers (Credit: Bill Steber)
How’s this for an overdue honor?
150 years after the original group was founded — and subsequently brought African-American music to the world — Nashville’s Fisk Jubilee Singers have just won their first-ever Grammy Award.
At Sunday’s pre-telecast “Premiere Ceremony,” the vocal group’s “Celebrating Fisk! (The 150th Anniversary Album)” was named Best Roots Gospel Album, earning them their first Grammy since forming in 1871.
“Hallelujah,” said Dr. Paul Kwami, who has served as the group’s musical director since 1994.
“I just want to thank God. I thank Shannon Sanders and our wonderful team of engineers. I thank our wonderful guest artists. I thank Curb Records… I’m very grateful to Butch Spyridon and his staff. I thank the Fisk University family. I thank the Ryman Auditorium staff for their wonderful help, and all the fans around the world. Thank you so much, hallelujah.”
When Fisk University treasurer George Leonard White assembled the group in 1871 and booked a tour to raise money for the struggling school, it introduced the world to “slave songs” or “negro spirituals” — music Black Americans made for themselves.
Modern Fisk Jubilee Singers pose in front of a portrait depicting the very first singers of the group (Credit: Cornell Events)
The winning album was recorded live at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium and featured guest artists Ruby Amanfu, Keb’ Mo’, Lee Ann Womack, The Fairfield Four, Rod McGaha, Derek Minor, Shannon Sanders, Rodney Atkins, Jimmy Hall and CeCe Winans.
Backstage, Kwami said he wanted to “honor those original” students who founded the group in 1871.
“In a way, it’s surprising, it’s the first time we have won a Grammy,” Kwami said in the virtual press room Sunday night. “Sometimes I think it’s because of the music we’re known for, which is the Negro spiritual. Whatever the case, I’m happy this happened in the year we are celebrating our 150th anniversary. It’s an addition to the celebration.”
The Fisk Jubilee Singers were nominated previously for a Grammy in 2009.
“Soul of a Nation,” a six-episode series premiering on ABC News, will break history as the first broadcast network newsmagazine that aims to put Black life in America front and center. Viewers will be presented with a unique window into authentic realities of Black life and unpack issues critical to Black Americans through intimate storytelling that bridges the past, present and future. You’ll find familiar faces in each episode- from performers, activists, and scholars to clergy members– who will all open up for entertaining and provocative conversations about current events. Each episode will focus on a specific theme such as the reckoning that erupted after George Floyd’s death, spirituality, Black boy joy, Black girl magic, activism in sports and more. Viewers will also get to enjoy special performances from captivating artists like John Legend.
As an educational, entertaining, thought provoking series, “Soul of a Nation” is long overdue. It is time for America to have this conversation. “We’re excited to expand enterprising Black storytelling and the celebration of Black culture beyond the month of February,” said co-executive producer Eric Johnson. “Viewers of all backgrounds, regardless of race, will be moved, educated and inspired by the broad range of stories and topics shared on this show.”
HBCU Student Roundtable Series (LIVE)
On the week of March 15th, 2021, we will be hosting three live roundtable discussions with ABC News journalists, HBCU students and graduates to discuss the importance of the Soul of A Nation series. The three-part series will go Live on HBCU Buzz Facebook and Youtube. Tune in on March 15th at 12pm EST and March 17th and March 19th at 1pm EST.
HBCU Virtual Watch Party & Kickback (LIVE)
On Tuesday, March 23rd, 2021 we will be hosting an exclusive live watch party and kickback for the fourth episode of Soul of a Nation: Black Joy. Black joy will explore comedy within the Black community, and how it has come to define the art form as a whole. DJ and recording artist Jae Murphy will be spinning the tracks while North Carolina A&T State University student and #1 HBCU Host DJ CDK on The Mic will be giving away swag bags! Join us by RSVPing here!
Be sure to tune into the enthralling series “Soul of a Nation” every Tuesday in March at 10pm EST/9pm CST on ABC News! You can also catch the episodes on Hulu the day after.
Rapper, business owner, and philanthropist Master P is looking to use his influence for the good of the HBCU community. Known as a master strategizer, he has proved he knows how to successfully take the reigns. Read the story from FNR TIGG at Complex below about why Master P now is planning to own an HBCU and how that could be beneficial.
Credit: Image via Getty/2020HHA
The recent highlighting of Historically Black Colleges and Universities has led many to learn that most of these schools were founded on land grants provided by the government during the Reconstruction Era. Realizing this has motivated Master P to take matters into his own hands to change the future.
Master P took to Instagram where he revealed his life goal has now changed. “I used to want to own an NBA team but now I want to own a HBCU,” opens his video’s caption.
“This message is all about educating our people,” Master P said in the video. “Anybody that’s listening to this and has a business, I want y’all to join this movement with me. We need to make sure our kids get educated the way other the cultures are educated.”
The spotlight has been refocused on HBCUs in recent years. Michael B. Jordan created a basketball invitational to showcase talent at the institutions and the NBA has put an emphasis on supporting them. During the NBA All-Star Game, the league generated $3 million that will be used to promote these colleges and universities.
“It was part of the reason why we’re here in Atlanta,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said, per CNN. Atlanta is home to a host of HBCUs including the acclaimed Atlanta University Center (AUC) which consists of legendary schools Morehouse College, Spellman College, and Clark Atlanta University. “This was an opportunity to focus on the HBCUs,” Silver added.
Master P wanted to extend this goal on his own. He explained in his IG caption that HBCUs graduate more women than any other league of higher education. This includes the Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris, who graduated from Howard University in Washington, D.C.
“More women graduate from HBCU’s than any other university and I love that,” Master P wrote in the caption. “If we’re going to change the narrative, it has to start with the truth, education, and economic empowerment. I was shocked when I Googled who owned and founded HBCU’s. We can’t change the past but we can change the future by investing in the next generation.”
“Don’t stop, don’t quit, don’t drop out!” This was the advice of determined student Dreama, who has knows from experience the value of perseverance. Through her own personal tragedies, she has stuck to education and found a home at Central State University. Read the release below from Business Wire to learn all about her inspiring story!
Dreams S. (Credit: Business Wire)
Graduating from high school and attending college was once only a dream to Dreama S., 19. After overcoming multiple obstacles including surviving cancer, the trauma of losing a sister and experiencing temporary homelessness, she graduated with honors from FLEX High School in the fall of 2020 during a national pandemic. She recently started her first semester at Central State University (CSU), a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in Ohio. CSU is part of the 1890 Universities Foundation’s multi-state network of HBCUs established in 1890 through the Second Morrill Act.
The Foundation and Lifelong Learning, a nonprofit educational services organization that supports public charter networks FLEX High and Learn4Life, have partnered to bolster college readiness and increase college access and enrollment for at-risk students. The partnership is the first of its kind between networks of publicly funded K-12 schools and a
Dreama and other students benefit from increased access, resources and financial support to help them transition to and succeed in college. As part of the partnership, Lifelong Learning has funded a College Access Program $5,000 scholarship, and Dreama was its first recipient.
The personalized instruction, social-emotional support and flexible school day Dreama received at FLEX High made it possible for her to tackle high school while earning college credits through dual enrollment at Columbus State Community College. The pandemic forced her to delay her start at CSU until the spring semester and stay closer to home while attending Columbus State.
“HBCUs create a welcoming environment for all learners regardless of their race, ethnicity or income level,” said Michelle Harvey, vice president of innovation at Lifelong Learning. “Their focus on developing resilient learners is a natural extension of the one-on-one, personalized support FLEX and Learn4Life students receive.”
Central State University (Credit: Dayton Daily News)
Learn4Life and FLEX recently held a Virtual College Week for 11 HBCUs and Hispanic Serving Institutions to present their schools, college life and admissions requirements to students. Dreama spoke as part of the presentation, offering advice and words of encouragement to high school students.
“Don’t stop, don’t quit, don’t drop out,” she said. “Keep doing what you need to do, and you will finish. I promise you, Class of 2021!”
As a graduate of North Carolina A&T State University, actor and philanthropist Terrence J has never left his alma mater behind. He often reps N.C. A&T in various on various work projects and appearances, but the truth is he’s rooting for all HBCUs. In his new project, which you can read about below from Derek Major at Black Enterprise, the options at HBCU dining halls will be a lot healthier.
Actor Terrence J (Credit: Twitter/@Forbes)
Actor and producer Terrence Jenkins, better known as Terrence J, announced a commitment to raising awareness of healthy eating within Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
Jenkins, who also serves as a national ambassador of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF), has partnered with Aladdin Campus Dining, a student-inspired program in colleges and universities across the country. Jenkins and Aladdin will support healthy eating programs and initiatives throughout HBCUs all year.
“Developing healthy eating habits has been one of the biggest struggles I’ve faced as an adult. With some better advice and also access to healthier food in college, I don’t think I would have had to work so hard to maintain my health,” Terrence J said. “I’m thrilled that my work as an ambassador for the Thurgood Marshall College Fund has led me next to Aladdin Campus Dining and presented this fantastic opportunity to reach the HBCU community about vital health issues.”
Black Americans, especially those in the South, have higher rates of high blood pressure, obesity, heart disease, and diabetes than other races.
As part of the collaboration, Aladdin chefs and dieticians will create dining programs for students that are culturally relevant and comforting without sacrificing the best possible nutrition, balance, and flavor. These customized programs will be available at Aladdin’s partnering schools including Albany State University, Savannah State University, Bowie State University, Clinton College, Morris College, Jarvis Christian College, Voorhees College, Paul Quinn College, and Saint Augustine’s University.
(Credit: Paul Archuleta/Getty Images)
There are more than 100 HBCUs today with more than 228,000 students across the country. Notable HBCU Alumni Include Sean ‘Puffy’ Combs, former New York City Mayor David Dinkins, and current Vice President Kamala Harris.
Jenkins has appeared in Think Like A Man and the sequel starring Kevin Hart. He’s also had roles in Baggage Claim, Entourage, and The Perfect Match. He’s also hosted dating shows Are You The Oneand Coupled and the Miss US pageants in 2016 and 2017.
Ohio representative and former Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated National President Marcia L. Fudge is making-history! She has just been chosen to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development serving the Biden-Harris Administration! Read the full story below written today by Tracy Jan at the Washington Post.
The Senate voted 66-34 on Wednesday to confirm President Biden’s nomination of Rep. Marcia L. Fudge (D-Ohio) as secretary of housing and urban development, making her the first Black woman to lead the agency in more than four decades.
Fudge,who entered Congress in 2008, won bipartisan approval to lead the embattled agency, where the morale among civil servants had plummeted under the leadership of Ben Carson, who eviscerated fair housing enforcement and other civil rights protections during the Trump administration.
“The past year has reminded us just how important it is to have a safe and stable place to call home. But, right now — for millions of Americans — that sense of security and peace of mind is out of reach,” Fudge said in a video statement released after she was sworn in Wednesday evening.
Credit: Paul Morigi/WireImage
She added that she looks forward to providing relief for families struggling to pay their rent and mortgages, helping more Americans achieve homeownership, and breaking down the “barriers of injustice.”
As HUD secretary, Fudge is expected to reinstate a 2013 rule aimed at barring the housing industry from enacting policies that, although seemingly race-neutral, have an adverse effect on Black and Latino Americans. The agency also is expected to reinstate another Obama-era regulation requiring communities to identify and address barriers to racial integration and disparities in access to transportation, jobs and good schools — or risk losing federal funding.
One year into the coronavirus pandemic, which has left a disproportionate number of Black and Latino Americans jobless, Fudge said her immediate focus will be on providing rental assistance to households at risk of eviction.
More than 11 million households are behind on rent, census data shows. Almost 3 million homeowners are in forbearance, Fudge said; an additional 800,000 borrowers are delinquent. Families struggling to pay rent continue to be served with eviction notices despite the government’s extension of the eviction moratorium.
Several Republicans had criticized Fudge during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs for previous comments she had made about race and the GOP that they characterized as “intemperate.”
Credit: Marcia L. Fudge/Twitter
Other Republicans voiced concern about Fudge’s intent to undo HUD regulations put in place by the Trump administration to address what conservatives view as costly and time-consuming Obama-era fair housing requirements that they said discouraged the construction of much-needed affordable housing. Seven of the committee’s 24 members had voted against advancing her nomination.
On Wednesday, Sen. Patrick J. Toomey (R-Pa.) said before voting against Fudge’s confirmation that her “past rhetoric makes clear that she lacks the temperament to collaborate with Congress, particularly across the aisle, and casts doubt as to whether she wants to.”
But Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), who had previously worked with Fudge to address the affordable housing crisis in their home state, has vouched for her ability to work across the aisle.“I don’t always agree with Marcia on policy. She doesn’t always agree with me. But I can speak to her integrity, her commitment to justice and [the] strength of her character,” Portman said during Fudge’s confirmation hearing.
Portman was among 16 Republicans who voted in favor of Fudge, including Mitch McConnell (Ky.), the minority leader, and Tim Scott (S.C.), the lone Black Republican in the Senate. Democrats unanimously approved her confirmation.
Moments after Fudge was confirmed, House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.) stood across the Capitol with aides carefully reviewing the Senate vote. Clyburn, the most senior Black member of Congress and a close Biden ally, served as Fudge’s top patron in promoting her for the Cabinet. He took careful note of which Republicans voted yes as aides showed him the tally.
Housing advocates, eager for the new administration’s focus on racial justice after four years of battling Carson over fair housing enforcement, including filing lawsuits, applauded Fudge’s confirmation.
“This is a refreshing turn and, quite frankly, a relief,” said Lisa Rice, president and chief executive of the National Fair Housing Alliance. “Instead of trying to convince the HUD secretary to uphold our nation’s fair housing laws, we now have someone who believes in the full breadth of the law and is committed to completely enforcing it.”
Before her time on Capitol Hill, Fudge, a former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, had served as the first African American and first female mayor of Warrensville Heights.
Fudge on Wednesdayvoted to pass Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill, which includes more than $20 billion in emergency rental assistance. She then resigned her congressional seat and was sworn in as HUD secretary in a virtual ceremony from her Warrensville Heights home, with her 89-year-old mother by her side.
Patricia Harris was the first Black woman to serve in a presidential Cabinet after President Jimmy Carter appointed her HUD secretary in 1977.
Anthony Brown and Group TherAPy are up for best gospel album at this year’s Grammy Awards. (Credit: Drew Xeron)
Morgan State University‘s Anthony Brown is creating his own sound in gospel. Read all about how music has changed his life in his new profile in the New York Post by Stephanie Williams today!
When Anthony Brown got the news of his Grammy nomination for best gospel album for “2econd Wind: Ready,” he was floored. It was a moment that symbolized how far he’d come from his early days as a fledgling artist, when he felt so stifled by his speech impediment that he didn’t want to sing his own songs.
“I was trying to shop my songs, but nobody would sing my songs because you couldn’t hear them,” says Brown, whose recent nod marks his second Grammy nomination with his band, Group TherAPy. “I had to sing them to get them out there, and little did I know that me having to demo my own songs would turn into a career in recorded music for me.”
The Baltimore-born singer, who is the assistant minister of music at First Baptist Church of Glenarden in Upper Marlboro, Md., broke ground on his Grammy-celebrated record by breaking through another personal barrier.
“It was me taking up a little jogging, a little running and bike riding, just trying to keep my tempo together, and I kept hitting this plateau, this wall,” he says. “But then, I was talking to avid runners and bike riders and they’re like, ‘Yeah, you’ve got to press through that feeling, and when you press through it you experience something we call a second wind, which is almost like you’re just starting all over again.’ ”
It’s not just personal barriers Brown and his band, Group TherAPy, break with “2econd Wind.” Sonic walls are torn down through the process. The signature, syncopated go-go beats on track “Blessings on Blessings” might ring familiar to D.C. natives. He also injects hip-hop with the affirming anthem “He Always Wins,” where Georgia rapper 1k Phew’s hypnotic flow doubles down on the Lord’s praise: “Yeah, I’m leanin’ on Jesus and you can lean wit’ me / So now you got you somebody that you can lean on / If you think you can stop Him, you better dream on / When I’m callin’ on God, I bet this His ringtone.” With fellow contemporary gospel star Jonathan McReynolds, Brown and his band segue into smooth R&B with “Real,” with their soaring harmonies glimmering amid the buoyant beat.
“A lot of people who haven’t grown up like I did are turned off by the idea of religion, turned off by even the sound,” Brown says. “Many of them are warmed by the message but turned off by the sound. I try to create a balance between opening up your musical palate, giving you what gospel needed to move, but also making it familiar in a way that you already recognize and hear music anyway.”
Brown, 39, hails from a long family line of pastors, and his formative music years were heavily rooted in the church. He cultivated his musical skills in the secular world at Baltimore School for the Arts before moving on to Morgan State University, where he would eventually form Group TherAPy in 2000.
“The group was the answer to my prayers — I was looking for some kind of vehicle to get the songs out of my head,” he says.
Anthony Brown and Group TherAPy perform onstage during the 2016 Dove Awards in Nashville. (Credit: Terry Wyatt/Getty Images)
In the beginning, the band was dubbed Answered Prayers, before tragedy struck. After one of its members died of cancer, the band found healing through one another, and that’s when the name Group TherAPy materialized (the “AP” pays homage to their former name).
“When you have siblings that sing together, there’s something different about their sound because the connection is just different,” Brown says. “That’s what I kind of feel with Group TherAPy. None of them are my siblings, but I treat them like my siblings.”
That bond was put to the test while making their most recent album, “Stuck in the House: The Pandemic Project.” The coronavirus had completely upended the core staples of Brown’s life — church and community — and he wrote the album at home, then brought each member of Group TherAPy into a recording booth one at a time to lay down the finished product.
“They never even heard the final version until we all heard it together when it was out,” Brown says with a laugh. “That is totally different from how we normally record. We hear it together and work through it together. The pandemic challenged our concept of not being alone.”
On “Stuck in the House,” Brown grapples with the feeling of isolation and even gets political. For one of the tracks, “Call to Action,” Brown addresses the senseless killing of Black Americans. His booming voice marches like a protester to a steady drumbeat, reciting the names of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and other Black lives lost.
“The murder of George Floyd was extremely emotional for me,” Brown says. “I think for most people, no matter what your color is, there should be some feeling of anger. This is what our country has come down to. When I sat at the piano that day, again, I wanted to create something that helped me get out the emotion that I felt.”
Like the boundless sound he creates with his music, the emotions he wears on his sleeve in “Stuck in the House” transcend religion. For Brown, it’s more than just spreading the Lord’s word. It’s also about spreading the teachings of what it means to be human.
“Music is really the universal language,” he says. “So something that’s not as easy to talk about you can sing about, and people can find a level of commonality, find the connection.”
The 63rd Grammy Awards air March 14at 8 p.m. on CBS. Anthony Brown and Group TherAPy will perform at the Birchmere (3701 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria, birchmere.com) on April 3 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $35.
In honor of a lifetime of contributions to the success of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, the UNC System and the people of North Carolina, A&T’s new engineering complex-in-development will be named upon its opening in honor of Chancellor Harold L. Martin, Sr., university officials announced today.
The Harold L. Martin, Sr., Engineering Research and Innovation Complex was approved at the Feb. 26 meeting of the North Carolina A&T Board of Trustees after Trustee and former Board Chair Timothy King submitted the nomination earlier last month.
Martin, who assumed his current position with N.C. A&T in 2009, is the longest currently serving chancellor in the UNC System and a leader nationally among both historically black colleges and universities and land-grant research institutions.
In addition to his prior service as senior vice president of the UNC System and chancellor of Winston-Salem State University, he previously served as vice chancellor for Academic Affairs of A&T, as well as dean of the College of Engineering, chair of the Department of Electrical Engineering and a faculty member in that department. All told, his academic and administrative career at A&T has spanned nearly four decades.
“Chancellor Martin’s relentless commitment to the success of North Carolina A&T has led our university to unprecedented heights over the past 12 years, in which A&T has not only become America’s largest HBCU, but by some rankings and evaluations, its very best,” said Board of Trustees Chairwoman Venessa Harrison. “He has modeled and required excellence in everything that the university does, and in doing so, he has led a transformation of A&T that will serve it well, many years after we are gone.
“It is fitting and appropriate that the new complex to be occupied by the college where he began his work in service of A&T be named in his honor.”
In its final stages of construction now, the Harold L. Martin, Sr. Engineering Research and Innovation Complex is a $90-million facility that will dramatically enhance the research and instructional capacities of a college that leads the nation in graduation of African American engineers. Funded by a statewide NC Connect bond passed by voters in 2016, the complex will be home to state-of-the-art laboratories and technology critical to advancing the college’s scientific work in heavily competitive STEM research, to fostering innovation that fuels start-up and spinoff companies and to educating engineers who play key roles in the N.C. economy.
The building will assume its new name as part of its grand opening later this year. While it is slated for completion and occupation in August, the date has not yet been set for that occasion, but is expected to take place this fall.
Martin is the first A&T graduate to lead the university. He earned his B.S. (’73) and M.S. (’75), both in Electrical Engineering, before leaving for Virginia Tech to complete his Ph.D. (’80). Upon graduation, he returned to A&T as a member of the Department of Electrical Engineering faculty, rapidly rising through the ranks to leadership, first serving as department chair and in 1989 being named dean of the college.
He was promoted to vice chancellor for Academic Affairs in 1994, and five years later, joined Winston-Salem State, leading the university through a reorganization, reaffirmation of its accreditation and launch of seven new masters programs.
In 2006, UNC General Administration President Erskine Bowles tapped him to serve as senior vice president for Academic Affairs, making him the top academic officer of the 17-campus system. Three years later, he was elected the 12th chancellor of A&T.
As A&T’s chief executive, he has overseen the creation of two successive strategic plans that radically changed the university’s direction. A&T was struggling in enrollment when he arrived, facing an uncertain future. The first plan, “A&T Preeminence 2020: Embracing Our Past, Creating Our Future,” was created in 2011, with implementation immediately following. By 2014, the university had grown to become the nation’s largest HBCU, a position it has not only held in every successive year, but expanded upon.
In each of the past five consecutive years, A&T has set institutional enrollment records, expanding to its current 12,753 headcount last fall. The successor to the first strategic plan, “A&T Preeminence: Taking the Momentum to 2023,” calls for the university to expand to an enrollment of 14,000 over the next three fall terms – a goal it is widely expected to surpass.
It has also moved into the nation’s leading universities in a growing list of key academic rankings. U.S. News & World Report lists it among the nation’s top national universities and its top 70 in Social Mobility, Innovation and Best Undergraduate Teaching. It also is the magazine’s top ranked public HBCU for the third consecutive year, a position it shares this year with Florida A&M.
In Money magazine, the university ranks as the best HBCU in America, one of the nation’s top five most affordable universities and an institution whose alumni earn more in early career salaries than those of all but one peer campus in the UNC System.
“There is no doubt that Chancellor Martin’s vision and passion for this university have played critical roles in the incredible ascent of A&T,” said Trustee Timothy King, who nominated the naming of ERIC in his honor. “In no place do we see that more than in Engineering, which has been the foundation upon which the university’s national reputation has been built since his service as dean 30 years ago. The Martin Center will serve as a lasting testament to the difference his leadership made.”
