Civil Rights Leader Gloria Richardson Passes Away

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Known for her activism and for famously pushing a National Guardsman’s bayonet out her way, Gloria Richardson was a powerhouse. For years she fought for the civil rights of Black people, and even went to Howard University stating at the young age of 16. We are sad to report that she has unfortunately passed away. Learn about the legacy Richardson is leaving behind in the Black Enterprise article by Keka Araújo below.

Credit: Associated Press

Fearless civil rights trailblazer Gloria Richardson died peacefully in her sleep on July 15. 

She was 99-years old, the Associated Press (AP) reported. One of the most iconic images of the civil rights movement showed an unbothered Richardson pushing a National Guard soldier’s bayonet away from her. 

Richardson was a pillar in the Maryland Eastern Shore area and a leader and organizer of the Cambridge Movement. The Cambridge Nonviolent Action Committee (CNAC) was established in 1962. The organization fought to end segregation and racism inside the city. Richardson was instrumental in the federal government taking action.

Although the woman was a fearless activist, she didn’t seek the limelight. Her granddaughter, Tya Young, told the publication, “She did it because it needed to be done, and she was born a leader.”

“The Struggle is Eternal: Gloria Richardson and Black Liberation” author Joseph R. Fitzgerald expressed to AP that Richardson was instrumental in building the foundation of the Black Power Movement.

“I say that the Cambridge Movement was the soil in which Richardson planted a seed of Black power and nurtured its growth. Everything that the Black Lives Matter movement is working at right now is a continuation of what the Cambridge Movement was doing,” he said.

The Baltimore native also believed that Black people should defend themselves outside of peaceful protesting. 

Richardson’s admission into Howard University at age 16 cemented her civil rights work in Washington D.C. It was the woman’s diligence that allowed her to meet with then-U.S. Attorney General Robert Kennedy to negotiate the “Treaty of Cambridge.” 

The treaty spawned a change for the Black residents of Cambridge.

Her activism influenced young Black women during the 1960s and 70s.

Richardson is survived by her daughters, Donna Orange and Tamara Richardson, and granddaughters Young and Michelle Price.

Joyce Beatty Speaks On “Disparities of Treatment” After Recent Arrest

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On Thursday Central State University alumna Joyce Beatty was arrested while fighting for voting rights, and now she’s sounding off about her experience. Learn what she had to say about disparities in voting and now policing at the Capitol in a recent article by Jordan Williams at The Hill below.

Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio) discussed the “disparities of treatment” in her arrest at the Capitol on Thursday. 

Beatty was arrested for “illegal demonstration activity” after leading a group of pro-voting rights demonstrators into the Hart Senate Office Building.

In an interview on SiriusXM Urban View’s “The Joe Madison Show,” Beatty said “the No. 1 question” about her arrest was that it was illegal to protest where she was.

“Here is what the No. 1 question has been about the arrest: There is a rule in the Senate and in the Capitol buildings, I guess — but more specifically where we were — that is was illegal to do what we did after being warned to leave,” Beatty said. 

The congresswoman then said it was “ironic” how quickly she was arrested for violating the rule, compared to “thousands of thousands of people” who were “not peacefully protesting,” apparently referring to the pro-Trump rioters who violently stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6.

“Kind of ironic, isn’t it? That we were arrested quickly for violating the rule of it was illegal to protest as we were doing after being warned to stop. So, again, here we are with the disparities of treatment with less than 100 people and then thousands of thousands of people who were not peacefully protesting,” Beatty continued.

Beatty’s arrest comes as Democrats try to get voting rights legislation past the Senate filibuster.

Credit: UPI

Democrats and voting rights advocates argue that the For the People Act and John Lewis Voting Rights Act will help counter a trend of legislation being passed in GOP-led states that tighten the rules on voting, prompting a new urgency to get rid of the filibuster. 

“We are in a critical point right now because we don’t have the John Lewis Voting Rights Act passed. And we thought it was important because the Senate has not been acting on anything,” Beatty told Madison. 

“So we thought it was important for us, one, to demonstrate our power. Two, to educate the American people that this is a big issue especially for us who are the most disenfranchised and demonstrated against,” she said.

Lincoln University Alumna Valerie Daniels-Carter Now Co-Owns Milwaukee Bucks

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Valerie Daniels-Carter has just become one of three Black women who are minority owners in the NBA! The Lincoln University of Missouri alumna has been an entrepreneur and avid basketball fan for years. Learn more about her from a recent interview that she had with Martenzie Johnson at The Undefeated below.

Valerie Daniels-Carter, a minority owner of the Milwaukee Bucks, has been a sports fan all her life.

Growing up on the northside of Milwaukee, Daniels-Carter was coming of age right around the time the hometown Bucks drafted a 7-footer out of UCLA named Lew Alcindor. In 1971, Alcindor (now Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) led the Bucks to their lone NBA championship in franchise history, which Daniels-Carter calls an “electrifying time” in the city’s history.

That love of sports has followed Daniels-Carter – one of just three Black female minority owners in the NBA, along with actress Jada Pinkett Smith (Philadelphia 76ers) and BET co-founder Sheila Johnson (Washington Wizards) – throughout her life. She played collegiate basketball at the historically Black Lincoln University, had an offer to play for the Milwaukee Does of the short-lived Women’s Professional Basketball League, and, in 2011, was elected to the board of directors for the Green Bay Packers.

But sports ownership has long been a passion for the 63-year-old Daniels-Carter, who is also the president of V&J Foods, Holding Companies, the parent entity of a collection of fast-food franchise brands, including Burger King, Pizza Hut, Häagen-Dazs and, through a partnership with Hall of Fame basketball player Shaquille O’Neal, Auntie Anne’s Soft Pretzels. When Michael Jordan was in line to purchase the Bucks from then-team owner Herb Kohl in 2003, Daniels-Carter was a part of the would-be ownership group. But Kohl pulled his offer to sell, and Jordan joined the then-Charlotte Bobcats ownership group. Daniels-Carter would have to wait another decade for a chance to join the Bucks. 

In 2014, Daniels-Carter, along with four Black Milwaukee business executives, helped form Partners for Community Impact, an investment collective that purchased a minority stake in the Bucks.

Ahead of Game 5 of the NBA Finals between the Bucks and Phoenix Suns, Daniels-Carter spoke with The Undefeated about growing up in Milwaukee, the importance of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), and whether it’ll be #Bucksin6.

Where did your love for sports come from?

It’s probably since a child, really, to be honest with you. I played high school ball. I played college ball. My brothers, which I had six of, always challenged us to be engaged in sports and things of that nature. I played tennis in college, in high school. So I’ve always been engaged in some form of sports. I love sports. I think it’s probably one of the greatest outlets an individual can have if they’re not professionally doing it. I think everybody has something that they can relate to when it comes to sports.

How much different do you think things would have gone if you had tried professional basketball?

Well, at that time, to be honest with you, [women’s basketball] was not what it is today. It was just in their infancy stages of really starting. It’s totally different today. It’s a highly respected sport today. We had phenomenal players back then, but now you have individuals that seriously and aggressively take the challenge of professional women’s basketball on their shoulders that they carry it every day. It’s totally different.

How good would you say you were?

I was OK. I wasn’t bad. I was good enough to make it. I could have been competitive, had I elected to stay, but I saw a different path for myself.

What was it like growing up in Milwaukee?

Growing up in Milwaukee, I had a very good childhood, and I experienced a lot of opportunity, as I do today, by being a resident of Milwaukee. It has not come without its challenges, as we all know, but life is really what you make it. And for us, I had a wholesome upbringing. I had family, I had relationships and things that make life complete. And so I’m very pleased with how I was raised and the values that were instilled in me as a young person and where I am today. 

Milwaukee, as we know, somewhat of a very segregated city. But we didn’t look at the color line when we grew up. At the time, living on 44th and Hampton [Avenue], there were very few African American families, and we all knew each other in that community. I think when I graduated – and I graduated from Custer High School – I think there may have been 10 African Americans in my graduating class, out of probably a class of several hundred. But you learn how to cope. You learn how to manage, you learn how to deal with things.

The Bucks won the title in 1971. What do you remember about that moment in time?

So at the time, I was in high school, and it was an electrifying time in the city. I think everybody was celebrating the fact that Milwaukee had won a championship and they were elated. I was excited. It was a time of a unified city that, even at that time, was highly segregated and disconnected. And I think you’re seeing the same thing now. It’s a unifying experience, and it’s bringing all types of people together from all walks of life, from all ethnicities. And we’re all embracing one thing: the win.

What has this 50-year drought been like for someone who was a fan of this team when you were younger up until now?

It’s painful to live that long and not have a championship. I’m just going to be honest with you. I think that’s why we’re all so energized by it, because it has been a very long time. We’ve had a couple successes, but we haven’t had just the real NBA championship experience. And so for the Bucks to bring that to the city of Milwaukee, and in the fashion that they brought it: We’ve got a team of young men that have integrity, they’re respected, they’re engaging, they’re part of the community, they give back, they’re concerned about, not just who they are, but how they embrace others. So when I look at the dynamics of what we have, it’s not just about the winning team, it’s about the winning culture. And so they’re creating a culture and that’s what I enjoy.

Tell me about going from high school to Lincoln University. 

It’s interesting because, actually, my intent was not to go to Lincoln but to go to Spelman. When I initially graduated high school and decided I wanted to look at different colleges, I knew I wanted to go to a historically Black university. So I had the opportunity to visit Spelman, and they were really, let’s call it ‘dorm-locked,’ in terms of where a person could stay. And the only place that they had was this dorm room. And there were several young ladies that had to share this room. I said, ‘You know what? I think I’m going to try something different.’ And I ended up in Lincoln because my sister had graduated from Lincoln, and she was an alumnus. 

I went there, initially didn’t go on a basketball scholarship, and tried out for the team. And of course the coach embraced my history of playing basketball and eventually placed me not just on the roster to play but on scholarship. So it was a great experience. I tell young people all the time: There’s nothing like the experience of a historically Black college. I have friends to this day – and I graduated from college in ‘78, so you can imagine – that I am still very close with, and we still have this harmony of embracing one another. So it was a great experience. I cannot complain about my journey.

What can be done to help HBCUs and its students thrive today?

I think it’s just part of us continuing to give back. What you will find is historically Black universities graduate some of the greatest minds in the world, and people embracing the accomplishments and achievements of those graduates. And many of our Ivy League schools will reach back, even in postgraduate work, to try to grab individuals that have graduated from historically Black colleges, because they know the value that those individuals have. So I think it’s just a part of the whole formula that makes all universities work. We need funding from all sources. You need funding from supporters of the university, you need funding from foundations and you need funding from the government. You need tuition to be a balanced tuition. So it’s just all the elements that make education work.

What made you want to go to an HBCU?

So, it wasn’t the only option. Because actually I did a year here at UWM [University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee]. I think you have to make a conscious choice of what you want, and you have to intentionally understand the value that a historically Black college brings. You take someone like me that grew up in a majority environment, as it relates to education, Edison [Junior] High School, Custer High School, all majority-driven. And then the instilled desire is there to say, ‘I want to connect with people that are going places that look like me.’ And where’s the best place to connect with those individuals? At a historically Black college. 

And so you befriend one another there and you actually grow up together there. You laugh, you cry, you talk, you fight, but you become best partners. And then when you get into the corporate world or the business world, or wherever you end, those become your support systems. And there’s an embrace that individuals have that have that historically Black connection that all I can say is that it’s magic, man. 

Within four years of graduating from Lincoln, you founded V&J Foods.

I started V&J Foods in 1982 as I was working on my master’s degree and started the groundwork in ’82, opened my first restaurant in 1984, had what I believe to be the proper steps for entrepreneurs to be successful. I had a good base, a good foundation. I had a support system in my family. And I tell people this all the time, you need some type of support system, because as you operate and navigate through this world, there are going to be so many pressures and so many challenges, you need to be able to reach out and touch somebody that believes in you. 

And so, started with one restaurant, started with a Burger King restaurant in 1984 … and decided I really did enjoy this industry. And so we grew our Burger King brand, and then we launched out to Pizza Hut. We launched out to other brands: Häagen-Dazs ice cream, Cinnabon, Auntie Anne’s pretzels, Nino’s Southern Sides, MyYoMy Frozen Yogurt. And then a few years ago, we started bringing Captain D’s seafood to Milwaukee.

After growing your business portfolio, you formed Partners for Community Impact to purchase a stake in the Bucks. What made you decide on that?

Well, first of all – and I’ll share this with you – initially Michael Jordan was going to buy the Bucks before the … ownership group that actually purchased the Bucks. I was involved with Michael … and had the opportunity to be a part of that. And when it didn’t happen, I said to myself, ‘I still have that desire.’ I still would like to be a part of an ownership group because I knew eventually the team would sell. And so I went to my brother, John, and I said, ‘Look, I know the team is still going to sell them, and whoever buys the team, I’d like to formulate a group of individuals to be a part of the ownership structure.’

And when we found out who the primary owners were, we went to them and we said, ‘We’d like to be part of this organization.’ I’m inclusive. I’m not a person that has to have everything or do everything by themselves. And I found some very sharp-minded individuals that had the same passion for sports and wanting to be part of the ownership team. Because at some point we’ve got to be able to embrace excellence within each other and not be afraid to share it. So we formulated the group, I organized it, and we made our presentation to the owners as well as the NBA.

And it’s a long process. The application process alone would make somebody say, ‘No, I’m not going to do this.’ But we did, and we stood there relentlessly waiting for the opportunity to be a part of this new organization. And it happened. Some people said it would never happen.

I read that one time you were in a Burger King boardroom and were advocating for more diversity in advertising and marketing. How has that translated to working in sports and how have you had to advocate for diversity in this space? 

That’s a great question, because there is a need, and there’s so many opportunities in sports other than just playing the sport. And being able to have individuals of color, diverse individuals, operate in those spaces, is critically important. I can just go down a list of opportunities within the sports world that we need individuals that look like you and me, or individuals that are of different descents to be a part of. I really am a strong advocate for allowing individuals that have the capability and the capacity to execute at a high level, to be able to be given an opportunity. 

But if we’re never in the boardroom, if we’re never around the table, there is a lack of consciousness in the room. And it’s not that people won’t do it. It’s just that the consciousness is not in the room to allow them sometimes to think broader than their circle. So having even us at the board table, having us in the circle of ownership, allows the expanded capacity for them to consciously think beyond this square box.

Is there a future where you purchase a larger ownership stake in a professional sports team?

I don’t limit myself. And if the right opportunity presents itself, and it’s right for me – and you don’t do something just because you’re able to do it, you have to have the ability to totally make sure it fits for you. I’m a woman of faith, man. And I walk by faith, and if God opens a door, you better move out the way, because I’m coming through, I’m like a freight train.

Final question. Bucks in six?

Bucks and win.

Hall-of-Famer Calls Out NFL For Leaving HBCU Players Out Of 2021 Draft

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This year’s NFL draft was exciting for many but enraging for others. The fact that absolutely no HBCU players were drafted has upset HBCU players, coaches, families, prospects, and even Hall-of Famers like former Southern University and A&M College player Harold Carmichael. Learn what Carmichael had to say in the recent Sports Illustrated article by Clark Judge below.

Credit: USA Today

When players from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) were shut out from this year’s NFL draft for the first time in over a decade, Hall-of-Famer Deion Sanders – now the head football coach at Jackson State — was appalled.

“NEGLECTED AND REJECTED,” he tweeted.

The caps are his, not mine. And they reflect his outrage that, among 259 players drafted, not one was from an HBCU program. But Sanders wasn’t alone. Plenty of others joined the outcry, including former Grambling State quarterback Doug Williams, the first African-American quarterback to win a Super Bowl.

He called it “a travesty.”

Well, now you can add newly-minted Hall-of-Famer Harold Carmichael to the chorus. A walk-on at Southern University, Carmichael was a four-year starter at wide receiver before the Philadelphia Eagles made him a seventh-round draft pick in 1971 – a year when 55 HBCU players were chosen.

By 2019, however, that number had dwindled to four, and in 2020 it was down to one – or one more than this year.

“It’s very, very troublesome to me to see that happen,” Carmichael said Tuesday on a Zoom call with the Pro Football Hall of Fame. “Back in the late ‘60s, early ‘70s, a lot of the big-time ballplayers were coming out of the HBCU teams.”

He’s right about that. Walter Payton was one. Mel Blount was another. So was Donnie Shell. And Art Shell, Willie Lanier, Deacon Jones, Willie Davis, Emmitt Thomas, Jackie Slater, Willie Brown, Charlie Joiner … and Harold Carmichael. All played on HBCU teams, and all are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 

But that was then, and this is now. And now the number of HBCU players entering the NFL through the draft is down to a trickle, with Tennessee State tackle Lachavious Simmons the last HBCU draft pick. The Chicago Bears chose him in the seventh round of the 2020 draft with the 227th selection.

So what happened? Nobody is certain, though the COVID pandemic that canceled the 2020 season for most HBCU programs is offered as an explanation. Players simply didn’t have an opportunity to showcase their talents.

And that’s a shame because the talent is there. In 2017, for instance, the Houston Texans took Alabama State tackle Tytus Howard with the 23rd pick. One year later the Indianapolis Colts’ made South Carolina State linebacker and future All-Pro Darius Leonard a second-round choice. Moreover, according to the Washington Post, during the 2020 NFL season there were 29 HBCU players who started.

“I was really sad to hear the past couple of weeks about no HBCU players drafted in this year’s draft,” Carmichael said. “There are a lot times when a lot of the guys from HBCU teams fall through the cracks. There are a lot of good football players there, but I don’t think a lot of NFL football teams really respect that.

“They send guys there, but the guys wink at it and they go home, not really putting a lot of focus on the players. I’ve watched a couple of the HBCU games the past season, and you see some good ballplayers there. But people just want to go to the big schools.”

Carmichael didn’t, and look what happened. He’s part of the Hall’s Centennial Class of 2020. He’s also part of a fraternity of HBCU supporters who believe this year’s shutout is more an aberration than a trend and that HBCU rookies will make an impact this season and the years beyond – draft or no draft.

“The free agents that were picked up by some of those teams,” he said of undrafted HBCU rookies, “I guarantee some of those will make it before some of those draft choices will.”

Legendary Actress, Honorary AKA Marla Gibbs To Receive Star On Hollywood Walk Of Fame

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Legendary actress and comedian Marla Gibbs is going to be honored with a star on the famous Hollywood Walk Of Fame! Gibbs is an honorary member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and has a lifetime of achievements. Learn more about her below in the Black Enterprise article by Andrea Blackstone below.

Source: Life, Tailored

Marla Gibbs, who is well remembered as George and Louise Jefferson’s feisty maid who shot side-splitting one-liners on The Jefferson’s sitcom, back in the 70s and 80s—is getting a “star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Tuesday, July 20,” per a press release.

“The star will be dedicated in the category of Television at 6840 Hollywood Boulevard in front of Jimmy Kimmel Live,” according to the announced details.

“Marla is one of the world’s most beloved and talented actresses known around the world. Her feistiness and tenacity for her work are legendary and we are proud to welcome her to the Hollywood Walk of Fame,” Ana Martinez, producer of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, said in the announcement.

Gibbs is a Chicago native who achieved the status of becoming “a five-time Emmy-nominated actress,” per the press release. Acting has been Gibbs’ passion since she was a child, per a Reel Urban News interview. This tidbit partially explains why the acting veteran appears so comfortable on the big screen.

“I’ve always wanted to be an actress. I always loved movies, I kinda lived in the movies. I remember seeing Joan Crawford in ‘Possessed’ and at the end of the movie I couldn’t get on the bus, I had to walk home. I was still in character. Acting has always been a very rewarding experience for me,” Gibbs said.

Credit: Calvin Carson/Facebook

The icon did not jump into acting immediately. She once worked as “a receptionist and switchboard operator in the Detroit area. Eventually, she secured work with United Airlines,” according to IMDb. Her acting appearance on The Jefferson’sblossomed beyond the initial “one-shot guest role,” according to IMDb. Gibbs is finally getting much-deserved industry recognition.

“I truly appreciate all of your support and love. I do feel celebrated and I’m receiving a star on the Hollywood walk of fame thanks to you.⭐️🎥 July 20th at 11:30am. Special thank you to Hollywood Chamber of commerce, @iamreginaking for working closely with my family to see this through and to the donors that contributed to this great gift. #honored #grateful #marlagibbs #hollywoodwalkoffame #bettywhiteismygirl,” @!marlagibbs4real said on Instagram.

Stakeholders of Southern University Recently Convened To Combat Corrosion On Campus

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Corrosion and wear and tear is a natural occurrence for buildings, but buildings in southern states are especially susceptible due to constant wet climate. The tragic condo collapse in Surfside, Florida has definitely drawn attention to this unfortunate fact. Southern University in Baton Rouge is no different, and recently had a meeting with top local officials to ensure the campus is as safe as it can be. To Get the full story from a recent Southern University release below.

Credit: Southern University

A group of stakeholders met at Southern University to discuss solutions to ongoing challenges relative to land erosion in several areas on the Baton Rouge campus. The erosion comes as a result of years of high-water levels from the Mississippi River, in combination with the rainwater drainage of the North Baton Rouge/Scotlandville area. Convened by retired Lt. Gen. Russel Honoré and Sen. Cleo Fields, more than 50 elected and government officials joined together to discuss the path forward. 

“The meeting this afternoon was very productive,” Honoré said. “It was a major step in the right direction towards finding a solution for funding and to solidify the process to address the erosion problems on the campus.” 

Currently, the ravine and the historic bluff are the two main areas that have been identified for immediate remediation, and stakeholders who were in attendance affirmed their commitment to provide assistance towards a viable solution which will mitigate the erosion and preserve the beauty of the 500+ acre landmass. 

Southern University System President Ray Belton and Southern University Board of Supervisors Chairman Domoine Rutledge expressed their appreciation to those who participated in today’s discussion. In addition to Fields, who is chairman of Senate Education, elected officials who were in attendance included newly elected Congressman Troy Carter; Page Cortez, president of the Louisiana State Senate; Rick Ward, chairman of Senate Transportation; and Bodi White, chairman of Senate Finance.  Other representatives in attendance were staffers from the offices of Sen. William Cassidy and Congressman Garrett Graves, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisiana Board of Regents, Department of Transportation and Development, Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor-President, Louisiana Division of Administration, and Mark Cooper with the Office of the Governor.

Honore’ and Fields will convene another meeting in two weeks.

Jackson State Alumna Inducted Into U.S. Army ROTC Hall of Fame

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Brigadier General (R) Donna Williams was just inducted into this year’s 2021 U.S. Army ROTC Hall of Fame for her contributions the military and her country. She was previously a Deputy Commanding General. The Jackson State University alumna began her successful career at JSU with a computer science degree who worked her way up in the Senior Army ROTC program on her campus.

Jackson State University itself shared in a tweet to Williams, “Congratulations to Brig. Gen. (R) Donna Williams on being inducted into the @ArmyROTC Hall of Fame!”

Learn more about Williams below in the U.S. Army release by Mike Maddox below!

Brig. Gen. (R) Donna Williams is the former c (Support), of the 412th Theater Engineer Command located in Vicksburg, Mississippi. She is a native of Vicksburg, Mississippi and earned her commission through the Senior Army ROTC Program at Jackson State University in Jackson, Mississippi, where she also received a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science.

Williams has commanded at the company, battalion, and brigade level. She deployed to Baghdad as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom from May 2006 to May 2007, serving as the Army Sustainment Command’s Logistics Civil Augmentation Program Support Officer.

She holds a Master of Business Administration Degree in Information Technology and Military Management from Touro University, and a Masters of Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College, in Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania.

Shirley Williams (right) places the rank of brigadier general on her daughter, U.S. Army Reserve Col. Donna Williams. Williams was promoted to brigadier general in a ceremony Feb. 6 in Montgomery, Ala. The Vicksburg, Miss., native is the deputy comma… (Photo Credit: U.S. Army)

Her awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medals, Army Commendation Medals, Army Achievement Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, Global War On Terrorism Service Medal, Combat Action Badge, and the United States Army Engineer Association’s Bronze de Fleury Medal.

Williams honorably served the Nation for over 31 years. She is an employee with the Engineer Research and Development Center at the United States Army Corps of Engineers Reachback Operations Center in Vicksburg, Mississippi.

Her consistent commitment to service and dedication to helping others over several decades are the “Standard of Excellence” and is truly worthy of this honor of being a member of the ROTC Hall of Fame.

Lincoln University Alum Antonio DePina Launches App, African Basketball League

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Antonio DePina is planning to make his mark in Africa through basketball and business. The Lincoln University alumnus already has an app, American basketball venture, and budding African basketball league under his belt. Learn about how he is liberating others professionally and financially through sports in the LU release below.

Courtesy: Lincoln University

For Lincoln University alum Antonio DePina, 2021 is just the beginning of something huge.

First, he was named to Africa’s 30 under 30 by Forbes Magazine, and tomorrow, he kicks off his own professional basketball league in Cape Verde, Africa. The six-team Praia League is the beginning of what DePina hopes brings more professional basketball opportunities to the continent of Africa.

“After Lincoln University I played professional basketball in Portugal and Spain, and they all had one major thing in common; I saw African players coming to Europe to play,” said DePina. “I always wondered by African players go everywhere but Africa to make their dreams come true. There is no reason to not have a league in Africa so I took it upon myself to create that. I am looking to create the biggest league in Africa, the NBA of Africa.”

The Praia League is going to be a one-month venture that concludes with a tournament from July 21 to July 23. Each of the six teams will be limited to three Americans with the rest of the roster being from the continent. Following Praia League combines in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago, and Miami, the league held its first draft on May 18.

Once the Praia League concludes, DePina will transition to the Cape Verde Basketball League (CBL). The league will be a five-month league that has “all of Africa’s talent.”

“I want to create the most prominent league in Africa,” said DePina. “Instead of going to Europe, you are going to play here and then go to the NBA. The NBA will always be the best league in the world. But, Africa needs a league. So that is what I am trying to create.”

The road to the basketball leagues was paved by an app and a ton of persistence.

Following his professional career, he saw a way to improve the overseas experience. He sought out to create a one-stop app for players, agents, and teams. However, he didn’t have the expertise to bring his dream to fruition.

Developer after developer came and went, a couple of thousand dollars here, a couple of thousand dollars there. After at least five different professional coders flaked on him, DePina took matters into his own hands.

“After getting scammed, a guy ran off with two grand here, two grand here. I hired developers, and after four months of wasted time, I just decided to make it myself,” said DePina. “I was tired of people running off on me and I don’t know anything. You have to educate yourself, and that is what I did.”

He learned the basics of coding in two months, and the app was unveiled. DePina said that he learned how to be assertive in his business through the ordeal. Ultimately, the success of the app, Overseas Basketball Connection, led the Praia League. He used over $100,000 of the proceeds from the app to fund his league.

“I am betting on myself with this league,” DePina said. “I don’t feel like I am taking any losses with creating the league. Overall, I am helping the country; bringing tourism to the island, and bringing visibility to the island. Overall, I feel good.”
 Games for the Praia League will be shown on local television in Praia, on Facebook, on YouTube, and via the Overseas Basketball Connection app.

It was his work with the league and the app as part of the reason why he was named Forbes Africa 30 under 30. And for him, recognition on his native continent was special.

“Forbes Africa means more to me because I am African,” said DePina. “Everything I am doing is transitioning to Africa. There is already Steve Jobs and Elon Musk in America, I can be that here. Why not be that here? There way more people in Africa than in America. There are 1.2 billion people in Africa. There is no Door Dash or Uber Eats here in Africa, why not create. I tell people if you have a business idea come to Africa. It’s like a virgin, there is nothing here.

“It was a long time coming,” DePina continued. “As an entrepreneur, you dream of being in Forbes. Forbes is like your Emmy or Grammy of the business world. I never really thought I was successful. That is just not how I think, that’s not me. Even now, I don’t think like that. Forbes kind of validates my dream; makes me feel like I am not crazy. It validated my dreams and made it worth it.”

Before making his latest impact on the overseas basketball scene, DePina found himself on season one of the Netflix show, The Circle. Within the show, contestants are isolated with their apartments, and can only communicate to the other contestants via “The Circle”, ostensibly a computer program that transcribes their messages into text as if in a social media app. Contestants are thus able to present completely different identities to others to hopefully win them over. Every so often, the group of contestants is asked to rate their fellow contestants, with the top vote-getters becoming the “Influencers” of the Circle, giving them the power to “block” one contestant from the circle, eliminating them from the game.

After a fast start, DePina was blocked on the fourth episode. Despite only lasting what amounted to four days on the show, he was able to experience the UK for about a month. While he didn’t walk away with the $100,000 prize, DePina was paid for the entire month.

So from Lincoln University to The Circle to Cape Verde, Antonio DePina is making his mark.

3 Sisters Create Family Legacy As Tuskegee Graduates With 5 Degrees Among Them

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Three ambitious sisters who are all at different stages in their life, have all passed through Tuskegee University‘s gates! Jamilah, Hadiyah and Ayannah Page, two of whom have also gone to other institutions, value what their HBCU experience has given them as a foundation for their futures. Get the full story from Alyssa Wilson and BNC. TV below.

Ayannah, Hadiyah and Jamilah Page all graduated in 2021 and they are ready to take the world by storm. (Photo: Kaci Merriwether-Hawkins)

In 2021, Jamilah, Hadiyah and Ayannah Page, the Page sisters, graduated after displaying academic excellence at various institutions. All of them are Tuskegee alumnae who are now ready to show the world what Black excellence looks like in their respective fields.  

Jamilah, the eldest of the trio, received her bachelor’s degree in nutrition sciences and dietetics. Now, she has a Ph.D. from Auburn University. Hadiyah, the middle sister, graduated with her bachelor’s degree in biology in 2019 before obtaining her Master of Public Health from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The youngest of the three, Ayannah, graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry with a concentration in biology.  

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The sisters celebrated their 2021 graduations on social media, noting their parents “understood the assignment.” Ayannah said education was highly valued in their family. “I feel like our mom, well both of our parents, really valued education. But our mom, especially because her mom graduated with her Juris doctorate at 66 years old. So our grandma was very influential in teaching us the importance of education,” she said.

Although their father passed away when they were young, they still feel his impact. “Our father passed away when we were little, so he didn’t have the chance to teach us too much about [education], but while he was here, I did feel like he was influential in instilling those values in us,” Ayannah said.  

For Hadiyah, it’s about the spirit of resilience and the example her parents set for them. “Not only did my mom understand the assignment when it came to modeling and being a good example for her children, but she also understood that hey, they need a mother that shares values that I would like for them to understand,” she said, citing the lessons of preparedness and being hardworking.  

Tuskegee University, a private historically Black university in Tuskegee, Alabama, also played a role in the Page sisters and their success. As women born and raised in Alabama like their parents, attending the institution seemed like a no-brainer.  

“I could not have gone to a [predominately white institution] without an HBCU,” Jamilah said. Citing her experiences at Auburn, she was often the only Black person in her classes. As she strived to get her Ph.D., she often found many of her white counterparts were shocked she was aiming so high. “I had to kind of assert myself on why I’m here and I was confident in myself because of where I came from. I was confident in what I could do because I was pushed so hard at Tuskegee.”  

For Ayannah, it was about being in a place where she wasn’t just tolerated but celebrated. “Being in that type of environment helps to cultivate young students into believing in themselves,” she said. “I feel like HBCUs help you to see different types of Black people.”  

(Credit: Kaci Merriwether-Hawkins)

The influence Tuskegee had on Hadiyah was similar. When she was a rising senior at the institution, she had the unique opportunity to conduct research at Penn State. She was the only Black person in the room during the program orientation. Rocking her Tuskegee shirt, natural locs and her Black pride, she stood firmly and introduced herself to the group. “That moment set the tone for the rest of the summer because I knew that moment I made myself felt and there was a standard I had to uphold,” she said.  

The support from Tuskegee was not just motivational, but it also came in the form of financial contributions. “They also taught me that I’m so worth the investment,” Jamilah said, reflecting on the fact that a dean paid her remaining balance every semester because he believed in her.  

When Ayannah was applying to colleges, she wanted to follow the money to avoid crippling student loan debt. Her 4.2 GPA and 28 on the ACT didn’t get her a significant scholarship at other institutions. Tuskegee offered her more, and at an open house, an academic advisor said he’d take care of her. “He told me not to worry about the ACT and that he had scholarship money for me and that I wasn’t going to have to pay anything,” she said. “That really encouraged me and also made me feel like I was appreciated and worth the investment.” 

The year 2021 and their newly acquired degrees are just the beginning for the Page sisters. They are off to change the world across the United States and beyond. Jamilah has accepted a position as an assistant professor of nutrition with a tenure track at Berea College. She also has an interest in community gardens and their impact on wellness.  

Hadiyah, a former Albert Schweitzer fellow, conducts mindfulness courses with students who have experienced trauma at Impact Family Counseling. In the fall, she’s heading to medical school at the Ross University School of Medicine in Barbados. 

Scholarship Honoring Freddie Gray Established At Coppin State University

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The story and untimely death of Freddie Gray still sends chills through our spines. Now students who attended Gray’s high school will be supported in attending Baltimore HBCU Coppin State University through new a scholarship! Get the full story from Lillian Reed, who covers education for The Baltimore Sun in the story below.

Freddie’s Sister Fredericka Gray (Left) with Coppin State University President Anthony Jenkins (Right) (Credit: The Baltimore Sun)

Coppin State University has created a scholarship named for Freddie Gray that benefits graduates of his alma mater, Carver Vocational Technical High School in Baltimore.

Gray’s sister, Fredericka, joined Coppin State officials on campus Tuesday to announce the scholarship. Gray’s death in 2015 from injuries suffered in police custody sparked days of unrest in Baltimore and drew national attention to the policing of Black communities.

The scholarship was created after an alumnus contacted the school with the idea to offer financial aid in Gray’s name with his family’s permission, Coppin State President Anthony Jenkins said. Local organization Philanthropik helped facilitate the discussions and a $25,000 donation from McDonalds to the fund.

University officials say the scholarship will be awarded to a graduate or graduates of Carver’s class of 2022. Organizers said they still were working out details about the scholarship program, such as how many students will benefit and whether it will continue after this year.

Credit: The Family of Freddie Gray

Fredericka said it was good to see her brother’s name attached to the Baltimore community. Gray lived about a mile from the Coppin State campus.

“I think it’s real nice that someone is giving back to the community that we grew up in,” she said.

Jenkins hopes the scholarship will build more opportunities for students in surrounding communities and solidify the university’s role as an anchor institution in Baltimore.

“This is about the young people and the opportunities they’re going to have leaving Carver and where they get to go,” Jenkins said.

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Welcomes 8 Strong Black Women As Newest Honorary Members

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The 8 remarkable women chosen are Tracee Ellis Ross, Robin Roberts, Ruth E. Carter, Lisa Leslie, Cynthia Erivo, Alice Walker, Ursula M. Burns, Debra Martin Chase!

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. announced its 2021 honorary members today, and the list is full of flourishing black women. The 8 women chosen are well known, with decades of accomplishments that span industries in sports, cinema, plays, music, reporting, costume design, and writing. In fact, there is at least one Tony Award, Emmy Awards, Golden Globe Award, WNBA MVP Award, and Pulitzer Prize among these women!

Credit: Bossip

Tracee Ellis Ross is notably known for her acting roles in the T.V. show Girlfriends, which ran for 8 seasons, and Black-ish, which has run for 7 seasons. She has also worked extensively in modeling, singing, hosting, producing, and directing.

Robin Roberts is a renowned television broadcaster and entrepreneur. She’s anchored ABC’s Good Morning America, which has won 4 Emmys, for years even despite a harrowing breast cancer diagnosis. She also was a sportscaster on ESPN for over a decade. Always multi-talented, Roberts attended Southeastern Louisiana University, where she graduated cum laude and was inducted into its Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. Robert’s late mother, Lucimarian Roberts, attended Howard University and is also a member of AKA.

Ruth E. Carter is an Oscar-winning television and film costume designer. Carter, who graduated from Hampton University, has almost 70 credits to her name including classics like Black Panther, B.A.P.S., and Coming 2 America. Her ability to master required different looks has lead to her becoming the first-ever costume designer to have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame!

Lisa Leslie is a former professional basketball player in the WNBA. She is a studio analyst for Orlando Magic broadcasts. She is a three-time WNBA MVP winner, as well as a four-time Olympic gold medal winner, and professional Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. Leslie was also the first-ever player to dunk in a WNBA game.

Cynthia Erivo is an accomplished singer who has acted in film, television, and on Broadway. She is one award away from becoming a rare EGOT winner (a person who has won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony). She won a Grammy, Tony, and Emmy Award for her Broadway role in The Color Purple. She has been Oscar-nominated for her performance as Harriet Tubman in “Harriet” and another for co-writing song “Stand Up,” on the film’s soundtrack.

Alice Walker is a novelist, writer, poet, and activist. You can say she helped Cynthia Erivo reach her near-EGOT status, as Walker wrote best-selling novel The Color Purple. For that work, she won a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Award for hardcover fiction.

Ursula M. Burns an accomplished executive who made history at the Xerox Corporation by becoming the first Black woman who served as CEO of a Fortune 500 company. Initially joining Xerox as an intern, Burns seved as chairman and CEO of Xerox, both for 7 years.

Debra Martin Chase is the first Black female producer to ink an overall deal at any major Hollywood studio. She has executive-produced the Cheetah Girls, Courage Under Fire, the documentary Hank Aaron: Chasing the Dream and more! 

According to an official Instagram post by AKA, the women “join an international sisterhood of more than 300,000 members across the globe who are committed to service to all mankind.”

FAMU Announces Alumna W. Rebecca Brown As Interim CFO & VP Of Finance

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Florida A&M University has found its leader in financial affairs in W. Rebecca Brown! Recently, the university experienced a resignation in the position, but they were happy to find Brown, an alumna who’s spent over 20 years perfecting her craft. Learn about the woman that FAMU President Larry Robinson is happy to announce in the FAMU Forward article by Andrew Skerritt below.

Florida A&M University (FAMU) President Larry Robinson, Ph.D., has announced the resignation of Alan Robertson, Ed.D., as chief financial officer (CFO)/vice president (VP) for Finance and Administration, and the appointment of W. Rebecca Brown as interim CFO/VP for Finance and Administration.

Credit: FAMU Forward

“I want to thank Dr. Robertson for his contributions to FAMU during his tenure,” Robinson said.  “I also want to welcome and thank Ms. Rebecca Brown for agreeing to serve as the interim CFO and vice president of Finance and Administration.” 

 A FAMU alumna, Brown has filled various senior roles during her 22-year tenure with the University. Most recently, she has been assistant vice president for Finance and Administration in charge of Business & Auxiliary Services. In that role, Brown provides oversight of Dining, Bookstore, Rattler Card, Business Center, Snack Vending, Drink Vending, Laundry and Commercial Solicitation.  She was responsible for more than 150 staff and contracted personnel and a consolidated operating budget of about $33 million.  

“Serving Florida A&M University is a privilege I do not take lightly. This appointment to interim CFO and vice president for Finance and Administration is a monumental undertaking, and I am honored that President Robinson has placed his confidence in me. I will continue to represent the University to the absolute best of my ability,” said Brown, who received a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Business Administration from FAMU. 

Robertson joined FAMU on January 1, 2020, with more than 30 years of senior and professional leadership experience, most recently as senior vice president and CFO of Morehouse College.  

High School Graduate With 4.2 GPA, 15 College Acceptances Chooses Morgan State

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A Maryland high school graduate with a life full of achievements will be welcomed into Morgan State University in the fall! Olivia Carter hasn’t missed a day of school since kindergarten, earned a 4.2 GPA, and more! Learn about the all-star heading to Morgan State in the CBS Baltimore article by Rachel Menitoff below.

Credit: CBS Baltimore

An outstanding GPA, numerous awards, and 15 college acceptances are just some of the accomplishments of Pikesville High graduate Olivia Carter.

Carter is not one to brag about her accomplishments but her success speaks for itself.

“It was just every day I genuinely enjoyed going to school,” Carter said.

She’s a 2021 graduate of Pikesville High School with a 4.2-grade point average and more than a dozen college acceptances.

“And then I got the emails back, that I had been accepted into all of these colleges, and the first one, I was like super excited. I was like ‘Oh my God, I got accepted,’ and then the rest kept coming in,” Carter said.

She has also done something that no one else in her class was able to do — she hasn’t missed a day of school since kindergarten.

“Never, not one day,” she said.

Even when she injured her toe in elementary school, she put on some comfy shoes and walked herself back to class.

Her dad, Jon Carter, said his daughter’s love of school came naturally.

“She realized every day in school is a learning experience and ‘I do not want to miss a day of that experience.’ That’s what she tells me,” Jon Carter said.

Olivia’s 13-year milestone was recognized as she walked across the stage at her high school graduation. She’s now ushering in a new era as a soon-to-be freshman at Morgan State University.

WJZ Reporter Rachel Menitoff asked Carter: “What are the factors that have played such a significant role in your success?”

“I have a community of people around me that are supporting me and uplifting me, making sure that I know that I am capable of doing everything that I want to set my mind to,” she answered.

Olivia took Advanced Placement psychology at Pikesville High School. She said it inspired her to now minor in psychology with a major in business administration.

Winston-Salem State To Cover Student Textbook Fees This Fall

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Semester after semester, the college classes requiring textbooks can amount to a very costly bill for young students who are often strapped for cash. Luckily, for the undergraduate students coming into Winston-Salem State University this fall, textbooks will be one less thing to pay for! Get the full story on how WSSU is taking care of the tab in the Winston-Salem Journal article by John Newsom below.

Credit: iStock/Fizkes

Undergraduates at Winston-Salem State University won’t have to pay for textbooks this fall.

The university announced Monday that it will cover the cost of all printed and digital textbooks and other course materials for undergraduates for the upcoming fall semester.

That’s an average savings of roughly $650 per student, according to the university’s posted cost of attendance, though textbook prices can vary widely by class and academic major.

The university also said it will give all graduate students a $500 credit to use towards books.

Chancellor Elwood Robinson in a statement called Monday’s announcement “a game-changer” because it covers a significant college expense.

A university spokeswoman said Winston-Salem State might extend the free-textbook offer to the spring semester.

WSSU will cover the expense with a portion of its federal COVID-19 relief funding. The university has received $100 million since early 2020 from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund.

The federal government created the fund to help the nation’s colleges and universities weather the pandemic. Institutions have used the money to cover lost revenues, buy personal protection equipment, pay for COVID-19 testing and other pandemic-related expenses and cover the cost of summer classes. The federal government also required institutions to pay out some of the money directly to college students as financial aid.

Roughly a quarter of Winston-Salem State’s HEERF funding went directly to students. The university can decide how to spend the rest with some conditions.

Winston-Salem State is the second area university to announce that it will buy textbooks for its students. N.C. A&T in June said it will cover the cost of instructional materials for its undergraduates for the next two years. It’s also using federal COVID-19 relief funding.

In a related announcement Monday, Winston-Salem State said students will receive all course materials on or before the first day of classes. This new program, called First Day Complete, is a service offered through Barnes & Noble College, which operates the university’s bookstore.

WSSU’s fall semester classes start Aug. 23.

Excess $10K Raised For Ida B. Wells Statue To Become Rust College Scholarships

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Amid plans for her to be honored on Beale Street in Memphis, the legacy of writer and icon Ida B. Wells is extending into the futures of young students at Rust College, an HBCU that Wells herself once attended! Get the full inspiring story from Hannah Grabenstein in her article on MLK50 below.

Nearly 130 years after Ida B. Wells was forced to leave Memphis when white mobs destroyed her newspaper office, Friday’s unveiling of a statue of the investigative reporter will shine a light on a courageous civil rights figure, an organizer of the event said.

Ida B. Wells documented the circumstances of the killings of Black people by white mobs in the U.S. and was one of the founders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Photo by Andrea Morales for MLK50.

“Memphis has a chance to say we were wrong and we want to get it right. And we want to honor this (woman), even if it’s posthumously,” said L. LaSimba M. Gray Jr., chairman of the Memphis Memorial Committee, which organized the effort to erect the statue in the newly named Ida B. Wells Plaza at Beale and Fourth Streets.

The bronze statue will be unveiled at 11 a.m. Friday on the 159th anniversary of Wells’ birth. It’s the culmination of a little over a year and a half of work by the committee in partnership with the Neshoba Community Resource Center, a community service nonprofit organized by Gray.

The idea for the statue came to Gray in December 2019 in a conversation with the late civil rights activist Miriam DeCosta-Willis. They agreed that “without debate, Ida B. Wells deserves to be honored” with a monument.

The committee commissioned local artist Andrea Lugar and her husband, Larry, to design and create the statue.

The committee’s work, including raising more than $260,000, continued amidst the pandemic. They needed to raise $250,000 for the project, Gray said, and money is still coming in. Some will be used to further develop the plaza; the excess will go to scholarships at Rust College, the historically Black college Wells’ father helped found and that she briefly attended.

The committee also returned a $5,000 donation from Byhalia Pipeline, which killed a proposed project in Southwest Memphis two weeks ago. Gray said he did not think Wells would have supported the crude oil pipeline through Black communities, which vigorously fought it.

‘Ring out injustice’

In a city with deep and tragic civil rights roots, Wells’ legacy is a piece of that story, said Ruby Bright, the Memorial Committee’s honorary co-chair and the president and CEO at the Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis.

The corner of Fourth and Beale Streets will soon be the site of Ida B. Wells Plaza. The unveiling of a statue in honor of the pioneering journalist will take place on Friday morning, July 16. Photo by Andrea Morales for MLK50

“She made a significant contribution to ring out injustice … I think that there is the linkage of history that connects to the National Civil Rights Museum and the assassination of Dr. King,” she said. In doing so, it’s important to focus on the whole story, including the leadership and courage of both trailblazers, Bright said. 

Wells was born into slavery on July 16, 1862, in Holly Springs, Mississippi. When she was nearly 6 months old, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. She dropped out of university at 16 to care for her younger siblings after her parents died in yellow fever outbreaks. They moved to Memphis in 1882. 

Two years later, Wells successfully sued a railroad after she refused to give up her first-class ticket and sit in the car for Black passengers. The state Supreme Court later overturned the ruling.

Wells, who was a teacher, began writing about race and politics, and eventually left teaching to become a full-time journalist. After a lynch mob murdered Wells’ friend, People’s Grocery owner Tom Moss, as well as his associates Calvin McDowell and Will Stewart in 1892, she turned her attention to exposing lynching in the South. On May 27 that year, while on a trip away from Memphis, white mobs destroyed her office and equipment. After that, she permanently left the city, moving to Chicago.

She devoted the rest of her life to writing about lynching and fighting for the rights of Black people and women, particularly Black women. She was crucial to the women’s suffrage movement. When white organizers told Black marchers they could not walk together in a 1913 parade in Washington, D.C., Wells refused to march at the back.

Among many benefits, Bright sees the statue as one step toward righting an imbalance in who society memorializes, noting the dearth of statues nationally honoring women and the especially small number honoring Black women.

The statue, which Gray said is the first in the world of Wells, will not stand alone in the plaza. Joining it will be an antique printing press in honor of Wells’ investigative work, four large plates describing various eras in Wells’ life and an award recognizing her work as a “warrior,” Gray said. 

There will also be a memorial to Wells’ three friends who were lynched called the “Tree of Strange Fruit,” which Gray described as a “limb made of copper rods” that leans to the north, a symbol of freedom. The men’s names will hang from the tree.

Statues of Confederate leaders continue to be taken down nationally, but Gray wouldn’t talk about the erection of Wells’ statue in that context.

“It’s meaningful,” he said. But he added, “I do not discuss Ida B. Wells in the same sentence with Confederate statue removal. There’s no comparison.” 

Friday’s unveiling will follow a week of events honoring Wells and her legacy, including a Zoom panel today at 5:30 p.m. that includes MLK50: Justice Through Journalism editor and publisher Wendi Thomas, a Thursday pilgrimage to the lynching site and gravesite of the men, and a minister’s workshop that evening entitled “How to Stay Awake in the Midst of a Revolution.” 

Before the unveiling, there will be a parade from Main and Beale streets to the unveiling site at Beale and Fourth streets.

When she was growing up, Bright had to seek out information about Wells to learn about her, she said. 

“But to have a statue of Ida B. Wells on Beale Street –  it just seemed to me a full circle come around to honor her and her legacy. She didn’t get to come back to Memphis and tell her story, and it’s one that is unfortunate and the story that she told was horrific. However, I think young people need to have the opportunity to learn about it.”

Chadé Johnson, Daughter Of Chad “OchoCinco,” Heading to Prairie View A&M University

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Chadé Johnson, daughter of football Hall of Famer Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, is heading to the illustrious Prairie View A&M University after her recent graduation from high school! The future PVAMU Panther will be repping the Class of 2025, and many await the gems she will learn during her HBCU journey!

PVAMU makes complete sense as a choice for Chadé. Although her father Chad Johnson transferred to Oregon State University from Santa Monica college, he consistently shares his admiration for Florida A&M University. As a Florida native, Johnson has shared that he would like to one day be a student and coach at FAMU. The former wide receiver was a second round pick for The Cincinnati Bengals can the 2001 NFL Draft.

Chad has gone to great like to show his children the value of hard work. For example, earlier this year he was in the spotlight for a controversial tweet telling one of his children, who shared that they were looking forward to receiving new expensive Yeezy’s, that they would have to work for it like he did. When asked “How imma get a job and I have school & track practice to attend throughout the day,” Chad was asked. Always a frugal but hard worker, he responded frankly “I caught the bus to school, then went to football practice, caught the bus to McDonald’s for a 6hr shift all while maintaining a 2.2 gpa & being a star athlete.”

However, it’s not that Johnson won’t spoil his daughter. Around Christmastime last year, Ocho Cinco gifted Chadé her first car, a new grey Nissan Altima, among other gifts! Kim Kardashian even sent Chadé a special message on a truck at her graduation party!

Undoubtedly, Chadé is looking forward to her time at Prairie View! The incoming freshman recently posted a graduation photo, sharing that “Now is my time to pursue my purpose!”

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Even the team at Prairie View A&M University are looking forward to Chadé attending the university. Chad Johnson tweeted yesterday, “So excited for my daughter,” as he asked whether any PVAMU alums follow him. The university responded to the tweet, adding “Welcome to the Hill, @babyychade!”