A Howard Alumna Establishes Six-Figure Oncology Scholarship Honoring Mother

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Howard University students who have taken on the selfless work of caring for cancer patients will now have an angel on their side. Shirley Smith Charles dedicated her own life to working at Howard University’s Cancer Center. When she passed away, her family wanted to see her legacy live on in others at Howard. Thanks to Charles’ Howard alumna daughter, a new substantial scholarship will support the students putting others first. Read the full story from Howard below.

Howard alumna Lisa Charles Lewis (’85) has established a scholarship for the Howard University College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences in honor of her late mother, Shirley Smith Charles, a member of the Howard University Hospital family. This six-figure endowment is one of the largest single gifts ever given to the College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences.

Shirley Smith Charles joined the Howard University Cancer Center as a health educator in December 1978. Earlier that year, Mrs. Smith Charles had lost her mother to cancer, and, as a result, was impassioned to improve access to screening and early detection of cancerous conditions for all people.

“My mother dedicated years of her tenure at the Cancer Center working on community outreach efforts, which educated the public about all aspects of cancer, specifically cancer prevention and early detection. She volunteered hundreds of hours with the American Cancer Society and other cancer awareness programs, while advocating for patients in need of treatment or supportive care,” said Charles Lewis. 

Shirley Smith Charles worked at the Howard University Hospital for 24 years, culminating her service as manager of the ambulatory care clinic in 2002. She was not the only one in her household committed to prioritizing the health of the community. Her husband, Leslie Charles, MD, (’60) completed his premedicine undergraduate training at Howard, which further exposed her to the academic complexities and financial sacrifices endured by so many health care students.

“It gives us tremendous joy to establish a scholarship fund in honor of my mother, and through this endowment, our family is continuing her passionate work towards finding a cure for this dreadful disease. Providing financial assistance to nursing students who are dedicated to caring for the sick and possess an interest in oncology are of interest to us,” says Charles Lewis, who is joined by her brothers, L. Derek Charles, Robert D. Charles and Wayne C. Charles and her husband, David Baker Lewis, in establishing this scholarship. “Our hope is to impact the lives of students as sincerely as my mother did. She would be pleased to reward students who demonstrate academic excellence and she would be fully committed to easing the financial burden of students who encounter financial obstacles in completing their college education.”

The scholarships will be awarded to undergraduate nursing majors in the College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences who demonstrate leadership and/or service in the community while pursuing studies in oncologic nursing in preparation for a career in the field. Selected students will be in good standing and demonstrate need for financial assistance as determined by the University’s Office of Financial Aid. Awarded scholarships will also include students who are single parents or who are being supported by a single parent. The recipients will be known as Shirley Smith Charles Nursing Scholars. 

“The work of Shirley Smith Charles as an educator-pioneer at Howard University Hospital sets the pace for so many. The generous gifting led by her daughter serves as a beacon of hope. The family joins Lisa in honoring Shirley Smith Charles at Howard University Hospital,” says Gina Brown, Ph.D., RN, MSA, FAAN, dean of the College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences. “The scholarship will help countless numbers of nursing students within the College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences become successful practitioners within the field of nursing. I am humbled and honored to work with Lisa Charles Lewis in bestowing such a generous and heartfelt gift to honor the memory of her precious mother. We salute Shirley Smith Charles and Dr. Leslie Charles’ legacy of raising such children of promise and strength who understand how important it is to give back to the University. We again express our sincere gratitude.”

28 Court Cases That Shaped The Black Community

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Civil Rights for African Americans can be traced back to slavery time when John Casor, a black man who claimed to have completed his debt as an indenture slave in a civil case in the Virginia colony. Black consciousness and the way we live today has been shaped by these courage’s men and women who fought for justice and civil rights. Here are cases that had an impact on black lives before during and after the movement.

Dred Scott v. Sandford

In 1857 a slave by name of Dred Scott sued for his freedom because he lived in a “free” territory which was named Dred Scott v. Sanford. Naturally the court ruled against his favor stating that he was his master’s property under the Constitution.

Emancipation Proclamation

On January 1, 1863 the Emancipation Proclamation was issued by President Lincoln that slaves should be free.

13th Amendment

On December 6, 1865 the 13th Amendment of the constitution abolished slavery. States in the South managed to revive slavery era codes making it hard for blacks to live, work or participate in society.

14th Amendment

July 9, 1868 the 14th Amendment granted due process and equal protection under the law to African Americans.

Civil Rights Act of 1875

March 1, 1875 A Civil Rights Act was passed that kept out cases of racial discrimination and guaranteed equal access to public accommodations regardless of race or color. White groups created a campaign against blacks and their white supporters.

Plessy v. Ferguson

Plessy v. Ferguson of 1896 case upheld a law in Louisiana requiring restaurants, hotels and other public places to serve blacks in a separate but equal environment.

Murray vs. Maryland

Murray vs. Maryland (1936) was a case brought to the Baltimore City Court with the influence and help of Thurgood Marshall arguing that Donald Murray was rejected from this law school because of its racial acceptance policy and won the case against Maryland which led to Murray graduating two years later.

Missouri ex el Gaines v. Canada

In 1938 the Supreme Court ruled that Lionel Gates, an aspiring law student, must be admitted to the all-white University of Missouri School of Law in the Missouri ex el Gaines v. Canada case.

Bolling v. Sharpe

In 1947 Garly Bishop attempted to get eleven African American students enrolled in the newly John Philip Sousa Junior High School but were turned away even when the institution had several seats left. This resulted in the Bolling v. Sharpe case.

Sweatt v. Painter

Sweatt v. Painter of 1950 was influenced by their victory of the Gaines case. When Heman Sweatt tried to segregate the law school at University of Texas he instead, along with other African American law student hopefuls were funded an all “black” school instead of learning aside white law students. Sweatt argued that the caliber of the education they were receiving was not that of the “white” law students which lingered to the Supreme Court who ruled in his favor.

Plessy v. Ferguson

In 1950 Thurgood Marshall led an overturn of the Plessy v. Ferguson case that urged the Court to end segregation of African American students in law and graduate school at Oklahoma State called the Sweatt v. Painter and McLauren v. Oklahoma State Regents cases.

Belton v. Gebhart

Belton v. Gebhart in 1951 was created parents whose children were forced to send their children to a downhill segregated high school in Wilmington rather than a school in the community. Bulah v. Gebhart initiated by Sarah Bulah, a concerned parent made attempts to convince the Delaware Department of Public Instruction to provide bus transportation for black children in the town of Hockessin

The Brown v. Board of Education

The Brown v. Board of Education also led by Marshall was a series of five cases to desegregate schools in 1954.

Brown vs. Board II

Five years later in 1955 Brown vs. Board II, the Supreme Court demanded that school systems must do away with racially dual systems but with “deliberate” speed, a line that would affect the school system years later.

Montgomery bus system

The Supreme Court ruled in 1956 the case of the residents of Montgomery that segregation of the Montgomery bus system was illegal.

Cooper v. Aaron

In 1958 the Supreme Court stated that officials could not nullify the implementing of desegregation efforts in the Cooper v. Aaron case in Little Rock, Arkansas.

F.W. Woolworth’s Lunch

On February 1, 1960 four black university students started a sit-in at a segregated F.W. Woolworth’s lunch counter in Greensboro, N.C

Executive Order 10925

March 6, 1960 President Kennedy issued Executive Order 10925, prohibiting discrimination in federal government hiring on the basis of race and religion.

Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee

The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) was founded at Shaw University in Raleigh, N.C. in 1960

The 24th Amendment

The 24th Amendment abolished the poll tax that made it difficult for blacks to vote which had been created in 11 southern states on January 23, 1964

Civil Rights Act of 1866

In Jones v. Alfred H. Mayer Co of 1968 the Court stated that the Civil Rights Act of 1866 bans discrimination in housing by private.

Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education

In Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education, the Court ruled that busing was a legal rule for addressing illegal segregation of the schools in 1971.

Milliken v. Bradley

In a 1974 case named Milliken v. Bradley involving the Detroit metropolitan area, the Court stopped school busing at the city’s borders. This 5-4 vote blocked the city suburb desegregation plan that involved busing around school district’s boundaries.

Milliken II of 1977

Milliken II of 1977 allowed the Court to order the state of Michigan and the Detroit school system to give money to a plan to address the educational deficits faced by African American children.

Regents of the University of California v. Bakke

Regents of the University of California v. Bakke. In 1968 the Supreme Court ruled that the medical school’s special admissions setting aside a number of seats for minorities violated the Title VI Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Mobile v. Bolden

In 1980 the City of Mobile v. Bolden, the Court interpreted the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments along with the Voting Rights Act of 1965. It stated that in order to create a violation the government must prove that any change in the practices of voting that hurts minorities was motivated by discriminatory intent. It was later overturned by the 1982 Voting Rights Act Amendments.

Wygant v. Jackson Board of Education

In Wygant v. Jackson Board of Education (1986) the Court says that a public employer couldn’t lay off more senior white workers to protect the jobs of less senior black workers as a result of lawful affirmative action programs.

City of Richmond v. Croson

The Court’s ruling in City of Richmond v. Croson in 1989 invalidated Richmond, Virginia’s local ordinance establishing a minority business set aside program.

Chris Paul To Produce Docuseries About North Carolina Central Basketball Team

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Winston-Salem State University student Chris Paul has put forth a concerted effort to support and represent HBCUs. Now well-established in his NBA career, Paul has taken on a big step to expand his skills off the court. Paul is now an executive producer, with his upcoming project focused on North Carolina Central University. Learn more about the new docuseries “Why Not Us,” and the history Paul will capture with fellow Winston-Salem alum Steven A. Smith in the article from The Hollywood Reporter below.

NBA star Chris Paul has long championed historically Black colleges and universities, partnering with Harvard Business School last year to develop an entertainment, media and sports curriculum at North Carolina A&T and most recently repping a different school on his sneakers during every game in the league’s Orlando bubble last fall. Now the Phoenix Suns guard is taking his support another step further as executive producer of a new ESPN+ docuseries about one men’s basketball team at an HBCU.

Why Not Us: North Carolina Central University Men’s Basketball, premiering Feb. 12, is the first premium project to debut under The Undefeated on ESPN+, a partnership between the streamer and its race- and culture-focused sister brand. Paul’s production company, Ohh Dip!!!, originated the idea for the eight-episode series and brought it to ESPN, and filming commenced in the fall as the 2020-21 college basketball season opened amid sustained COVID uncertainty. To help promote the series, Paul also shot one-on-one conversations with famous HBCU alums, including Morehouse’s Spike Lee and Howard’s Taraji P. Henson, which will live on on ESPN+.

Courtesy of ESPN

“Everyone in my family went to HBCUs except me. I grew up with every HBCU sort of in my backyard,” Paul, 35, tells The Hollywood Reporter. He hails from North Carolina, home to 11 HBCUs (second-most in the country), including his hometown’s namesake Winston-Salem State. But the 2003 McDonald’s High School All-American instead played college ball for the city’s other university, Wake Forest, which is part of the basketball powerhouse ACC conference.

“Even though I grew up right there with all those HBCUs, they didn’t really recruit me because they didn’t think they had a chance,” says Paul, who is now pursuing a degree at Winston-Salem State. “When I was coming up, you felt like you had to attend a PWI [predominantly white institution] in order to be seen.”

Recruitment matters because a school’s ability to land top prospects burnishes not only its on-court fortunes but also its ability to attract additional talent and resources and fundraise for the entire institution. HBCUs have traditionally remained on the sidelines as the nation’s most talented young athletes, many of them Black, commit to PWIs, motivating boosters (who add to a university’s endowment) and elevating a program’s chances of postseason glory (which comes with its own direct financial rewards). And in turn, these college athletes miss out on the potential of an educational and social experience unique to HBCU culture.

Why Not Us arrives at a time when HBCUs are enjoying a recent burst of mainstream exposure, both in the sports world (current Howard freshman Makur Maker is the first ESPN Top 100 recruit to play for an HBCU) and beyond (Howard alumna Kamala Harris is vice president of the United States). “Look at the impact that HBCUs are having on society as a whole,” says ESPN Original Content and ESPN Films vice president and executive producer Brian Lockhart. “It’s an unexplored reservoir of stories. This series hopes to give a deep sense of a program that lives in the shadows of bluebloods like North Carolina and Duke but has equally as impressive a record of success right down Tobacco Road.”

Roadside Entertainment, which previously partnered with Ohh Dip!!! and ESPN on the 2018 Black youth lacrosse documentary Crossroads, is also producing Why Not Us alongside Mr. SAS Inc., the production shingle of ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith (a Winston-Salem State grad). The hope is for the inaugural season to spawn a franchise that will delve into other sports as well as other aspects of HBCU life. “We can see this franchise branch out to step teams, dance squads,” says Lockhart. “Competition and athleticism exist inside of HBCUs in a lot of different flavors.”

Meanwhile, another Ohh Dip!!!-produced project is set to premiere soon, this one on HBO: The Day Sports Stood Still, an Antoine Fuqua-directed documentary that traces the chain of events than began March 11, 2020 when Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19. The NBA’s abrupt shutdown (and Tom Hanks’ diagnosis the same day) were for many Americans the first bellwethers of the pandemic that would change everyone’s lives. The doc centers around Paul, and for good reason: At the time, he was on the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Jazz’s opponents that night, and as president of the NBA Players Association, he also was pivotal in discussions surrounding the league’s stuttered 2019-20 season that had to navigate not only the pandemic but also the athlete-led response to the racial justice reawakening over the summer.

Courtesy of Art Streiber

“The added benefit of working with Chris on this film was that he was both a producer as well as a subject,” says Imagine Documentaries president Justin Wilkes, who is producing alongside Fuqua Films. “Chris was able to leverage his relationships to help land interviews with some of the biggest athletes as well as grant our cameras unprecedented access inside the NBA bubble. And at the same time, he was incredibly open and vulnerable as a subject, allowing us to document the intensely personal impact of the NBA shutdown and his family’s reaction to the social justice reckoning in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder.”

The project was able to come together so quickly because Paul, sensing history in the making, had called Imagine executive chair Brian Grazer from his Oklahoma City condo the night the Thunder-Jazz game was cancelled. The two knew each other through Bob Iger, whom Paul had met and befriended after they interviewed one another for the 2015 AOL Originals series Win/Win. Fuqua, a neighbor of Paul’s during his time on the Los Angeles Clippers, came on board a few calls later. “It comes from relationships,” says Paul, speaking like a true producer.

“When he was in his mid-20s, he [already] presented like a CEO,” says Michael Levine, co-head of CAA Sports, where Paul has been a client for most of his career. The agency had already been working with Paul on his playing contracts, endorsement deals and philanthropic work when he was traded to L.A. in 2011 and began considering his prospects in the film and television industry.

“It wasn’t as if the day he arrived at the Clippers, he opened a production company,” Levine says. “He took a lot of time meeting with people that we introduced him to [like Iger] to get a sense of what was possible for him. His goal was to try and tell stories that resonated with him and to be a voice for those that he felt were being underserved. At a certain point, he realized that creating his own production company [would serve that]. That’s the origin of how this all came about.

Tennessee State Alum & Senior VP Gigi Dixon Reflects On The Value Of HBCUs

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Gigi Dixon is sharing how her time at Tennessee State University was integral in how she positively views herself and the world around her. Always the hard worker, she even became TSU’s first female student government president. Being immersed in an environment of unapologetic Black leadership led her to become the Senior Vice President and Senior Director of External Relations for National Constituents at Wells Fargo. Read her full story in a profile called “Our Point Of View.”

As we celebrate and honor the great achievements of African Americans during Black History Month, it is fitting to reflect on what it means to be Black in America. I will never forget how my mother insisted that I attend a historically Black university after graduating from high school in Greenville, South Carolina. She was proud of the scholarship I received to attend Northwestern University and even allowed me to visit the campus in Evanston, Illinois. All the while, however, my mom never intended for me to enroll at Northwestern, where I would likely succeed but not embrace my ethnicity while learning about Black history and the rich legacy of African Americans.

Credit: Wells Fargo

Mom wanted me to continue my education in an environment surrounded by Black excellence and unapologetic Black leadership, nurtured and encouraged by an educational community known for preparing young African Americans to achieve in all disciplines and against all odds. She knew that I would thrive at a historically Black college or university, or HBCU, with a smaller setting of faculty, staff, and administrators who would know my name, care for my health and safety, and invest in a holistic educational experience to develop me for a successful career. And that is how I ended up at Tennessee State University in Nashville.

One of my fondest memories of college was meeting and getting to know TSU alumnus Dr. Levi Watkins, a cardiac surgeon who created and implanted the automatic defibrillator. I was honored to follow in Dr. Watkins’ footsteps as TSU Student Government Association president, an achievement that allowed me to become a part of TSU’s history while developing leadership, policy, negotiation, and administrative skills that I may not have had the opportunity to develop as a student in a massive ecosystem like Northwestern University. 

At TSU, I found my passion in radio and television, media, and public relations, and I discovered my deep compassion for people, human rights, and social justice. Because of the uniqueness of the HBCU experience — where Black students are in a community without the pressures of being an ethnic minority, socially disconnected, or stereotyped based on race — we were embraced, celebrated, and encouraged to achieve.

Looking back, I learned that as a Black woman in America, I am powerful and capable of achieving my goals and dreams if I am willing to “enter to learn and go forth to serve.” That was our motto at TSU, which today simply says, “Think. Work. Serve.” We were living in a microcosm of the world. And, as such, we were encouraged to be civic-minded leaders and to take control of our destiny, making decisions and performing actions that would clear the path for high achievement. I learned the importance of preserving and promoting the HBCU legacy as a student and as a leader on campus and in the Nashville community.

Credit: Wells Fargo

At Wells Fargo, I am proud to work with leaders who understand, appreciate, and invest in higher education and the legacy of HBCUs. Wells Fargo’s long-standing support of the United Negro College Fund, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, and member HBCUs is inspiring for me and many of my colleagues. It has allowed us to work directly with these college funds, engage with HBCU students through internships, mentor in financial health programs, and serve as HBCU trustees and donors. I am honored to be able to participate in Wells Fargo’s commitment to invest in higher education scholarships for deserving students who, like me, want to change the world.

2020 was a devastating year for many who have suffered loss resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and for those of us who were reminded of more than 400 years of racial inequity, systemic oppression, violence, and the disparate impact of health, environmental, and economic crisis on the Black community. And yet, we as African Americans draw strength from our belief that like our ancestors, we too can survive and overcome.   

Reflecting on my time at TSU, being Black in America, and my profound HBCU experience reminds me of the importance of sharing our perspectives and our journey, and inviting others to join in a movement to heal and reveal a path forward toward justice, equity, and opportunity for all people.

Spelman Alumna Stacey Abrams Nominated For Nobel Peace Prize

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Spelman College alumna Stacey Abrams has led a lifetime of social justice reform all over the United States. Most recently, she has been credited with the very difficult task of flipping historically republican state Georgia blue. Today, we are happy to share that her political masterminding has resulted in her nomination of a very important prize! Get the full details from The Hill below!

Stacey Abrams, the former Georgia gubernatorial Democratic candidate and star voting rights activist, has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, Reuters reports.

Abrams and her organization Fair Fight Action were integral in increasing Black voter turnout in Georgia this election cycle — a sprawling, years-long effort that culminated in the long-time red state turning blue.

Courtesy of Alyssa Pointer 

Lars Haltbrekken, a Socialist Party politician in Norway’s Parliament, said Monday, the first day of Black History Month in the U.S. and the last day for someone to be nominated for the prize, that “Abrams’ work follows in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s footsteps in the fight for equality before the law and for civil rights.”

King won the award in 1964.

Haltbrekken added: “Abrams’ efforts to complete King’s work are crucial if the United States of America shall succeed in its effort to create fraternity between all its peoples and a peaceful and just society,” Haltbrekken said.

Thousands of people are eligible to nominate someone for the honor, which is announced annually in October.

The Oslo-based Norwegian Nobel Committee will release a short list for the award in March. Other notable candidates this year include Russian dissident Alexei Navalny and teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg.  

Abrams’ fight against voter suppression began in 2014, when she launched the New Georgia Project to get unregistered Black Georgians signed up to vote in the midterm elections that year.

Following a narrow defeat in the state’s 2018 gubernatorial race to Republican now-Gov. Brian Kemp, Abrams created Fair Fight Action to continue combating voter suppression in Georgia and around the country.

Courtesy of Benjamin Lowy/Getty Images

Kemp as Georgia’s secretary of state in 2017 orchestrated what critics described as the largest voter purge in U.S. history — an action that disproportionately affected the Peach State’s Black residents. 

To be sure, voting rights work in Georgia is rooted in strong grassroots organizing, but Abrams is undoubtedly the face of the movement.

Abrams received kudos from celebrities and lawmakers alike after President Biden narrowly defeated former President Trump in November and even more after Democrats pulled off a surprise sweep of Georgia’s Senate runoff elections.

It is widely expected that Abrams will soon announce a second bid for Georgia’s governorship. No Black woman has been elected a state’s governor.

The last U.S. winner of the Nobel Peace Prize was former President Obama in 2009.

28 HBCU Alums That Made History

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In celebration of Black History Month we have compiled a list of 28 HBCU alums that made history. The list is a mixture of historic and current notable HBCU alums. Additionally, the list focuses on those that actually graduated, even though there were many who attended but did not graduate, such as Oprah Winfrey, Sean Combs, and Erykah Badu.

If an HBCU alum you wanted to see featured did not make the list, keep in mind that it is only a list of 28. It is a testament to our institutions and a point of pride that we can compile lists of our standout alums and we then have to make tough decisions on who is included.

Enjoy reading, and remember that Black History is 365, and not just during the month of February!

 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. – Morehouse College


He was a Baptist preacher/minister and civil rights activist. King is viewed as the leader of the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. He rose to prominence as the leader of the Montgomery Bus Boycott sparked by the arrest if Rosa Parks for refusing to give up her seat on the bus to White man. He was essential in fighting for the federal civil rights and voting rights legislation that came to be the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. He later became a chief advocate for human rights, the poor (economic justice), workers’ rights, and anti-war (Vietnam) and U.S. imperialism abroad.

Thurgood Marshall – Lincoln University, Howard University

Marshall was the first African-American Supreme Court Justice in United States history. He rose to prominence as the legal arm of the NAACP, establishing the Legal Defense and Education Fund in 1940. He won more cases before the Supreme Court than anyone else, including the infamous Brown v. The Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas (1954) which ended legal segregation in the school system.

Jerry Rice – Mississippi Valley State


Rice is an NFL Hall of Fame wide receiver. He is widely recognized as the greatest receiver in the history of the NFL and at any position, holding many of the receiving all-time records. He won three super bowl rings with the San Francisco 49ers.

Spike Lee – Morehouse College


Lee is a world famous innovative director who was one of the few African-American film directors to be nominated for an academy award, His notable works include: “Do the Right Thing,” “School Daze,” “Malcolm X,” Inside Man,” “Jungle Fever,” “She’s Gotta Have It,” and “He Got Game.”

Julius Chambers – North Carolina Central University


He graduated summa cum laude in 1958 from NCCU where he also served as Student Body President. Chambers was an accomplished civil rights attorney who succeeded Thurgood Marshall and Jack Greenberg as president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund in 1984. He had a law practice in Charlotte, North Carolina. He won case after case against racial segregation enduring firebombings of his house, office, and car in the process. He argued eight cases before the Supreme Court and won each of them. In addition, he served as Chancellor of his Alma Mater from 1993-2001.

Toni Morrison – Howard University

Morrison is Nobel Prize winning author. Some of her classic works include Beloved and Song of Solomon.

Alice Walker – Spelman College

Walker is a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer. She is most recognized for her work The Color Purple. (The exception on the list, in terms of graduating; she later transferred)

Pam Oliver – Florida A&M University


She has been seen on the sidelines of numerous NBA and NFL games. She has been a reporter for ESPN, Fox Sports, and TNT. Oliver earned her degree in broadcast journalism in 1984.

Samuel L. Jackson – Morehouse College


Jackson is a world famous actor with a significant list of notable films to his credit. He originally studied marine biology at Morehouse before switching his major studies to acting.

Taraji P. Henson – Howard University


She is a famously acclaimed Academy Award-nominated actress. She actually worked as a secretary at the Pentagon to pay bills during her college career.

Jesse Jackson – North Carolina A&T State University

He is a prominent civil rights activist who graduated from NC A&T in 1964. He has often been regarded in the past as one of the most important Black leaders. He also ran for President twice, in 1984 and 1988, gaining significant support an progress although ultimately unsuccessful.

Ralph David Abernathy – Alabama State University


Abernathy was a Baptist minister and civil rights activist who cofounded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. He was a close advisor to Martin Luther King Jr. during his life in the civil rights struggle.

Marian Wright Edelman – Spelman College

Edelman is a writer, lawyer, and civil rights activist. She is probably best known for her legal advocacy work for African-Americans during the Civil Rights Movement era and after. She was the first woman in Mississippi to pass the bar exam. She was a lawyer for the NAACP and has written many books on the issue of racial inequality in the United States.

Lonnie Johnson – Tuskegee University

Nicknamed “The Professor” Johnson is an inventor and engineer. He joined the U.S. Air Force after receiving his master’s degree from Tuskegee University. He was assigned to the Strategic Command and in this capacity he helped to develop the stealth bomber program. In addition, he was a system engineer for both the Galileo and Cassini mission to Jupiter and Saturn, respectively. He is probably most famous for inventing the super soaker, which became and still one of the most popular toys in the world.

Langston Hughes – Lincoln University

He was poet, playwright, novelist, and social activist. He was a prominent figure of the Harlem Renaissance publishing his first poem in 1921 and his first book in 1926. He went on to write great works of poetry, prose, and plays with African-American themes.

Ralph Ellison – Tuskegee University

Ellison was a scholar, educator, literary critic, and author. He is best known for his award-winning Invisible Man published in 1952. The work influenced many writers and thinkers in that generation and the generations to follow.

Stephen A. Smith – Winston-Salem State University

The ESPN analyst is a host of his own radio show and a part of the duo, along with Skip Bayless, on the popular ESPN debate show First Take.

Lionel Richie – Tuskegee University

He is a world famous Grammy award-winning singer and songwriter with numerous top hits. He was successful both with his R&B group the Commodores and as a solo artist. He co-wrote “We Are the World” with Michael Jackson, which became the anthem for relief from hunger and for the conditions of people around the world.

Fred Shuttlesworth – Alabama State University

Shuttlesworth was a civil rights activist and Baptist minister. He was a key leader in the Civil Rights Movement along with Dr. King. He co-founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

Booker T. Washington – Hampton University

Washington was a former slave that went on to become one of the most prominent African-American leaders in history. He was educator and civil rights activist. He founded the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute that is now known as Tuskegee University.

Leon Sullivan – West Virginia State University

Sullivan was a Baptist minister, civil rights activist, and social justice. He was also an anti-Apartheid activist. He had a focus on job training opportunities for African-Americans. Additionally, he founded the Opportunities Industrialization Centers (OIC).

David Satcher – Morehouse College

Satcher is a physician who graduated from Morehouse College. Under the Clinton administration he served as the surgeon general (1998-2002). Before that appointment he was the director of the Center for Disease Control.

Katherine Johnson – West Virginia State University

She was a mathematician and computer scientist. Johnson became a part of the all-male flight research division of National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). When NACA became the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) she went on to join the Spacecraft Controls Branch. In this capacity she calculated the flight trajectory for Alan Shepard, the first American to enter space in 1959. In 1962 she verified the mathematics behind John Glenn’s orbit around the Earth in 1962. Most notably she calculated the flight trajectory for Apollo 11’s moon flight in 1969.

Charles Scales – Alabama A&M University


He earned his bachelor’s degree in business from Alabama A&M University. He is best known for being the Associate Deputy Administrator for NASA.

Nikki Giovanni – Fisk University


Giovanni is a world renowned poet, writer, activist, and educator. She remains a passionate civil rights activist and remains a powerful voice in the Black community, specifically, and beyond. She has received a plethora of awards and honors, which is a testament to her living legend.

Yolanda Adams – Tennessee State University

Adams is an award-winning Gospel Artist. She currently host The Yolanda Adams Morning Show radio show on Praise.

Colbert I. King – Howard University


He is a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, who was a columnist for the Washington Post. He served as Deputy Editor of the paper as well. He now frequently appears on ABC’S Inside Washington.

Evelynn Hammonds – Spelman College

Hammonds earned her degree in physics from Spelamn in 1976. She eventually went on to become Harvard College Dean. Her writing on science and race is broadly cited in academic circles. She has earned degrees from Georgia Institute of Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Harvard.

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There are tons of graduates that are from Historically Black Colleges and Universities that make black history. Feel free to add more below! 

Principal Who Stocks Walmart Shelves To Raise Money For His Students Gets $50K Donation From Store

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A Morris Brown College alumnus has recently gone viral after taking on a surprising side job. By working after school at Walmart, Principal Henry Darby is giving his students food, other resources, and hope. Now, Darby was just given a boost of his own. Read the story from People below to find out more about the great news!

A high school principal in South Carolina is being recognized for working around the clock to help take care of his students.  

After learning about the economic hardships some of his students face, North Charleston High School Principal Henry Darby took a second job at Walmart, working the overnight shift several days a week in order to raise funds for students in need, the Today show reported.

“I get emotional because when you’ve got children you’ve heard slept under a bridge, or a former student and her child are sleeping in a car…I wasn’t going to say no,” he said during a Today interview that aired Friday.

Courtesy of Charleston County Schools

“At my age, we don’t ask for money, we just don’t,” he added. “You just go ahead and do what you need to do.”

Although news of Darby’s generosity would eventually go viral, he initially kept the fact that he was working two jobs to himself — even from his manager at Walmart.  

“I didn’t expect the attention,” he said during a recent interview with WCBD. “I simply wanted to work for Walmart without fanfare and to use those resources for my students.” 

“It leaked out and this is beyond my greatest imagination,” he added during his Today show appearance, noting that he gets his sense of duty from his mother, who impressed on him the importance of giving back to his community without asking for anything in return. 

In recognition of all of the work that Darby has put in on behalf of his students, Walmart reached out to Today in order to orchestrate a special surprise — presenting him with a $50,000 check.

“You’re awesome and we appreciate you here at Walmart for all that you’re doing to support your community,” said his boss. 

“I’m speechless,” Darby replied. “Thank you so very much. This is going to go a very, very long way.” 

As for what the future holds, Darby said that he has no plans to step away from his second job and will continue using that paycheck for his students. 

Courtesy of Grace Beahm

“I’m going to stick with Walmart,” he said.

A GoFundMe was also created earlier this month in order to help the principal raise funds — and ended up meeting its original goal of $20,000 within just 48 hours. As of Friday afternoon, the GoFundMe has already raised nearly $100,000. 

Darby also told WCBD that someone who recently visited his office offered 10 separate $5,000 scholarships as well as an ongoing $1,000 donation for the next 12 months.  

HBCU Student-Athletes Prepare For The First Virtual CIAA Tournament

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With COVID-19 precautions overshadowing annual tournament plans, the CIAA has had to get creative. For the first time in its history, the organization will have a virtual tournament. However, with celebrity hosts, cool sponsor experiences, and more set in place it seems it won’t be any less fun! Get more full details below from The Times And Democrat.

The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, the nation’s oldest historically Black athletic conference, in partnership with Visit Baltimore, announced its first-ever virtual tournament.

Courtesy of The Source

The week-long celebration will be tabbed the CIAA Virtual Vibe: Tournament Edition and takes place from Feb. 23-27, traditionally known as CIAA Basketball Tournament week. The CIAA Virtual Vibe marks the tournament’s 76th annual celebration of HBCU championship basketball, sports and culture.

Free registration for the tournament is now open at https://ciaatournament.vfairs.com/.

“The CIAA Virtual Tournament Week will give the fans a legitimate alternative to the historic tournament,” Director of Athletics Tony O’Neal said. “Given the nature of the pandemic, the virtual tournament week will provide students, alumni, and fans with some of the tournament feel until we can return in-person next year.”

The CIAA Virtual Vibe: Tournament Edition will feature a Baltimore-themed interactive virtual platform that will help welcome fans to the “Charm City” while showcasing a host of events, including several that serve as cornerstones of tournament week. These include the always popular CIAA Fan Fest presented by Nationwide and the CIAA Step Show presented by McDonald’s, plus community engagement mainstays High School Education Day presented by the U.S. Army and Career Expo presented by Toyota.

The virtual experience, hosted by comedians B. Simone, Darren Brand and Burpie, will also offer a collection of new events, including an Old School/New School DJ Battle presented by Sprite and the CIAA Esports Tournament presented by Bayer Pharmaceuticals. These events, along with performances by national recording artists and celebrity appearances, will celebrate the legacy and tradition of the CIAA and its member institutions while highlighting the nostalgia and cultural significance of the CIAA Tournament.

“We are thrilled to be able to create this virtual tournament week experience, which will be one of a kind for an NCAA athletic conference at any level, to engage our fans, alumni, students, member institutions, and partners,” CIAA Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams said. “Despite no in-person activity or games being played, this is a great opportunity to expand our reach beyond the 150,000-plus fans that annually convene in our host city during tournament week and expose new audiences to the legacy and rich tradition of this conference while introducing the many elements that embody the CIAA Tournament experience and highlighting the cultural impact it has on our community as a whole.”

Courtesy of HBCU Sports

Accompanying this experience is a new theme, “The Legacy Lives On,” which will be highlighted in social media and marketing campaigns as well as custom memorabilia as the conference transitions (virtually) to the new host city of Baltimore.

“Visit Baltimore was extremely excited about bringing the tournament experience to Charm City this year, so we’re grateful the Virtual Tournament Week allows us to partner with the CIAA in this new capacity. While we’ll have to celebrate the incredible academic contributions, culture, and sports legacy of HBCUs from afar this year, we can’t wait to welcome CIAA athletes and fans to Baltimore as soon as it’s safe,” said Al Hutchinson, president and CEO at Visit Baltimore.

Access to the CIAA Virtual Vibe is free, but registration is required. Those interested in taking part in this unique virtual experience are encouraged to register early as space is limited. Accompanying the registration information is the tentative schedule of events, which can also be found at www.ciaatournament.org.

FAMU President Larry Robinson Has Appointment Reaffirmed By Board of Governors

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The Florida University system has just confirmed what the Florida A&M University Board of Trustees already knew. Current President Larry Robinson came into FAMU to work hard and gain the trust of the community. And with a recent decision, he will be at FAMU to stay! Get the great news in the full story from The Tallahassee Democrat below!

Courtesy of the CEO Magazine

The State University System’s Board of Governors moved swiftly Wednesday in approving the reappointment of Larry Robinson as president of Florida A&M University.

In doing so, the board approved a one-year-extension of Robinson’s contract through Dec. 30, 2021. It follows a vote of FAMU’s Board of Trustees in early December.

Robinson’s leadership was noted as the university achieved its highest placement in performance funding scores and saw new construction on campus.

He also was credited for the university’s response to the coronavirus pandemic and for FAMU being the top-ranked public historically black university in the country by U.S. News and World Report.

Board Of Governors member Alan Levine praised Robinson’s tenure and reminded his colleagues of the situation Robinson stepped into when he was appointed president.

Courtesy of the CEO Magazine

“Those of us who were on the board at the time will remember that at that time Dr. Robinson became president, he took over at a time of uncertainty at the university,” said Levine, who served as a liaison between the BOG and trustees at the time.

“A lot of issues at the university led to the replacement of the majority of the (Board of Trustees), it led to the removal of the president (Elmira Mangum) and we needed a leader at the time and move it forward.”

Levine said his vote in favor of Robinson’s reappointment also is a vote of confidence in FAMU Board of Trustees chairman Kelvin Lawson, who accepted the role at a time when relationships also were strained with the Board of Governors.

“They led, they took responsibility and they didn’t make excuses,” Levine said.

Howard University College of Medicine Names Dr. Roger A. Mitchell As Chair of Pathology

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The pandemic has rocked the way we think about pathology, and the gravity of the consequences that can result when that science is not understood. HBCUs have done their part to encourage social distancing and now vaccinations amid COVID-19, but leadership is just as important. With that taken into consideration, Howard University has just announced it has appointed a new Chief of Pathology to lead in the pandemic response, research, and more! Find the full release below for more information!

Roger A. Mitchell, Jr. M.D., courtesy of Howard University

The Howard University College of Medicine announces Roger A. Mitchell, Jr., M.D. as chair of the Department of Pathology, effective March 1, 2021. Dr. Mitchell recently served as interim deputy mayor for public safety and justice and chief medical examiner for the District of Columbia. In his new role, he will lead a department that is at the forefront of the COVID-19 pandemic response and will also oversee the Department of Pathology’s educational, research, clinical and administrative activities. 

”We are pleased to welcome back Dr. Mitchell, who is no stranger to the Howard University community. He returns to us with an outstanding combination of strategic vision, exceptional leadership and a long-standing commitment to raise the health and social equity of all residents in the District of Columbia,” says Dr. Hugh Mighty, dean of the Howard University College of Medicine and vice president of clinical affairs. “Dr. Mitchell is perfectly suited for this new endeavor, which will be critically important in our efforts to advance the Department of Pathology to its highest-level of excellence.”

During his tenure as D.C. chief medical examiner, Dr. Mitchell gained a strong insight of the social determinants that lead to the violence affecting our most vulnerable communities. He also partnered with Howard University Hospital’s Level One Trauma Center on key initiatives to help reduce violence among at-risk public-school students. He has a great interest in violence as a public health issue and has recently co-authored position papers, including “The Violence Epidemic in the African-American Community” for the National Medical Association (NMA) and “Definition, Investigation, Postmortem Examination and Reporting of Deaths in Custody” for the National Association of Medical Examiners. 

Courtesy of Noah K. Murray/The Star-Ledger

“I am honored and excited to join the team at Howard University in the Department of Pathology,” says Dr. Mitchell. “As part of the legacy of Howard graduates, I understand the importance of this institution, specifically in these times of racial inequity. I look forward to serving in this prestigious institution that centers on health equity and access and lending my passion and talent to achieving better outcomes.”

Dr. Mitchell earned his undergraduate degree from Howard University, his medical degree from the New Jersey Medical School, Newark, N.J., and he completed his AP/CP residency at George Washington University. He is board certified in anatomic and forensic pathology by the American Board of Pathology and a fellow with the National Association of Medical Examiners, where he serves as chair of the Strategic Planning Subcommittee and is the immediate past chair for the Deaths in Custody Subcommittee. Additionally, he recently served as the national co-chair for the NMA Working Group on Gun Violence and Police Use of Force.

Bowie State Releases 2021 Fall Football Schedule

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The repeat football champions at Bowie State University have just released their schedule for 2021 and it’s looking promising! Learn more about the Bulldogs’ schedule in the release from Bowie State University below!

The Bowie State University Department of Athletics has released its 10-game football schedule for the 2021 season. Bowie State’s 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. The Bulldogs concluded the 2019 season with an overall record of 11-1, 7-0 in the CIAA and repeated as conference champions.

Player Deron Smith, courtesy of Lawrence Johnson

“I’m excited about our 2021 schedule as we start with a very tough non-conference schedule”, said Bowie State Head Football Coach Damon Wilson. “We will have several challenges even before we start conference play. I look forward to opening up against an FCS opponent before we start D2 games. As a staff we have worked extremely hard to put a roster together that we feel will represent the university well. Our schedule will provide the program to compete against three different respected conferences.” 

The Bulldogs will kick off its season on the road against Division I Delaware State University on Saturday, September 4th. Next on the schedule for Bowie State will be a first-time meeting against the Saginaw Valley State University Cardinals on Saturday, September 11th in Bulldogs Stadium with kickoff is slated for at 1:00 p.m.

BSU will make its longest trip of the regular season on Saturday, September 18th, traveling to the Chargers of New Haven University to conclude the non-conference portion of their schedule. 

The Bulldogs will open conference play in week four and will face the Blue Bears of Livingstone College in Salisbury, N.C. on Saturday, September 25th with game time to be announced.  

The first game in the month of October will feature Homecoming for Bowie State as the Bulldogs play host to Johnson C. Smith University. This cross-divisional matchup is scheduled to take place on Saturday, October 2nd with kickoff set for 2 p.m. 

Player Brenden Ashby, courtesy of Lawrence Johnson

Bowie State divisional play will begin on the road against the Hawks of Chowan University on Saturday, October 9th. Bowie State returns home Saturday, October 16th to face the Trojans of Virginia State University in Bulldogs Stadium at 1 p.m.

The Bulldogs will load the iron horses in week eight and nine, making trips to Virginia Union University (Saturday, October 23rd) and Lincoln University of Pennsylvania (Saturday, October 30th). Game time for both games is 1 p.m. 

The regular season will conclude Saturday, November 6th as Bowie State hosts its final regular season contest against the Vikings of Elizabeth City State University at 1 p.m. This game has been designated as Senior Day.

The NCAA To Delay The Vote of College Students Receiving Profits From Their Fame

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The NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) is an organization that supports and looks after the well-being and life-long success of college athletes. It has over one thousand colleges and universities signed up to it, as well as over 100 athletic conferences, and comprises athletic directors, academic support staff, health and safety personnel, faculty athletics representatives, and coaches amongst its ranks, and works to ensure that college athletes are able to succeed in the classroom and on the field, setting them up for success in life whether they go on to become professional athletes or not.

The current situation

Currently, student athletes are unable to cash in on their fame and image, meaning that, unlike professional athletes, they are unable to hire agents and make money from endorsements, social media posts, and the use of their image. The NCAA position is, that as they are amateurs, playing only against other colleges and amateur players, not professionals, the NCAA is best positioned to ensure a fair and level playing field by controlling the name, image and likeness on a national scale, and that the influence from the professional world on the amateur athletic scene could lead to disparities between players.

However, there have been murmurings that this may change. In 2019, the NCAA board voted unanimously to allow amateur athletes to make money from their fame following California legislation that would allow amateur players to hire agents and receive endorsements. The ban, however, has yet to be lifted, and a number of votes due on the matter to pass this proposal have been delayed a number of times.

Are there any benefits to legalising endorsements for amateurs?

The lifting of this ban could bring all sorts of benefits to the players, colleges, and the sports industry as a whole. The NCAA would be able to cash in on increased visibility and promotion of their competitions, bringing in new fans, and having individual players followed through from amateur to professional status.

Proponents of the new law state that it is only fair that players, irrespective of their status as amateurs or professionals, be able to access the same opportunities, and be able to make money from their talents. The limited duration of a sports career (relative to other careers off the field) means that it makes sense to allow players to start making money and developing a brand and presence as early on as possible, as well as encouraging them to remain in school and get a qualification that could help them later on in life.

Football Player Carrying Brown Football

Additionally, it may lead players from lower socio-economic backgrounds to see sport as a realistic option for them if they are able to monetise it early on, and not be starting to build a brand only once they have finished school, whilst encouraging them to complete a college degree. This new law would also allow players to transfer schools more easily and not have to sit out of competition for a year as per current guidelines. All these steps would offer increased flexibility to players and teams across the competition as a whole.

Sports in the USA is very popular, and a lot of professional athletes come from an amateur/college background. A lot of major sports like the NFL and NBA will scout players from different colleges to help with the transition from amateur to professional. The interest in sports in the US has increased over the last couple of years thanks to the restrictions of sports betting be lifted. Citizens in Illinois, Michigan and New Jersey to name a few are now able to legally bet on a sporting match or event which has led to the sports industry growing in popularity with many eager to watch matches to see if their chosen team or player has won. With the interest in sports increasing and more amateurs wanting a sports-based future, many believe that rewarding them with endorsements is the morally right thing.

Free stock photo of ball, basketball, basketball court

What still needs to be agreed?

However, there are a number of issues that still need to be ironed out, which is why there have been delays in ratifying and implementing this proposal:

  • Tax implications for those on sports scholarships at colleges; there is talk from one US Senator, Richard Burr of North Carolina, that the value of the scholarship received could be taxed as part of their income.
  • The president of the NCAA, Mark Emmert, has called for the vote to be postponed so that the US Justice Department calling for input to ensure that any changes in the rules ensure that it remains compliant with current federal anti-trust laws.
  • Greg Sankey, commissioner of the Southeast Conference and a hugely influential figure in college sports also has misgivings about implementing this change whilst there is so much upheaval in Washington due to the change in government, and proposes waiting until the new government is in to ensure the changes stick and are not challenged shortly thereafter. For example, a republican led bill would have exempted the NCAA from anti-trust legislation.
  • There are concerns around how to ensure that players are able to compete fairly both on and off the field, and if there will be external pressure for specific players to be chosen.
  • There are fears of conflicts of interest amongst players on the same team, or between endorsing parties and individual colleges, which could impact the players’ rights to a fair and open market.

There are however many benefits to players and the sport, which is why this issue has been bubbling in the background for years. Whilst individual states like California and Florida have taken steps (on paper) to allow amateur athletes to make money from their involvement in college sport, it will take a national-led change to be able to implement it across the board. 

There are clear benefits to the sport, betting, players, colleges and NCAA in this proposal, but it is clear that the NCAA, as the representative body for all amateur college athletes, needs to ensure that any changes to current rules safeguards all their members, and that all relevant stakeholders are consulted. The delay may be irksome to some, but it is being handled with the best interests of all involved.

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Scholarship Fund In Honor of NFL Legend George Nock Established At Morgan State

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When the top student-athletes at our nation’s HBCUs make it to professional sports leagues, the relationship does not end there. For successful football player George Nock, who unfortunately passed late last year, he never forgot his alma mater Morgan State University, and neither did his family! As a result, posthumously, Nock’s estate has established a fund at MSU in his honor! Read more Nock’s legacy and the new scholarship from The Philadelphia Tribune below.

Mary Nock, the widow of George Nock, who died on Nov. 22, 2020, has established the George V. Nock Endowed Scholarship Fund. A donation in memory of George Nock may be made to the Morgan State University Foundation to benefit the George V. Nock Endowed Scholarship Fund.

Courtesy of The Philadelphia Tribune

Nock was an All Public League football player at Ben Franklin High School and later starred for Morgan State and played in the AFL and NFL. Nock was 74 years old.

In 1963, he was one of the best players in the Public League. He attended Morgan State from 1964 to 1969 where he received a B.S. degree in psychology. Nock was a brilliant running back while at Morgan State earning All-American honorable mention, All-Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), All-State and All American-Black College honors. He was named captain of the team for two years.

As a freshman, in the 1965 Orange Blossom Classic, Nock returned a punt 45 yards for a touchdown in a victory over Florida A&M for the mythical Black college national championship. As a senior, Nock ran for 87 yards to help Morgan State beat Grambling State, 9-7, i the first game played at Yankee Stadium between two Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Twice, he earned All-CIAA recognition and averaged six yards a carry.

Courtesy of NFL Past Players

Nock, a 16th round pick of the New York Jets in the 1969 NFL Draft, played three years there and one with The Washington Football Team. In Nock’s best year (1970) he rushed for 402 yards, caught 18 passes and scored six touchdowns. In a 20-10 upset of the Minnesota Vikings, he ran for 117 yards, the only player to gain at 100 yards that season against the NFL’s No. 1 ranked defense.

In 2017, Morgan State University unveiled its campus memorial to the institution’s athletic greats. The memorial, Legends Plaza, was designed and created by the artistic vision of Nock — a self-taught and celebrated artist. Legends Plaza, a nearly 2,000-square-foot enclosure on Morgan Commons between the front entrance of Hughes Stadium and the University Student Center, features six-foot bronze statues of legendary head coaches Edward P. “Eddie” Hurt and earl C. “Papa Bear” Banks.

You can go to http://www.givetomorgan.org, select the “George V. Nock Endowed Scholarship Fund” in the designation field. For gifts by mail, checks should be made payable to “Morgan State University Foundation” and include a note identifying the George V. Nock Endowed Scholarship Fund as the beneficiary. Gifts should be mailed to: Morgan State University Foundation, Inc, P.O. Box 64261, Baltimore, MD 21264-4261.

New Federal Funding To Support Elizabeth City State University Freshmen

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It is typical college freshmen need a lot of support. Whether it’s regarding choosing classes, career guidance, finding a way around campus, and more. However amid a pandemic, freshmen will need all the support they can get. Thankfully, a new federal grant is set to give the incoming students at Elizabeth City State University just that! Find out how the new aid will strengthen their education at ECSU in the story from channel 10 Wavy below.

Courtesy of Visit Elizabeth City

First-year students at Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) will receive some of the benefits of a statewide program designed to support academic development. 

A $75,600 grant will help ECSU participate in a partnership with GEAR UP NC (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs — federally funded through the Department of Education), the UNC System, and Inside Track, Inc. 

“We will partner with Inside Track for training and development and use the coach-platform to develop new practices and strategies to support students who need additional academic resources, academic recovery strategies, or career and major coaching,” said Anderson.

Students who recently graduated from area high schools within ECSU’s 21-county service area are eligible for the GEAR UP services.

ECSU’s University Studies department will house the GEAR UP program. University Studies specializes in first-year student services and academic advising, according to Anderson.

The grant will help support the hiring of a full-time success coach for first-year freshmen.

“The student success coach will provide one-on-one support through appointments,” she said. “The coach will also provide workshops to support students who need guidance and additional support that goes above and beyond the scope of the academic advisors and the course content offered during their first-year seminar courses.”

Courtesy of WITN

The student success coach will also conduct outreach to area high schools. The position will partner with ECSU’s Office of Admissions, providing schools with information about the opportunities that exist for first-year students.

Of the 37 high schools served by the program, Gates County High School, Perquimans County High School, Pasquotank County High School, John A. Holmes High School, Kinston High School, and Washington High School are included. 

“We are excited about this grant opportunity and partnership with GEAR Up and Inside Track, Inc. Additional staffing and grant funds dedicated to student support are always welcome as student success is key and paramount to ECSU’s goals,” said Dr. Anderson.

Cicely Tyson Passes Away At 96, Leaving A Legacy At HBCUs And Beyond

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Today, legendary Oscar Award-Winning actress Cicely Tyson has unfortunately passed away. However, the renowned entertainer has left a legacy at HBCUs and beyond that will last forever. Over her lifetime her accomplishments have led her to receive honorary degrees from HBCUs like Howard University, Morehouse College, and other PWIs. She was also inducted as an honorary member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. as well.

President Barack Obama (left) and Cicely Tyson (right) at Howard University’s commencement ceremony, courtesy of Getty Images

According to NBC, Tyson was first discovered as a model for Ebony Magazine. After that, the legendary entertainer became a film, television, and stage actress. Even more recently, she became a writer. 

Tyson and President Barack Obama were both given honorary degrees from Howard University in 2016. Tyson was born December 19, 1924, and came from humble beginnings to sharing a stage with the first Black president of the United States.

“I am one of three children, grew up in the area that is now known as El Barrio and that was the East Side (of New York),” she told TV host Steve Harvey according to CNN. “To come from there to the White House with the first black President … to put that medal around my neck: Where can you go from there?”

The entertainment industry has been rightfully humbled by Tysons forty-plus year career. In 1973 she was nominated for an Oscar for her role in the film “Sounder.” Tyson also earned an honorary Oscar in 2018 for her decades of work. At the time, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences noted that her “unforgettable performances and personal integrity” left an indelible mark on the industry. Tyson had also been bestowed with Kennedy Center Honors in 2015 for a lifetime achievement award. 

Most recently, Tyson released her first memoir, “Just As I Am,” in collaboration with Michelle Burford. The book covered what it could of her expansive life, from her childhood to her legendary roles in “The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman” and “Roots.” Tyson was also married to legendary musical Miles Davis, but divorced him in 1988. 

In a recent interview with Gayle King for CBS This Morning, the 96-year-old was asked, “when the time comes, what do you want us to remember about you?”

“I’ve done my best. That’s all,” said Tyson.

Courtesy of Pinterest

The South Carolina State University Bulldogs Are Poised For A Comeback

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The South Carolina State University Bulldogs have had a season unlike any other. Unfortunately, due to the coronavirus, they almost didn’t have a season at all. But thankfully, they’re back in practice and poised to come back with a vengeance. Get all the details on how the team is preparing itself amid pandemic conditions below.

South Carolina State held football practice during a chilly rain on Thursday morning in Orangeburg.

During the workout, quarterback Corey Fields looked at coach Buddy Pough and said, ’Coach, I’m cold!”

“It was not pretty,” Pough chuckled.

At least the Bulldogs were playing football, which has been a rare occurrence since the coronavirus pandemic hit last March.

S.C. State hasn’t played a game since Nov. 23, 2019, and had its 2020 spring practice and fall season wiped out by COVID-19. Pough’s team was able to practice only once in the fall before an outbreak of the virus forced cancellation of fall practice.

Courtesy of Donny Knight Photography

The Bulldogs are now preparing for a four-game Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference slate that begins Feb. 20, with a berth in the MEAC championship game and a spot in the 16-team FCS playoffs up for grabs. But Pough, in his 18th season as coach at his alma mater, is taking nothing for granted.

“I am looking forward to getting back to normal, or as normal as it can be,” Pough said Thursday during the MEAC’s virtual media day. “But this virus is still kicking a little fanny, so we’ll see.”

S.C. State went 8-3 in 2019, including a victory over Southern Conference champion Wofford. Pough received a one-year extension on his contract last December, taking him through the end of this year, and S.C. State is installing new synthetic turf at Oliver C. Dawson Bulldog Stadium.

But those changes pale in comparison with what the pandemic has forced on college football coaches and players.

“We’ve had our problems with some of the issues of the coronavirus,” Pough said. “Some of the issues and protocols you deal with have been hard on our young folk.

“We missed the general camaraderie of being together. We’ve had psychologists and mental health specialists on our staff in ways we’ve never had before. I think it’s kind of been the norm around the country that young folk have struggled with isolation and quarantine and just not being together.”

Pough, who has led S.C. State to seven MEAC titles, including the 2019 championship, has had to learn a new way to coach during the pandemic.

“I never would have believed we could meet and show tape and do all that stuff virtually,” he said. “We do everything on Zoom now. We don’t have face-to-face meetings, except for what we do on the field.

“I can’t snatch a guy up now, because I can’t get to him over the Zoom. It’s a whole different kind of thought that you have to be aware of.”

Courtesy of SC State

Fields, a redshirt sophomore from Baptist Hill High School, returns as the Bulldogs’ staring quarterback. He completed 50.5 percent of his passes for 1,652 yards and 15 touchdowns against just five interceptions in 2019. Among his targets will be receiver Shaq Davis, a 6-5 redshirt sophomore from Summerville.

“Corey can throw it around a little bit, and we’ve got big old Shaq Davis catching balls from him,” Pough said. “We hope those two can get to the point where they enjoy one another’s abilities.”

S.C. State added a couple of transfer running backs in Alex James and Kendrell Flowers. James, a 5-10, 192-pounder from Florence who played three seasons at Coastal Carolina, ran for 629 yards and a TD in 2019 for Albany. Flowers, a 6-0, 205-pounder from Irmo High School, transferred in from Wake Forest.

On the other hand, standout defensive lineman Roderick Perry transferred last fall to Illinois.

The MEAC’s spring season includes six teams, with S.C. State, Norfolk State and N.C. A&T State playing in the Southern Division. Delaware State, Howard and Morgan State make up the Northern Division.

Each team will play the other two teams in its division twice, with division champions meeting for the MEAC title on April 17. The MEAC champ will receive an automatic berth in the 16-team FCS playoffs. S.C. State does have some open weeks in the spring and could add another non-conference game, Pough said. 

“We have an opportunity, a chance to win a championship of some sort,” Pough said. “I’m not sure what the validity of it will be. But I tell you what, we’d like to have it.”