Clark Atlanta Student Ashton Edmunds Shares Why The Atlanta Student Movement Inspires Him

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The HBCU experience is very impactful for personal growth, yet it is just as important for the growth of others. Sharing the reasons why your HBCU changed your life, and even why you chose the HBCU you went to not only inspires the next generation, but gives them a glimpse into everything they could be missing at a PWI. Today, Clark Atlanta University student Ashton Edmunds decided to share his experience in a new article in through The Undefeated, where he is a Rhoden Fellow. In the piece, he chronicles how he found out about HBCUs, chose CAU over Florida A&M University, became a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated and became inspired by the legacy of the Atlanta Student Movement. Read the full story below.

Going to school in the Atlanta University Center (AUC), specifically Clark Atlanta University, was one of the best decisions for my life. Growing up in Pittsburgh before moving to Tallahassee, Florida, in 2014, I did not know much about historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and the significance of these institutions.

After moving to Tallahassee, I was introduced to Florida A&M University, which was my first encounter with an HBCU. As I grew up, I learned about the Rattlers’ culture, the legendary homecoming, African American Greek-letter fraternities and sororities, and the Black history that stems from them.

After seeing all this, I knew that I was going to attend one. My only two college choices were Clark Atlanta and FAMU, and I chose CAU after graduating from high school in 2017. Being in the AUC consortium with Spelman College and Morehouse College has taught me even more about my Black history. I didn’t know about Lonnie C. King Jr., a Morehouse College graduate and civil rights leader, and how he started the Atlanta Student Movement to end legal segregation. It’s truly inspirational to me.

Reading how King and Julian Bond, another Morehouse graduate and civil rights icon, and so many others overcame the hardships they faced as students lifts me up. How King’s peers chose him to speak on how the Negro community needed to come together to end segregation in Atlanta made me so much more appreciative, because without those students fighting against racism while going to school, I would not be where I am today.

King’s efforts in the Atlanta Student Movement, inspired by The A&T Four, impacted racial progress not only in Atlanta, but nationally. Black property owners put up bonds to get sit-in demonstrators released from jail, and it helped bring a younger generation of leaders to the forefront to fight segregation. On Nov. 1, 2010, a street that cuts through the campus of Clark Atlanta University was officially named Atlanta Student Movement Boulevard. The ceremony was hosted by then-mayor of Atlanta Kasim Reed.

Knowing that I have walked to class on the same ground as some of the biggest pioneers in American history who attended these AUC institutions – James Weldon Johnson, Martin Luther King Jr., voting rights activist Stacey Abrams, film director Spike Lee, newly elected U.S. Sen. Rev. Raphael Warnock and civil rights activist Ralph Abernathy, to only name a few – is a surreal feeling, to say the least.

Every year during the weekend of MLK Day, there is a march from downtown Atlanta to the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church where Martin Luther King Jr. and his father preached. Last year, I was able to march with students from school and my fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., and stepped with my chapter. Becoming a member of the fraternity, which was the first intercollegiate African American fraternity, in fall 2018 was a very special moment for me, and pledging at an HBCU made it even more meaningful.

It brought me even closer to my Black history, knowing that I am a fraternity brother with men such as Thurgood Marshall, the Supreme Court’s first African American associate justice, Maynard Jackson, the first African American mayor of Atlanta, and Eddie Robinson, the third-winningest coach in NCAA football history. Seeing Warnock, my fraternity brother and Morehouse College graduate, become the first African American senator from Georgia shows me that anything is possible. Seeing how Abrams, a Spelman College graduate, boosted voter turnout to help make Georgia a blue state for the first time since 1992, showed me what resiliency looks like.

Most people are surprised by what these AUC graduates did, but I wasn’t at all. Being a student at Clark Atlanta and in the AUC taught me how to “find a way or make one,” which is Clark Atlanta’s motto. I am forever grateful for my AUC experience because I would not be the man I am today or the man I will become without it.

HBCUs Have Continuously Produced Generations Of Black Women Leaders

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HBCUs have led the way in providing opportunities for Black students in education. Yet it isn’t highlighted enough just how many trailblazing women have gone on to make history from HBCUs. Now Smithsonian is highlighting how HBCUs have led the way in producing Black women talent in several industries. Take women like Marilyn Mosby of Tuskegee University, who became the youngest chief prosecutor ever in the U.S. Read the full story written by Janelle Harris Dixon below.

Inside a national period of tumult, at the crux of post-Civil War reconstruction of black life in America, Sarah Jane Woodson Early became a historymaker. She’d already been among the first black women in the country to earn a bachelor’s degree when she graduated from Oberlin College, one of the few institutions willing to educate non-white, non-male students. And when Wilberforce College in Ohio—the first Historically Black College and University (HBCU) founded by African-Americans—hired Early in 1858 to lead English and Latin classes for its 200 students, she became the first black woman college instructor and the first black person to teach at an HBCU.

Each of the 101 HBCUs across 19 states carries its own legacy of brilliant black women who cultivated triumphant careers, sometimes whole movements, as leaders in classrooms, on staffs and in administrations. Early is one of them.

So is Lillian E. Fishburne, a graduate of Lincoln University and the first black woman promoted to rear admiral in the U.S. Navy. And Tuskegee University alum Marilyn Mosby, the youngest chief prosecutor of any major U.S. city. And entrepreneur Janice Bryant Howroyd, the first black woman to run a billion-dollar business, who earned her undergrad degree at North Carolina A&T State University, the largest HBCU. And newly inaugurated Vice President Kamala Harris, an alumna of Howard University, where the bells tolled 49 times in her honor after she took her historic oath this week as the 49th individual—and first African American woman and HBCU graduate—to hold the office.

Historically Black Colleges and Universities are both incubators and accelerators of their students’ talent, intelligence and potentiality in a daily immersion in their heritage and investment in their future.

A 1950s cheerleader from Mississippi Vocational School sports on MVC baseball hat and carries a large megaphone. (NMAAHC, gift of Charles Schwartz and Shawn Wilson)

“Being surrounded by people that look like you is empowering in ways that you may not even think about consciously—seeing black women who are scientists, dancers, writers, doctors, lawyers, means that you just assume that you can be that too,” says Kinshasha Holman Conwill, a Howard University alumna and deputy director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., home to a comprehensive collection of materials related to the HBCU experience. (Another archive of images taken by Washington D.C.’s renowned photographer Robert S. Scurlock features many scenes and happenings at Howard University and is housed at the National Museum of American History.)

“There’s nothing quite like being on a campus where you see these people every day when you’re at that very vulnerable college student age. The atmosphere of people who share a common desire to strive, excel and achieve versus being surrounded by people who don’t believe you can reach your potential—it’s almost like a magic and it’s very important,” says Conwill.

Interest in HBCUs has surged and subsided over the course of their long and storied histories—the oldest of them, Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, was founded in 1854 as an all-male college and didn’t start admitting women until 1953—but collectively, they have consistently enrolled more black women than men every year since 1976. As of 2018, those women, eager to thrive academically and set their individual courses in leadership, comprise 62 percent of students.

Still, when it’s time to hire and be hired, black women have struggled for parity in pay, title and, in academia, tenure ladders, even and sometimes especially at HBCUs, where the social justice of gender equity is often conflated with social justice around race. Women fortify their leadership, they command leadership, they demonstrate leadership. So how do HBCUs cultivate black women in a way that predominantly white institutions have not?

“I don’t know that they necessarily do,” argues Gaëtane Jean-Marie, dean and professor of educational leadership at Rowan University. She has extensively researched black women in leadership in the education field in general and at HBCUs specifically, and in one study, she says, participants talked about their encounters at the intersection of race and gender, both at predominantly white institutions and at HBCUs.

The Scurlock Photography Studios documented scenes at Howard University in Washington D.C. (above students at work in a lab, undated). The archives are now held by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. (Scurlock Studios Records, Archives Center, NMAH)


“They expressed challenging experiences in both contexts where they had to prove themselves, that they were still judged. In some cases, they were the first to integrate schools during that time when they were young,” says Jean-Marie. “One of my participants was questioned, ‘What are you doing in the classroom? You don’t belong in this college classroom that’s full of men.’”

Holman Conwill says the HBCU experience fortified her professional career and made her more vigilant in the execution of her goals and responsibilities. Knowing what that experience did for her, she believes the election of Vice President Harris will bolster black women’s leadership opportunities and, after the closure of six HBCUs in the past 20 years and near-closure of at least three others, this historic moment and heightened HBCU pride will elevate interest in historically black institutions, particularly for women.

“It reinforces for those of us who know and love those schools, what we’ve known and loved about them all along—that they are wonderful environments where one can be nurtured, protected and loved, and where excellence is the standard,” she says.

Harris has made “black life part of the lexicon of America in a profound way, taking not a thing away from President Obama, one of the finest Americans to walk this country. But because she’s so grounded in a black institution, it makes all the difference in the world that she graduated from Howard and not from Harvard,” Holman Conwill added.

28 Songs That Celebrate Black Pride

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Black people are no monolith, and we do not all look the same. Yet no matter where you go in the world, from America to Latin America, Africa, and beyond, music has been used to unify the Black community. Music is a tool to call out injustices, to demand change, and to celebrate the boldness in each other. In honor of Black History Month, see the list below for the hits from all over the world that celebrate the Black experience.

1. “Brown Skin Girl” by Beyoncé feat. SAINt JHN and Wizkid

“Brown skin girl
Your skin just like pearls
The best thing in the world
Never trade you for anybody else…”

2. “Say It Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud” by James Brown

“We’re people, we like the birds and the bees
We’d rather die on our feet
Thank be living on our knees
Say it loud, I’m Black and I’m proud!
Say it loud, I’m Black and I’m proud!”

3. “I Am Not My Hair” by India.Arie feat. Akon

“You can shave it off like a South African beauty
Or get in on lock Like Bob Marley;
You can rock it straight like Oprah Winfrey –
If it’s not what’s on your head
It’s what’s underneath…”

4. “What’s Going On” by Marvin Gaye

“Picket lines and picket signs
Don’t punish me with brutality
Come on talk to me
So you can see
What’s going on (What’s going on)…”

5. “Glory” by Common feat. John Legend

“Enemy is lethal, a king became regal
Saw the face of Jim Crow under a bald eagle
The biggest weapon is to stay peaceful
We sing, our music is the cuts that we bleed through
Somewhere in the dream we had an epiphany
Now we right the wrongs in history…”

6. “Rooted” by Ciara feat. Ester Dean

“Young Rosa, young Luther keep marchin’ (yeah, yeah)
Flood gates coming over don’t stop ’em (hey)
I know that life it ain’t easy (oh-oh, oh)
Your life it matters, believe me (oh-oh, oh)…”

7. “Shea Butter Baby” by Ari Lennox

“Coconut oil, the scent of your body still lingers on sheets
I got a shot at you, you wouldn’t reach
Cock back, cock back, trigger release…”

8. “Formation” by Beyoncé

“My daddy Alabama, Momma Louisiana
You mix that negro with that Creole make a Texas Bama
I like my baby heir with baby hair and afros
I like my negro nose with Jackson Five nostrils…”

9. “Melanin” by Ciara feat. Lupita Nyong’o, Ester Dean, City Girls, LaLa

“I’m black girl magic
Skin like expensive fabric (fact)
He like him ghetto and I’m ratchet
I’m a boss-boss, chick’s still askin’ (so?)”

10. “Dear Mama” by Tupac Shakur

“You always was committed
A poor single mother on welfare, tell me how you did it
There’s no way I can pay you back
But the plan is to show you that I understand
You are appreciated…”

11. “Umi Says” by Mos Def

“Black people unite and let’s all get down
Gotta have what,
Gotta have that love
Peace and understanding
One God, one light
One man, one voice, one mic…”

12. “Summertime” by Will Smith

“And as I think back makes me wonder how
The smell from a grill could spark up nostalgia
All the kids playing out front
Little boys messin’ round with the girls playing double-dutch
While the DJ’s spinning a tune as the old folks dance at your family reunion…”

13. “BGM” by Wale

“Ok black is beautiful shorty
Black is bold
Black is black, true, but black is gold
If God a color I know she black for sure
N****s blasphemy, but God gave me a daughter
Black women I love you…”

14. “Freedom” by Beyoncé feat. Kendrick Lamar

“Freedom
Where are you?
‘Cause I need freedom, too
I break chains all by myself
Won’t let my freedom rot in hell…”

15. “Blk Girl Soldier” by Jamila Woods

“See she’s telepathic
Call it black girl magic
Yeah she scares the gov’ment
Deja Vu of Tubman…”

16. “Poetic Justice” by Kendrick Lamar feat. Drake

“Young East African Girl, you too busy f****** with your other man
I was trying to put you on game, put you on a plane
Take you and your mama to the motherland
I could do it, maybe one day
When you figure out you’re gonna need someone…”

17. “Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now” by McFadden & Whitehead

“I want ya’ll to listen, listen
To every word I say, every word I say!
Ain’t no stoppin’ us now!
We’re on the move!”

18. “Brown Skin” by Indie.Arie

“Brown skin, you know I love your brown skin
I can’t tell where yours begins
I can’t tell where mine ends
Brown skin, up against my brown skin
Need some every now and then, oh hey…”

19. “How Many” by Miguel

“Brothers and sisters it’s time to wake up, wake up, wake up
Brothers and sisters it’s time you say something, do something, make ’em
How many black lives, how many black lives
How many heartbeats turned into flatlines…”

20. “Fight the Power” by Public Enemy

“While the Black bands sweating
And the rhythm rhymes rolling
Got to give us what we want
Gotta give us what we need
Our freedom of speech is freedom or death
We got to fight the powers that be…”

21. “Don’t Touch My Hair” by Solange feat. Sampha

“Don’t touch my hair
When it’s the feelings I wear
Don’t touch my soul
When it’s the rhythm I know…”

22. “Four Women” by Nina Simone

“My skin is black
My arms are long
My hair is woolly
My back is strong
Strong enough to take the pain
Inflicted again and again
What do they call me?
My name is Aunt Sarah…”

23. “Black Girl Magik” by Sampa The Great

“I can’t stand your Black Girl Magik
I can feel it in the air
It’s so strong it’s like a magnet
You would think that God is here…”

24. “Black Woman” by Danielle Brooks

“You want my thighs, you want my stride
But not this melanin
You want my hair
But you don’t care for this complexion…”

25. “La Diaspora” by Nitty Scott feat. Zap Mama

“Whine to remind and she twerk to resist
Working it and worship the earth in her dip
Stolen from Africa seeking a gift
Sixteen on a ship…”

26. “Keep Ya Head Up” by Tupac

“Some say the blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice
I say the darker the flesh then the deeper the roots…”

27. “Black Love” by Masego

“Your dress, it brings me to a time of class
You’re so elegant, your skin is shining melanin
We are king and queen
I see the next one thousand years with you
The smiles worn by both our families
They can see the power in our new found unity…”

28. “Colors” by Black Pumas

“It’s a good day to be
A good day for me
A good day to see
My favorite colors, colors
My sisters and my brothers
They see ’em like no other
All my favorite colors…”

16 HBCU Gamers To Compete In Pre-Super Bowl Madden 21 Games

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This weekend’s upcoming Super Bowl will be a big deal for HBCUs. Several former HBCU students will be competing in this years game of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. the Kansas City Chiefs. Yet there will also be opportunities for students this year with the Madden games. Students from HBCUs like Alcorn State University, Morehouse College, and Florida A&M University will be taking part. Get the full story from Dustin Siebert at BET below.

As is the case for every major event since the coronavirus pandemic began, Super Bowl LV – the biggest sporting event in America – is going to look different all around. Fortunately, the NFL’s inaugural Madden NFL 21 x HBCU Tournament Finals, which pits HBCU students against each other for gaming supremacy on the mega-popular Madden video game series, is fit for social distancing.

The tournament started November 14 as a single-elimination qualifier tournament that came down to 16 players – four from each HBCU conference. On Feb. 6, the final two rounds will be broadcast on Electronic Arts’ Madden NFL channel on the streaming service Twitch.

Gaming participants hailed from a league of Black colleges, not unlike a college football season. Alcorn State, Bowie State, Delaware State, Florida A&M, Grambling, Morehouse College and Prairie View A&M were among the schools that had players in the mix. The tournament is being decided via Sony PlayStation 4 – organizers say that future tournaments will likely be cross-platform.

Courtesy of EA Sports

The tournament is the latest in an ongoing collaboration between the league and HBCUs, a relationship that started in 2016 with the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) before expanding to include other conferences. Natara Holloway, NFL Vice President, Football Strategy and Business Development, said the tournament was just a next step in the relationship between the NFL and the schools.

“It’s important to understand and recognize how deep traditions are at HBCU as well as an opportunity for us to make sure we are opening our doors for awareness related to diversity in hiring and employment,” she said.

Holloway noted that eSports is an industry expected to bring in shy of $2 billion by 2022, which brings with it marketing, sponsorship and other opportunities for students who wish to pursue professional gaming.

“What comes with that is not only sponsorship but jobs, and our biggest commitment with HBCUs is related to job creation,” she said. “Whether it’s with the NFL, our partners or clubs, we want to make sure they know what jobs are out there and what those roles entail. This is a very unique and innovative way to do that. Our biggest hope is to help students see the economic impact of eSports and how they can be a part of that.”

Courtesy of Electronic Sports

The tournament finals were initially supposed to be conducted in person, but the ongoing pandemic squashed those plans. But Holloway said the NFL FLAG Madden 21 Youth Club Championship was created with social distancing in mind.

“We recognized that gaming and eSports would get a great lift when everyone is at home,” she said. “The Madden youth tournament was designed to keep young people engaged with sport even if their [regular athletic] seasons might have been canceled.”

The grand prize winner of the HBCU tournament will collect $5,000; second- and third-place will each receive $2500. Donovan Burrell, one of the 16 tournament participants, hopes to get at least third place so he can walk away with a check.

A fourth-year Florida A&M University student studying business management, Donovan represents the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in the tournament. He plans on playing with the Jacksonville Jaguars or the Atlanta Falcons, and is preparing for the tournament by practicing his running game.

Burrell, 22, has been playing Madden since Madden ’03, which came out when he was four years old. When he was a child, his mother restricted his playing video games during the weekday in favor of education, but now she’s cheering her son on to win.

“Usually she’ll get mad if she sees me playing and thinks I’m playing too much,” Burrell said of his mother. “But now she says, ‘I never knew Madden would pay off for you like it did, now go win it for us and make us proud.’ ”

New NY Nonprofit Teaches HBCU-Style Performing Arts To Kids Below Poverty Line

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BALAA, a new performing arts nonprofit modeled after HBCUs is giving Bed-Stuy, New York youth new ways to express themselves. On opening day, young girls performed dances reminiscent of the Southern University Dancing Dolls or the Alabama State University Stingettes. Young boys formed a band with the flavor of Prairie View A&M University‘s Marching Storm. Learn how the next generation is getting in touch with the HBCU culture you’ve come to love in a new story from Anna Quinn at Patch below.

BALAA, a new nonprofit that offers performing arts to families below the poverty line, opened its first dedicated space on Gates Avenue.

A youth arts organization that has been steadily growing its reach even amid the coronavirus crisis has found a permanent home in Bed-Stuy. 

Big Apple Leadership Academy for the Arts celebrated a grand opening on Gates Avenue over the weekend, marking the first dedicated space for the nonprofit since first launching in the summer of 2019. 

Courtesy of BALAA

The organization — which provides performing arts opportunities for families below the poverty line — had been operating out of temporary spaces, a local school, in parks and online as its band program nearly doubled in size even during the pandemic.

“As the summer began to come to a close, it became increasingly apparent that we needed a new plan of action,” Executive Director Jada John told Patch.

BALAA, as the nonprofit is known, signed its first commercial lease for space on the third floor of 1014 Gates Ave., near Broadway. It opened on Jan. 30.

The new space will let the organization continue its mission of offering programs to families who otherwise wouldn’t be able to participate in the arts.

Courtesy of BALAA

“What BALAA endeavors to do is provide services to youth around the City of New York, increasing the number of inner-city youths who are exposed to the arts, and providing a means by which they may begin pursuing careers in the arts or just enjoying participation in arts and enrichment activities at little to no cost to their families,” John said.

Courtesy of BALAA

BALAA started by holding workshops and classes in different spaces before eventually working with Dr. Susan S. McKinney Secondary School for the Arts for a free space for its Empire Marching Band Elite, a band program set up in the style of historically Black colleges and universities.

But when the school closed because of the coronavirus crisis, BALAA pivoted to holding virtual or outdoor classes. By the summer, they were in full swing, John said, performing at and hosting a showcase at Bed-Stuy’s Black Lives Matter mural.

Bethune-Cookman Alum Awaits The Super Bowl After Career With Buccaneers Front Office

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Super Bowl LV (55) is coming up this Sunday, and it’s going to be a day to Aubrey Grier never forgets. For years, the Bethune-Cookman University alumnus has worked in the front office of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, racking up countless awards as time went on. Now that the Bucs will be competing against the Kansas City Chiefs, he’s ready to prepare his team all the way to their victory. Read how Grier has pushed the team towards the championship in the Bucs’ office with the full story from Bethune-Cookman below!

Yeah, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have run up some impressive stats with Brady and Gronkowski, et al, in their improbable run to host Sunday’s Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Aubrey Grier, courtesy of Bethune-Cookman University

Bethune-Cookman University graduate Aubrey Grier can spout off all those numbers, but he’s played a role in a stat just as impressive as a member of the Bucs’ front office, where he’s worked eight seasons as a member relations associate. Tampa Bay’s front office has been ranked No. 1 among the National Football League’s 32 teams in customer service five of the past seven years. The team has that on their e-mail graphics, not one of Brady… yet.

“It’s the key to our success,” said Grier, a 2009 Mass Comm graduate, on the Bucs’ customer service. “We take a lot of pride and feel fortunate that we’ve been able to accomplish what we have.

Grier has twice been awarded the staff’s best teammate award and once received the star award for being the most charismatic member among the franchise’s 190-member front office.

Courtesy of Bethune-Cookman University

“It’s been rewarding,” Grier said. “I found a way to stand out.”

The way started with Grier covering sports for B-CU’s broadcast department and televison station, where he ran the gauntlet of covering Wildcat sports in hopes of one day covering sports for a living.

What changed his mind?

“The ESPN call never came,” Grier laughed.

He still wanted an opportunity to work in sports, which came with a one-year contract with the Atlanta Hawks’ ticket office. After that year expired, the Richmond, Va. native did some networking and wound up back in Florida with Tampa Bay, even though some of those early years were lean in the victory department.

That’s what making Sunday so exciting, not to mention hosting a Super Bowl as well.

“This is a dream come true,” Grier said. “This is the pinnacle and you always aspire to have this experience.”

One of his former instructors, Dr. Camesa Whittaker-Manzueta said that Grier is one of her most memorable students.

“He was diligent, focused and passionate about serving community and doing all he could to enhance his future while in school,” Whittaker-Manzueta said. “I am proud to have been his professor during his undergraduate years at Bethune-Cookman. He represents the best our university offers to the global marketplace.” 

Grier gave credit for his Bethune-Cookman days for putting him on the road to hosting a Super Bowl.

“I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for Bethune-Cookman,” Grier said. “It gave me my voice, the ability to be creative and challenge myself and the confidence to work in a profession where a lot of the industry doesn’t look like me, but I’ve been able to maneuver and have success.”

Howard PhD Student Tapped For Two Leadership Positions At Xavier University of Louisiana

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HBCUs challenge you in ways you might never expect, and yet leave you feeling more prepared than ever. Kerri Alexander can attest to that, as she will have her hands full with two new positions at Xavier University of Louisiana. She has various experience that includes leading initiatives racial justice, and social justice for women. She has also worked for Howard University and is currently pursuing her PhD there as well. Read more below from Xavier’s release about why Kerri Alexander was such a standout choice!

Courtesy of Xavier University of Louisiana

Xavier University of Louisiana has selected Kerri Alexander to serve as Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs and Chief Inclusion Officer. Alexander joins the institution after having served as Director of Discipleship and Christian Education at Kingdom Fellowship A.M.E. Church where she created courses meant to engage and encourage spiritual and personal growth amongst the 6,000-member congregation. As Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs and Chief Inclusion Officer, she will work alongside leadership within the Division of Student Affairs to fulfill their mission of providing Xavierites with opportunities to cultivate co-curricular experiences which compliment their academic endeavors and ensure a safe and affirming environment.

“We are extremely excited to have Ms. Kerri Alexander join our Student Affairs family here at Xavier,” says Curtis Wright, Vice President of Student Affairs at Xavier University of Louisiana. “We conducted a national search with many talented leaders and her candidacy emerged as the right fit for this moment in our University’s history.”

Alexander brings a multifaceted background with her to the University. Prior to Xavier, she served as an Education and Public History Fellow at the National Women’s History Museum where she assisted in creating public programming focused on highlighting women. During her time at the Museum, she worked with Google to curate a digital exhibit for the site’s 2019 Black History Month feature. Before her role at Kingdom Fellowship A.M.E Church, she began teaching as a Teacher’s Associate at Howard University within the History Department concentrating on uncovering black history lost in traditional grade-school education. Alexander has also worked at Womanspace Inc. Domestic Violence Shelter as a Shelter Chaplain Resident where she addressed the needs of women and children who were survivors of  domestic violence and sex trafficking while simultaneously leading an agency-wide employee development workshop addressing feminism, racism, and intersectionality.

Courtesy of West Hartford

“Xavier already has such a rich legacy of making important and lasting change on-campus and within the community that when I saw the opportunity I knew it was a no brainer,” said Alexander. “I am thrilled for the opportunity to engage Xavierites in the important conversations that are taking place in our society while also staying true to the strong traditions that have established the excellence of Xavier as the notable institution it is today. I hope to be able to take the lessons we’ve learned from the past as a society and instill those lessons in our students to ensure a brighter future.”

Within her role as Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs and Chief Inclusion Officer, Alexander will serve as a Deputy Title IX Coordinator for the University and oversee the Office of Inclusion and Social Justice, Campus Ministry, the Office of Violence Prevention Education and Advocacy, veteran affairs, and help to push civic engagement initiatives. 

As a member of Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society, Association of Black Seminarians and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., Alexander has received a Bachelors of Science in Arts Administration from Wagner College, a Masters of Arts in Theological Studies from Princeton Theological Seminary, and has completed her coursework towards a PhD in History and Graduate Certificate in Women’s Studies from Howard University.  She is currently finishing her dissertation focused on the sale and separation of enslaved families during the nineteenth century and the pervasiveness of institutional separation to this day.

28 Black Inventions Used Today

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In honor of Black History Month, we find it necessary to pay homage to those in Black history who have paved the way for all of us today. We’re taught in school about Thomas Edison and the light bulb and other great inventions that changed the course of history, but there are many people who looks like you and me to thank that provides our lives with the day-to-day necessities.

Lewis Latimer, Carbon Filament

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Latimer was hired by The Edison Electric Light Company to contribute to the paper filament where he later created the carbon filament, which resulted in the light bulb.

George Washington Carver, Peanut Butter

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Thanks to history books this maybe the most popular Black invention we know of. Carver is credited for inventing peanut butter and is also the driving force behind the earliest instant coffee.

William H. Richardson, Babby Buggy

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Richardson created the baby buggy, the first mode of mobile transportation for babies.

L. Love, The Pencil Sharpener

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Love’s 1897 invention of the pencil sharpener is still found in millions of classrooms today.

Garrett Morgan, Gas Mask

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Morgan is credited for creating one of the world’s first effective gas masks, and one of the earliest versions. He also made the first real traffic signal, which was patented in 1923 by the United States Government.

Dr. Patricia E. Bath, Laser that cures Cataracts

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Dr. Bath invented the laser that cures cataracts. It was patented in 1988 which to date has helped save the eyesight of millions and also restore sight.

Richard Spikes, Automatic Gearshift

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Drivers worldwide can thank Spikes for his 1932 invention of the automatic gearshift used to drive cars.

Charles R. Drew, Blood Bank

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The Blood Bank was thought of and created by Drew, during World War II, after his extensive experience with blood transfusions.

Lonnie G. Johnson, Water Gun

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Johnson invented the popular childhood phenomenon water gun, the Supersoaker.

Frederick M. Jones, Air Conditioning Unit

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We have Mr. Jones to thank for the cool summers and warm winters with his invention of the air conditioning unit in 1949.

 Henry T. Sampson, Cell Phone

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In 1971 Sampson invented the one thing we can’t get our hands off of today – the cellular phone.

G. T. Sampson, Clothes Dryer

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Before we through our clothes in the dryer and went about our day, we were hanging them on clotheslines outside to dry in the sun. Thank you to Sampson, we got the clothes dryer in 1862.

Alexander Miles, Automatic Mechanism

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Though he didn’t directly invent the elevator, Miles improved the method of the opening and closing of elevator doors in 1867. He is also credited to inventing the closing of the elevator shaft by making an automatic mechanism.

T. Marshall, Fire Extinguisher

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This invention has saved many lives and homes from destruction. Marshall invented the fire extinguisher in 1872.

Robert Flemming, Guitar

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Many greats in music have Flemming to thank for his invention of the guitar.

Paul L. Downing, Four-legged Metal Mailbox

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In 1891 he created the four-legged metal mailbox that millions still use today.

Imhotep, Stethoscope

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Travel back to Ancient Egypt for the invention of the stethoscope.

T. A. Carrington, Stove

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Created in 1876, the stove is still in millions of households today.

Madam C. J. Walker, Straightening Comb

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Madam C.J. Walker is widely popular for her Walker Hair Care System and the invention of the straightening comb.

Burridge & Marshman, Typewriter

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This 1885 invention was used to create books, manuscripts and other great forms of writing. Burridge & Marshman is credited for inventing the typewriter.

Otis Boykin, Artificial Heart Pacemaker Control Unit

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There were many versions of the pacemaker created before Boykin’s, but his artificial heart pacemaker control unit is what is still used to help millions to this day.

Gerald A. Lawson, Lawson’s Home-Video Gaming Console

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There would be no Playstation, Wii or Xbox without Lawson’s home-video gaming console. His invention was the first that used interchangeable cartridges.

Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson, Caller ID & Call Waiting

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Many know that Dr. Jackson was the first African-American woman to earn a Ph.D. from MIT (specializing in Physics), but she has made numerous contributions to telecommunications that we take advantage of today; such as touch-tone phones, Caller ID and Call Waiting.

George E. Alcorn, Imaging X-ray Spectrometer

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His invention of the imaging x-ray spectrometer revolutionized the way NASA conducted research.

 

Marc Hannah, 3-D Graphics

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Hannah invented 3-D graphics technology that is used in special effect films.

R. Johnson, Bicycle

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Johnson created the frame of a bicycle, which is still a form of transportation to many.

Frederick M. Jones, Refrigerator

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There would be tons of food wasted and spoiled daily if it wasn’t for Jones invention of the refrigerator. He founded Thermo King, which became a leading manufacturer of refrigerated transportation.

Ludwick Marishane, Dry Bath

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The University of Cape Town graduate developed DryBath at the young age of 21. This has allowed billions worldwide to bathe who may not have access to clean and healthy water.

Recent Study Explores Whether Hate Crimes Have Led To Higher HBCU Enrollment

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The recent increase in enrollment at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) can be attributed to many recent factors. Kamala Harris, who attended Howard University, has inspired many as the first Black Vice President in United States history. There has been a historical pandemic that has led many to reconsider their career paths and go back to school. Nevertheless, two Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs) recently came together to study whether the recent increase in enrollment could be attributed to hate crimes. Read about the gripping study below from University Business.

A study done by professors at SMU and UC Berkeley shows an increase in enrollment in states where those crimes became more prevalent.

A new study done by researchers from Southern Methodist University and the University of California, Berkeley, appears to show a correlation between an increase in the number of African American first-time students enrolling in Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) and states that experience a rise in hate crimes.

Courtesy of Getty Images

Professors Dominique Baker at SMU and Tolani Britton at UC Berkeley performed the study “Hate Crimes and Black College Student Enrollment” that looked at enrollment figures from HBCU institutions from 1999-2017 and compared them with other data – such as hate crimes occurring on and off campuses during that period.

In the working paper published by Stanford University’s Center for Education Policy Analysis, they concluded that increases in such crimes in individual states – racial, religious, gender-based or against those with disabilities –  caused a 20% spike in the number of African-American students opting to attend HBCUs.

“The number of reported hate crimes is almost assuredly an undercount of the actual number of incidents,” Baker said. “Even so, this study helps fill in the gap by exploring the association between Black students’ college enrollment and the number of reports of hate crimes at two levels: the state and the institution.”

They say hate crimes had reached their highest point in a decade in 2019, spurred by “rhetoric used by former President Donald Trump in referencing immigrants and persons of color.” In fact, of the nearly 15,000 law enforcement agencies participating in the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program two years ago, 14% reported at least one hate crime occurring in their jurisdictions, or more than 7,000 in total in the U.S. The overwhelming majority were race-based.

Campuses are not immune. The Center for American Progress, in an article done in 2019 and citing data from the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League, noted a 40% rise in campus hate crimes to more than 1,000 incidents across the U.S. They say the hate extends to “white supremacist propoganda” that has circulated across campuses.

Courtesy of Radcliffe “Rudy” Rowe, National Geographic

Researchers Baker and Britton say African-American students, for a number of reasons, are more likely to enroll at HBCUs than at non-HBCUs, especially when race-based hate crimes rise in individual states.

“It could be that students coming from more racially similar home communities seek to replicate these spaces in a college community due to prior experiences of an increased likelihood of student safety in predominantly Black spaces,” Britton said.

The study also noted: “It could also be that the reports of hate crimes on HBCU campuses are perpetrated by individuals who were not affiliated with the institutions, and therefore, students still find their campus to be a welcoming environment.”

The Center for American Progress and Baker and Britton note the scarcity of reporting data available and the lack of information on the specifics on those incidents.

They say colleges can do their part to help increase knowledge and dialogue by:

  • Adding training for those charged with reporting hate crimes
  • Ensuring that information related to these crimes is accurately reported
  • Offering additional support systems to Black students and their families, including the promotion of mental health services and other available health options. The Center for American Progress notes the disparity in African Americans who are helping deliver these services on campuses directly to students.
  • Fostering a welcoming campus, while providing open forums for dialogue on current topics and encouraging positive behaviors both in person on online. And denouncing behavior that isn’t.
  • Don’t just offer rhetoric or hollow mission statements on diversity and equity. Create programs and initiatives on campus that make a difference and lean on faculty who can support them.
  • Allowing students to more easily report hate crimes via an online, secured reporting system.

Baker also pitched that colleges and universities further research on hate crimes and enrollments for other groups of color. The goal of all support, they say, is to increase the “likelihood of college persistence and graduation.”

11-Year-Old Sells Candles To Fund Education At Dream School Howard University

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There are a million ways to reach your dreams, and it’s never too early to get started. This is a lesson Hart Wilson has learned early! The young boy is learning the ropes of entrepreneurship selling a product that everyone seems to love. It is all in an effort for Hart to better himself at the HBCU he has his heart set on. Read how Hart Wilson is working his way to Howard University in the story from Because Of Them We Can below.

An 11-year-old started his own candle business to help pay his way to Howard University.

Courtesy of Candles From The Hart

Hart Wilson is the owner of Candles From The Hart, a handmade candle company he started from the ground up. The inspiration began after a trip to Howard University when Hart was just 6-years-old. It was then that he decided the D.C.-based HBCU was his dream school. He decided if he were ever going to have a chance at going, he would have to find a way to make some money. Last year, he finally put his plan into action and began raising money to attend his dream school.

Courtesy of Candles From The Hart

“I got on the internet and saw that people were making different things to sell to earn money, and I settled on candles. My parents and I watched YouTube videos and started experimenting with making candles, and we figured it all out, and that’s when it all started,” Hart told Because Of Them We Can. 

Utilizing the online marketplace Etsy for independent sellers, Hart began selling his one-of-a-kind candles, boasting scents like “Cashmere Plum,” in honor of Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, “Tranquil Sea,” “Guava Fresca,” “Grapefruit and Mint,” and “Asian Pear and Basil.” He also sells wax melts and scents to put in your car. Eventually, the company started picking up some traction.

The New Orleans Pelicans staff ordered a batch. Then Inda Craig-Galvan, a television writer for ABC’s How To Get Away With Murder, ordered some and spread the word even more. Actress Keena Ferguson from Tyler Perry’s Sistas placed an order, and Queen Sugar actress Tracey Bonner. Before he knew it, the business was booming. Eventually, Hart started getting requests to sell his candles in stores, starting with restaurant owner Gabriel Devarssy in Chicago before expanding to local shops in Houston and then stores in his hometown of Pearland, Texas.

While Hart is enjoying the business, his main goal is to fund his college education and make it Howard. He’s hoping to diversify his business portfolio by then and start even more businesses. But in the meantime, he’s focused on keeping his grades up so he can prepare academically. Hart hopes his story serves as an inspiration for other young entrepreneurs and encourages them to stay motivated.

Courtesy of Candles From The Hart

“The advice I would give other young people trying to pursue business is simple…DO IT! You can do anything you want. Don’t let anyone tell you no. Whatever you like doing, figure out a way to get paid from it and be successful,” Hart told BOTWC.

Hart is currently looking to expand his in-store sales to other cities, focusing on upstate New York as the next rollout. He was also recently featured in Biore’s Buy Black campaign, which helped raise his profile and drive sales. We can’t wait to see what this young kid does next!

Who Is ‘The Real HU?’

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Get to know the background of this heated debate a little better before the upcoming homecoming season. 

Some of the music industry’s most prominent rappers have named-dropped HU in songs over the years. Nah, not Harvard University. But Hampton University and Howard University, two Black Ivy League historically Black colleges. 

Take The Notorious B.I.G., for example, who name-dropped Howard in his song Kick In The Door, or Drake’s Used To (Hampton). 

Each year, whether during a Debate team competition, Battle of the Bands, or Cheerleading, school pride is at an all-time high for Hampton and Howard alumni and students, particularly if and when they face off against one another. The winner of the game gets bragging rights as “The Real HU.” 

The above could not be more evident than at the Hampton versus Howard football games, which has spilled over into pop culture. 

To that end, let’s get to know the background of this heated debate a little better before homecoming season.  

According to many, the illustrious Hampton University has one of the most beautiful campuses in the country. Black and white leaders of the American Missionary Association founded Hampton as Hampton Institute in 1868 after the American Civil War to educate freed slaves.

In contrast, Howard University was founded in 1867. The historically Black university derives its name from a Civil War hero, General Oliver Otis Howard, the university founder. And according to many, Howard is the most prestigious historically Black university in the country. 

Considering the institution’s founding date, Howard was “HU” before Hampton. Of course, the latter school became Hampton University much later in 1984. 

On the HBCU level, The Real HU football rivalry is Ohio State versus Michigan. The first meeting between Hampton and Howard was back in 1908, where the former defeated the latter 6 to 0. 

These institutions have since played nearly 100 matches against one another, even crossing over to popular music and literature, like when rapper Ludacris named-dropped Howard in his 2000s’ hit song Pimpin’ All Over The World:

“Then jump in the car and just ride for hours/ Makin’ sure I don’t miss the homecoming at Howard.”

“Now, before we get started, I just want to say, I’m excited the Battle of the Real H.U. will be taking place in Washington this year,” President Barack Obama said during his commencement address at Hampton in 2010. Of course, Obama was referring to the football game where these two historically Black universities compete against one another.

“You know I am not going to pick sides. But my understanding is it’s been 13 years since the Pirates lost. As one Hampton alum on my staff put it, the last time Howard beat Hampton, The Fugees were still together,” he continued. 

It is true. Hampton won 13 consecutive football meetings against Howard from 1997 to 2009. The school added another W to the column in the Fall of 2010 to make it 14 straight dubs against Howard before the former president threw shade at Howard while he delivered Hampton’s commencement address in May of that year. 

What is more, Howard went on to win the next four football meetings against Hampton from 2011 to 2014, and besides, Obama did precisely what he was supposed to do down the road. He delivered the commencement address at “The Mecca” Howard University in 2016. 

He also gave a commencement address to the graduating seniors at the historically Black all-males Morehouse College in Atlanta in 2013. 

Even Obama is indecisive here. 

But no matter who you believe is “The Real HU,” both of these private historically Black institutions are needed now more than ever. And thus, you have to respect Hampton’s and Howard’s, along with the other 99 HBCUs in the country, name because these institutions are the last cultural jewels that Black people have left in this country. 

That is on period.

Grambling State University Received $250,000 For Permanent Endowment Thanks To Alum

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Funding has hindered many HBCUs from expansion and maximizing student support. However, as more HBCUs receive record donations from people like MacKenzie Scott, they are gaining more funding than perhaps ever before! Grambling State University is one of those HBCUs, which just received a quarter-million-dollar donation for a new endowment that will benefit at least 10 students per year! Read below for the full story from Grambling State below to find out more details!

Courtesy of KTVE

Grambling State University has received $250,000 from Diageo North America to create a permanent endowment fund and provide financial aid grants to talented students across different disciplines and majors. This is part of a broader innovative program that Diageo North America announced to support 25 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), focused on building opportunities to develop future leaders and help shape a more equitable society. The initiative is expected to benefit thousands of students over the years across the country.

The Diageo Endowed Scholarship Fund will be used to provide scholarships to at least 10 students each year. Qualified applicants must be of African heritage; enrolled in an academic program at Grambling State University; currently pursuing a degree in any major (preference will be given to Engineering, Chemistry, Marketing, and Communications majors); maintain a 2.75 grade point average and meet the University’s general scholarship requirements (e.g. academic standard, code of conduct).

“We appreciate the support of Diageo and are so proud of Perry Jones and the role he has taken in advocating for his alma mater and other HBCUs,” said Grambling State University President Rick Gallot. “This generous gift will help Grambling State continue to produce graduates that are valued for their leadership and innovation.”

Perry Jones, courtesy of Grambling State University

With a goal of helping to change the complexion of the industry, Diageo North America has also committed to taking a step to build a pipeline of talented leaders through an internship platform over the coming years and Grambling State University will be part of it. The company will provide opportunities for HBCU students to gain valuable work experience at a fast pace that could help them with their future career aspirations or jump-start their career in the consumer goods industry.

“We are proud to partner with these esteemed institutions and to do our part to help shape a more equitable society by providing opportunities for future leaders,” said Debra Crew, President, Diageo North America. “This initiative further deepens Diageo’s commitment to making a long term and sustainable impact on underrepresented communities.”

“As an HBCU grad, I’m proud of the partnership Diageo is announcing today. This is an incredible step in furthering Diageo’s commitment to diversity and inclusion to colleges and universities that have a legacy of producing some of our most recognized minority leaders,” said Perry Jones, President, Diageo North America Supply and Grambling State University Alum. “I look forward to the development of new young leaders as a result of this investment in our HBCUs.”

This initiative was created by working closely with Diageo North America’s African Heritage Business Resource Group (A.H.E.A.D.) to focus on the priorities and actions, along with the right partnerships, to make the most meaningful impact in the Black community.

To learn more about Diageo’s work to support the communities where it operates, including company values, visit www.diageo.com.

28 Black History Landmarks

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Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church, Montgomery, Alabama

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Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. helped to organize the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Greyhound Bus Station, Montgomery, Alabama

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The Freedom Riders were attacked by a local mob at this bus station in 1961.

Bethel Baptist Church Parsonage, and Guard House Birmingham, Alabama

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Bethal Baptist Church was built in 1926 in the African American working class neighborhood of Collegeville. Reverend Shuttlesworth was a pastor at Bethel Baptist Church.

The Campground Mobile, Alabama

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This district was an important role in the historical development of the black community of Mobile, Alabama since the 1860s.

Fort Huachuca, Sierra Vista, Arizona

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This U.S. military fort was created during the Indian Wars of the 1870s and 1880s to protect settlers and travel routes that later housed black troops known as the Buffalo Soldiers.

Little Rock Central High School

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Where the first major confrontation over the Brown v. Board of Education 1954 Supreme Court ruling in 1957.

Fort Lyon, Bent County, Colorado

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Several companies of African American Buffalo soldiers were stationed here during the Indian Wars from the 1860s to the 1890s.

First Church of Christ, Farmington, Connecticut

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This church was at the center of community life for Amistad captives and their famous 1840-1841 trial.

Austin F. Williams Carriagehouse, Farmington, Connecticut

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This site served as living quarters for the Amistad Africans on their way back to Africa, and as a “station” on the Underground Railroad.

Lincoln Park

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This park features the Mary McLeod Bethune memorial and the Abraham Lincoln Memorial. Bethune’s statue lies to the West. In 1964 this is the first monument to a black person, or even a woman.

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial

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This solid granite sculpture of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., stands in the “National Mall” in Washington, D.C.

Mary Church Terrell House

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This house, built between 1873 and 1877, was the home of Memphis-born Mary Church Terrell, who at age 86 led the successful fight to integrate eating places in the District of Columbia.

Public Schools of Washington D.C.

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This landmark includes Alexander Crummell School, William Syphax School, and Military Road School, all formerly African American segregated schools.

Striver’s Section Historic District

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This area has been associated with African American leaders in business, education, politics, religion, art, architecture, science and government. The most renowned of these figures was Frederick Douglass.

Howard Thurman House, Daytona Beach, Florida

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Howard Thurman spent most of his childhood in this late 19th-century house. His influential work influenced Martin Luther King, Jr. and provided the philosophical foundation for a nonviolent civil rights movement.

The Mary McLeod Bethune Home, Daytona Beach, Florida

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This was the residence of the educator and civil rights leader on the campus of Bethune Cookman College from the early 1920s until her death in 1955.

Bethel Baptist Institutional Church, Jacksonville, Florida

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Bethel Baptist Institutional Church is the oldest Black Baptist church in Florida.

Sweet Auburn Historic District, Atlanta, Georgia

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The sweet Auburn Historic District is where African American businesses moved after the Atlanta Race Riot of 1906.

Mount Zion Baptist Church, Albany, Georgia

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Served as the religious, educational, and social center of Albany’s African American community, especially during the Civil Rights Movement.

Chicago Bee Building

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In 1926, the Chicago Bee Building was commissioned by black entrepreneur Anthony Overton, who owned the renowned Black newspaper The Chicago Bee.

Ida B. Wells-Barnett House, Chicago, Illinois

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This was the former home of late 19th Century and early 20th Century civil rights advocate Ida B. Wells.

Robert S. Abbott House, Chicago, Illinois

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Abbott lived in this house from 1926 to 1940. He founded the black newspaper, The Chicago Defender.

WROX Building, Clarksdale, Mississippi

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From 1946-1954, this building served as the site of a radio station that catered to an African American audience.

Natchez National Cemetery, Natchez, Mississippi

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This cemetery is the final resting place of many blacks who fought in the U.S. Civil War.

Tougaloo College, Tougaloo, Mississippi

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Founded in 1869 by the American Missionary Association. During the 1950s and 1960s, it became a primary center of civil rights movement activity in Mississippi.

Cartland House, Lee, New Hampshire

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The Cartland House is where Moses Cartland, one of New Hampshire’s premier antislavery activists, aided those fleeing from slavery in the mid-19th century.

Dunbar Apartments, Harlem, New York

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This apartment complex, constructed in 1926, is located in Harlem. Labor reformer and unionist Asa Philip Randolph helped to battle racism in American industry.

Hotel Theresa, Harlem, New York

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One of the major social centers of Harlem. Serving from 1940 until the late 1960s, when it was converted into office use, it was one of the most important community institutions for African Americans in New York.

Bowie State To Become The First HBCU With A Stop-Motion Animation Studio

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HBCUs are not just leaders in the education of Black professionals, they are the innovators! In fact, Bowie State University just announced a ground-breaking new opportunity for students interested in the art form that is stop-motion animation! As a result, the new partnership between BSU and LAIKA will drive an immeasurable increase in diversity in an industry that could desperately use refreshing talent! Read the full release from Bowie State below for more information.

LAIKA, the Oscar®-nominated and BAFTA and Golden Globe Award-winning feature film animation studio best known for Missing Link, Kubo and the Two Strings and Coraline, is partnering with Bowie State University to build the nation’s first stop-motion animation studio at a historically Black college and university (HBCU). The partnership will enhance BSU’s animation curriculum, with the goal of providing a career pathway for BSU students into the animation industry.

Courtesy of Bowie State University

LAIKA’s donation will fund upgrades to Bowie State’s green screen studio to allow stop-motion animation production. The art form, one of cinema’s oldest techniques, entails the incremental movement of objects, such as puppets, filmed 24X per second to create the illusion of movement.

“This is a great opportunity for students to learn valuable skills that will carry them into the professional world of animation,” said Tewodross Melchishua Williams, chair of the BSU Department of Fine & Performing Arts. “There are a lot of storytelling and narrative elements that have yet to be brought to life via stop-motion animation, especially in the arena of children’s programming. We are looking at this partnership to be an internship and career pipeline that can help diversify the animation industry, which has been a traditionally underrepresented sector when it comes to the voices of people of color, women, LGBTQ and other communities.”

“LAIKA is thrilled to be partnering with as prestigious an institution as Bowie State University,” said LAIKA’s head of production Arianne Sutner, the Golden Globe-winning and Oscar®-nominated producer of Missing Link, Kubo and the Two Strings and ParaNorman. “At its heart, LAIKA is a community of artists, craftspeople and scientists committed to expanding the technological capabilities of our animation medium in order to tell everyone’s stories with boldness, compassion and excellence. Helping BSU students to express their experience, their artistry and their potential through the stop motion art form speaks to our creative and corporate mandate. We’re so excited to explore their talents and to provide mentorship and tools that will enlarge the scope of their filmmaking vision.”

The partnership between LAIKA and Bowie State developed as a way to create internship opportunities for BSU students. As the relationship grew, LAIKA committed to making a long-term investment at Bowie State to prepare students for success in the animation industry.

Courtesy of Grimm + Parker

Bowie State’s animation & motion graphics concentration is part of the visual communication & digital media arts (VCDMA) bachelor’s degree program, which is one of the university’s fastest-growing majors. Bowie State was recently recognized as one of the nation’s top HBCU art programs by The Hundred-Seven, which specifically highlighted the five concentrations in the VCDMA program.

Celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, LAIKA’s five films have been nominated for Academy Awards for “Outstanding Animated Feature Film.” In addition, Kubo and the Two Strings also received an Oscar nomination for its visual effects, only the second time in Academy history that an animated film received such distinction. Kubo and the Two Strings won the BAFTA Award and the National Board of Review, and Missing Link was this year’s Golden Globe winner. LAIKA’s films have won multiple Annie Awards, animation’s highest honor, as well as a Scientific and Technology Oscar® in 2016 for its innovation in 3D printing in facial animation.

PRESIDENT’S CORNER: President Dr. Aminta Breaux of Bowie State University

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Today we launched an exclusive weekly digital series: President’s Corner! Our host/HBCU Buzz CEO Luke Lawal Jr. invites various HBCU Presidents nationwide to discuss the latest topics surrounding your HBCU and the Black college community. The one-on-one informative format will cover an array of hot topics, issues and initiatives of the featured HBCU. Tune in live on Facebook and Youtube every Tuesday at 12pm PT/3pm ET. You can also listen to #PresidentsCorner anywhere you get your podcasts. 

Episode 1: Interview with Bowie State’s President Dr. Aminta Breaux

We are so excited to have Dr. Aminta Breaux as our very first #PresidentsCorner guest as our HBCU Buzz CEO Luke Lawal Jr. is a proud Bulldog! President Aminta Breaux is the 10th president and 1st female president of Bowie State University. Dr. Breaux joined Bowie State in 2017 and has since made it her mission to enrich the lives of students by engaging them in the learning process and pathing a path to succeed after Bowie. President Breaux talks with a deep sense of pride in Bowie’s rich history of molding leaders and she has made it her personal responsibility to carry this legacy forward. Dr. Breaux’s idea of a perfect day is when she is able to interact with students one-on-one around the campus and she can’t wait to embrace students again once the COVID-19 pandemic is over. President Breaux truly is a passionate educator. In this episode you will learn about her shared Bowie State pride with Luke, the history and culture at Bowie, her plans for the recent $25M MacKenzie Scott donation, Bowie’s entrepreneurship program, and Black History Month programming. Read more about the exciting conversation below!

On the History of Bowie + Enrollment

Luke: Tell me a little bit about the history of Bowie State. As the first HBCU in Maryland, there is so much rich history there that a lot of people don’t know about.

President Breaux: Bowie State is the first HBCU in Maryland, we were founded in 1865… to educate former slaves and ensure that they had the ability to contribute back to their communities and to have the wherewithal to lift up their families. Today we have 23 undergraduate majors, over 35 graduate and certificate programs, 2 doctoral programs and we are growing, the enrollment is over 6,200. You can share that with your family members and ask them… how many were in the graduating class. I think you’ll see a vast difference so we are changing and growing with our academic programs. We’re putting up a new building: the entrepreneurship living-learning community. It’s going to have three components including a new residence hall component because enrollment is up…we had the largest first time full time enrollment this year of any of the universities in the state system this year and we grew our first-time students attending Bowie State by 20%.

On Culture at Bowie

Luke: You know when I was at Bowie State, there are so many things that I remember… one being Bowie State will prepare you for the real world. I love Bowie, I couldn’t imagine who I would be today without Bowie State University. Tell me about your experience joining the Bowie State culture and comparing your other institutions.

President Breaux: When you come to Bowie State University you feel a part of a family, it’s a very nurturing environment… We have a very close-knit community and so it’s a very special place and it’s hard to describe until you come to the campus… Here once you get to know a person a little bit you get a big hug that makes you feel so good that you can go out and do anything… someone’s lifting you up and making sure that you’re the best person the best at whatever you’re doing here on this campus.

On Bowie’s Entrepreneurship Program

Luke: Bowie State is the reason why I started HBCU Buzz. Bowie State helped me get HBCU Buzz off the ground, it’s the understanding and commitment you guys have toward entrepreneurship. Can you tell me a little bit more about the entrepreneurship program?

President Breaux: I would love to tell you more about the program. How much time do you have? That building is to support students who are aspiring entrepreneurs but it’s more than that, it’s going to serve as that hub for accelerator businesses, to accelerate the business, to grow businesses, to serve as an incubator. We are fortunate to have the Bowie Innovation Center separate 501(c)(3) enterprise that is here on this campus presently. When we open up that new building we can have a closer alignment with our Entrepreneurship Academy that’s part of the university and it is all designed to be part of the larger entrepreneurial ecosystem. There’s so many individuals who want to start a new product, create a new business and we need to support them in those endeavors. We have hundreds of our students who are already participating in our Academy and also getting mentoring from the Bowie Innovation Center. Every student is afforded opportunities to explore their creativity, their innovation and develop those skills… Part of my vision for this institution is to make sure that they graduate with an entrepreneurial mindset and that means that they’re able to navigate with the changes and what’s happening out in the workforce in any organization. I want them to be able to provide value added benefits to an employer so if mergers and acquisitions are happening graduates will be ready to position, to think differently about how they contribute to the success of an organization.

On Bowie State Today + Partnerships + The $25M MacKenzie Scott Donation

Luke: Tell me more about what is going on today at Bowie State University.

President Breaux: Today we are continuing on… as I say racing to excellence strategic plan. That includes developing new partnerships to support students in their learning to ensure students are successful, that we have the resources we need to invest and reinvest in our academic programs, growing new programs, developing new initiatives that are keeping pace with the needs of our communities including the workforce. We are developing new partnerships with industry leaders such as Apple and Google. It’s great to see the support that is coming to Bowie State University to help us realize our vision. Those partnerships have met so very much to us and one of the great pieces of news right before the holiday and I hope you heard about it. 

That is the largest gift that we’ve ever received here at Bowie State University, a private gift and that came through MacKenzie Scott. She is a true philanthropist and she gave a wonderful gift of $25 million dollars but I’m sharing that to say thank you and we appreciate that gift but what’s most important to the donor, to MacKenzie Scott was that service as a leadership gift for others to give to Bowie State University because we still have a lot of need here to build up our infrastructure. 

Luke: Right now there’s obviously a big trend on HBCU and a lot of people are highlighting the wonderful things and the wonderful alumni from these great institutions. We see donors like MacKenzie giving over millions of dollars to HBCUs. I am wondering what Bowie State has done with that impact and those resources. Tell me some of the things in your agenda moving forward that will propel students in this new era.

President Breaux: First and foremost you need to make sure that students have access to higher education and here at Bowie we are focused on closing the financial gap and making higher education affordable here at BSU. That means putting a great deal toward scholarships for our students… The way we do that is by investing and putting much of those funds into the endowment. We’re able to provide scholarships at a higher level because we’ve grown our endowment. The programs that we have today may not be the programs that are going to be needed just five years from now because technology is reshaping the workforce. We need to have academic innovation… and ensure that we have the quality we need to deliver education virtually and then having what we call stackable credentials certificates, more certificates, more badges as employers are looking to enrich their workforce. Those who may have been laid off, maybe their jobs are gone now and they have to retool, re-skill and some will not need a 4-year degree. They may just need another certificate in a certain area or a badge that certifies they’ve had a certain amount of learning so we want to partner with business leaders and industries in that way. 

On Black History Month

Luke: Tell me about some of your Black History Month program that’s coming up this month.

President Breaux: We start Black History Month with our convocation ceremony where we have a Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks who will be speaking. We will have symposia held throughout the week and the goal is to raise awareness about our history of course, but it’s also to anchor the learning experience in the history and to help students understand the context for what they’re learning here. So I’m very pleased that our faculty will have a number of seminars and programs to do just that.

On Legacy

Luke: I heard you mention legacy and when I was an undergrad one of the biggest things for me is I wanted to give back. So tell our fan base about your legacy and what you want to leave behind.

President Breaux: I hope what will be part of my legacy is that this institution will continue on providing value for generations to come, and being respectful and mindful of the history of the shoulders that we stand on, those people who came before us in 1865 that were faced with so many challenges yet they were able to overcome these challenges and create Bowie State University. I hope that Legacy that I leave behind will show that I left Bowie State University and Rich and in a better position than the way I found it. One other element to the legacy is that I am the first woman to be appointed as the president here at Bowie State University I don’t want to be the last. I hope that women, young ladies who are watching this, and wherever they are realize that they have the potential to rise to greatness and achieve their hopes and dreams. You can do what I’m doing and then some and you can surpass where I am today because you have the ability to do so.

The Chicago Bears Reflect On Their Greatest 2 Players Hailing From HBCUs

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The NFL is no stranger to recruiting qualified talent from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). However, for many athletes, HBCUs were providing top athletes the opportunities and platforms for greatness that Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs) were not. Thankfully, that HBCU access lead to the legendary careers of at least two Chicago Bears, who were profiled in an article today by the team itself. Read below for the full article about Walter Payton of Jackson State University and Richard Dent of Tennessee State University, along with extraordinary photos of their best plays!

Walter Payton, courtesy of Dynasty Football Factory

Walter Payton was an all-state running back at Columbia High School in Mississippi. But he wasn’t recruited by any SEC schools.

It wasn’t because Payton lacked the ability to excel at the major college level. Or that he didn’t possess the grades required to qualify for enrollment. It was simply because of the color of his skin. Even as recently as the early 1970s, SEC schools only offered scholarships to a limited number of Black students.

With few other opportunities, Payton headed to Jackson State University, a Historically Black College/University (HBCU) in Jackson, Miss., where he joined his older brother, Eddie, on the football team.

The future Bears star enjoyed an outstanding college career, rushing for 3,600 yards and a school-record 63 touchdowns. He was named Black College Player of the Year in each of his final two seasons at Jackson State.

As a sophomore in 1972, Payton set a SWAC single-game scoring record with 46 points, rushing for seven touchdowns and a pair of two-point conversions in a 72-0 drubbing of Lane College. He also set a school record with 279 rushing yards in the game. Payton rushed for a school-record 24 TDs as a junior in 1973 and ran for 19 touchdowns as a senior in 1974. He graduated in 1975 with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications.

In his autobiography, “Never Die Easy,” Payton discussed the impact that attending Jackson State had on his life.

Walter Payton, courtesy of The Chicago Tribune

“I’ve always said that the best thing that happened to me was going to a school like Jackson State,” Payton wrote. “I am really glad that it worked out that way, that schools such as Alabama or Mississippi State or Louisiana State didn’t recruit me. Obviously I do not support the reason why those schools wouldn’t recruit me; the idea that they didn’t want black kids to attend or play at their schools was reprehensible. They turned their back on so many great kids and great players. They really denied people opportunities they deserved. But I needed a school like Jackson State to keep my feet planted.”

Payton credited Jackson State coach Bob Hill with maintaining his humility and hunger as a player and person.

“He kept it real,” Payton wrote. “I don’t care how good you were, you were treated like everybody else. You weren’t put on a pedestal by Bob Hill. It is why I am so happy that I went to a school like Jackson State and met a man such as Bob Hill. Coach Hill’s whole focus helped make me. I don’t know exactly how coach Hill felt about me, but when I was there I always felt like a son. I had that special kind of relationship with him. I always, always knew that he had my best interests in mind when he made decisions.”

Payton was selected by the Bears with the fourth pick in the 1975 draft. He played his entire 13-year NFL career in Chicago, retiring following the 1987 season as the league’s all-time leading rusher with 16,726 yards. While that record was eventually eclipsed by Emmitt Smith, Payton is still widely considered the greatest player in Bears history. He was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993, the College Football Hall of Fame in 1996 and the Black College Hall of Fame in 2010.

Sadly, Payton passed away Nov. 1, 1999 at the age of 45 due to bile duct cancer. But he remains an all-time Chicago icon.

Dent also was an HBCU product

Payton isn’t the only Bears Super Bowl XX champion and Pro Football Hall of Famer who was drafted by the team from an HBCU.

Defensive end Richard Dent was a two-time All-American at Tennessee State from 1979-82, setting sack records for a career with 39.5 and a single game with 4.5 in 1982. He also recorded 158 tackles and six fumble recoveries during his college career.

Courtesy of Pinterest

Selected by the Bears in the eighth round of the 1983 draft, Dent played 12 of his 15 NFL seasons in Chicago and remains the Bears’ all-time leader with 124.5 sacks. He led the NFC with a Bears-record 17.5 sacks in 1984 before recording a league-leading 17 sacks in 1985 in helping the Bears win their first NFL title in 22 years. The 6-5, 265-pounder registered 10 or more sacks in five straight seasons from 1984-88 and in eight of 10 years from 1984-93.

Dent was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011. His official presenter at the ceremony in Canton was his former defensive coordinator at Tennessee State, Joe Gilliam Sr.

“I’ve been around football all of my life and Richard Dent was relentless and I don’t believe you can teach relentlessness,” Gilliam said in presenting Dent for enshrinement. “Richard honed in like a guided missile.”

During Dent’s speech, he lauded Gilliam and the impact the coach had on him.

“You don’t meet this kind of person too often,” Dent said. “I used to hate this person, but I learned to love him. You know what I mean? I learned to love him because he shaped me and he made things work for me. Coach, thank you. Coach, thank you. Thank you.”