“They do things right around here,” shared Norfolk State University President Javaune Adams-Gaston. She is just the latest great HBCU president to be interviewed in our President’s Corner series by HBCU Buzz Founder and CEO Luke Lawal Jr. We discovered President Adams-Gaston has a fierce but relaxed style, and loves her work at NSU. Tap into the conversation to learn things you may never have known about her, like her family history with HBCUs, her take on COVID-19, how she truly feels about the MacKenzie Scott donation to her university, and an NSU moment she’ll truly never forget!
President Adams-Gaston comes from a line of people who appreciate an HBCU education. She has a sister who is a Howard University faculty member, a son that attends Morehouse College, and an aunt that is a graduate of NSU. In fact, she shared “since I’ve been here I’ve found many family members who are graduates of Norfolk State University!”
When asked what makes her happy, she discussed her personal growth tied into the success of Norfolk students.
“First and foremost is every day I start my day with prayer meditation, and that really centers me. And so all the things that might give me anxiety or might make me concerned or worried sort of get damped down because I really begin to think about ‘what is the journey and what’s most important’ of course for me in this journey I’m here because I think we have an opportunity and a way to help our young African-American students and any students who want to participate in this environment to soar. And so really, I’m really laser-focused on our students and their success, and utilizing the incredible skills of our faculty, our administrators, and our staff to get us there.”
Credit: President’s Corner
To learn more about President Adams-Gaston, watch the full conversation here. For more President’s Corner, 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.
ALLBLK is a streaming service focused on Black creators and they are launching a new variety show Social Society hosted by actor, host and social media personality Kendall Kyndall. ALLBLK is a platform for Black voices to be heard and seen.
Kyndall says, “It’s definitely a platform for Blacks where we can come and have a voice… We’re definitely not going to be afraid to talk about race and especially what we saw that was happening in 2020.”
“As audiences tune-in from week to week, Social Society will stand out as a premiere destination for staying up to date on what’s happening in Black culture.” said Brett Dismuke, General Manager of ALLBLK and WeTV. He also described the show as “a fresh concept that merges the best elements of sketch comedy shows like In Living Color, and news commentary programming like Last Week Tonight.”
Kendall Kyndall rose to fame from his unapologetic social commentary of VH1’s popular Love & Hip Hop franchise. Kyndall’s most recent roles include serving as the host for Love & Hip Hop: Secrets Unlocked special and backstage correspondent for Love & Hip Hop reunion shows. His popularity and best friend persona makes him the perfect host for Social Society as viewers will feel like they are hanging out with their best friend every week catching up on the latest news.
The new weekly programming Social Society will include a comedy sketch followed by discussions around topics such as Black entrepreneurship, Black love and financial literacy. Each week Kendall Kyndall will have a rotating social media influencer guest co-host join him as well as lifestyle experts and tastemakers. Viewers can expect to hear Kendall Kyndall’s take on the week’s entertainment highlights, life hacks, and social media buzz.
Social Society premiered yesterday with the first episode co-hosted by social media influencer Jasmine Luv, with special guests Dr. Lexx, Gary “G-Thang” Johnson, Renny and a live performance from R’n’B artist Neilà.
Social Societyis OUT NOW on ALLBLK with new episodes every Monday at noon EST. Enter Code: HBCU30 at SIGN UP for an exclusive 30-day free trial!
Legendary singer Gladys Knight is gearing up to perform at one of the most unique NBA All-Star games in history. In mid March Knight, who attended Shaw University, will be singing to a mostly empty stadium due to COVID-19 concerns. However, basketball fans are still awaiting the action-packed event famous for unique move difficult shots, special appearances, and more! This year’s event is even more special because it’s honoring HBCUs! Read the full story from Daniel Holloway at Variety below.
Credit: Auckland Live
Gladys Knight and Alessia Cara will be among the artists set to perform for the 2021 NBA All-Star Game in Atlanta. The All-Star festivities will also include performances by HBCU musical groups, including marching bands, step teams, glee clubs and choirs.
Knight — an Atlanta native, seven-time Grammy winner and graduate of one of the nation’s oldest HBCUs, Shaw University — will sing the U.S. national anthem live from State Farm Arena in Atlanta. (Knight, who is 76 years old, recently received the COVID-19 vaccine.) She will be followed by Cara, who will sing the Canadian national anthem remotely from Toronto.
Performances will begin airing at 8 p.m. on March 7, prior to tipoff on TNT.
Credit: Derek Blanks
The NBA will pay tribute throughout the night to the legacy of HBCUs. The Clark Atlanta University Philharmonic Society Choir will deliver a virtual performance of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” from an iconic location on the school’s campus. The performance will pay tribute to Clark Atlanta alum James Weldon Johnson, songwriter of the Black national anthem.
The Grambling State University Tiger Marching Band and Florida A&M University Marching 100 will perform remotely from their respective campuses during the NBA All-Star player introduction. During the game, step teams from Spelman College and Morehouse College will be introduced by members of the Divine Nine fraternities and sororities, a prestigious group of nine historically Black Greek letter organizations.
This year, for the first time, the NBA’s skills competitions — including the skills challenge and the three-point contest — will take place on the same night as the All-Star Game. The slam-dunk contest is scheduled to take place during halftime.
The COVID-19 pandemic was devastating for the health of many in the United States, as well as for our country’s healthcare systems. Yet what exasperated the effects of the pandemic was our lack of preparation for any such outbreak. For example, very few school-aged children were equipped with the resources they needed for immediate at-home learning.
Thankfully, Clark Atlanta University alumna Lisa Love co-founded the affordable and safe Tanoshi Computers for kids before COVID-19 was even a thing. Love also serves as the Chief Marketing Officer as well. As CMO, she oversees the planning, development, and execution of the marketing strategy at Tanoshi.
Initially, Lisa Love began her career working in brand and product marketing for Heinz, Del Monte, and other Fortune 500 CPG (consumer packaged goods) companies. She was always great at managing finances, having managed a portfolio of brands that generated revenue of up to $75M. Over time, she also worked as a marketing consultant, boosting the efficiency of several businesses and non-profit organizations.
Confident that the computers were a game-changer, she appeared on Shark Tank with her Tanoshi Team and was awarded funding by famous investor Draymond Green. With an idea so impactful, we became inspired by how she gracefully pivoted her career to uplift children that are often left behind. As she shared more of her story with us, it became no wonder she has been named among 100 Powerful Women of 2020 by Entrepreneur, and among Top 100 Women Entrepreneurs of 2020 by Inc.
When asked what brought her to create the Tanoshi computers, she touched on concerns for the education, economic standing, and technological accessibility of today’s youth. According to Love, the mission at Tanoshi is “to provide an equitable digital education for all kids around the world, no matter their socio-economic background,” she said. “I am passionate about giving all kids a fair chance to succeed. At Tanoshi, we are bridging the digital divide by providing affordable computers for kids with pre-loaded, curated content. Kids can do their homework and learn to code on the Tanoshi, without Internet access.”
Born to a school teacher mother and an engineer father, Lisa Love’s parents created somewhat of a perfect storm for Love to eventually think up Tanoshi.
Credit: Lisa Love
“My mom taught in the Los Angeles Unified School District for 50 years, mainly the primary grades,” said Love. “She taught in South Central where many of her students fell behind. I watched my mom persevere through systemic challenges just to bring her students up to grade level.
My dad was an engineer and worked for IBM during my childhood. I grew up seeing the benefits of technology and more specifically, the advantages of a computer.
Over the years, my parent’s passion for education and technology not only opened my eyes to the issues surrounding our education system, but also how I can do my part to help solve these issues through technology.”
The issues that Love is talking about include the lack of school funding, resources with outdated technology such as old computers, and lack of technological literacy. Much of those problems were already burdening children at many public schools and low-income districts around the country. COVID-19 has exasperated this issues and added even more problems with spotty or non-existent wifi, plus less opportunities for tutoring.
“Every child should have the opportunity to develop 21st-century computer skills needed to excel in today’s school environment,” said Love, “such as typing, familiarity with common productivity apps including Google Docs and Sheets, and coding. However, millions of kids, especially from lower-income households and school districts, do not have the same opportunities as those from more affluent families and school districts, resulting in a homework gap.”
SHARK TANK – “1114” – A mother and daughter from Houston, Texas, demonstrate their portable gadget designed as a solution to safely and quickly get children in and out of a car. A tech-savvy trio from San Francisco, California, pitches their lower-cost computer for kids to make technology accessible to more people. Another entrepreneur from San Francisco tries to sell the Sharks on a data-driven approach to personalized skincare with her product line. A computer scientist and engineer from Columbia, South Carolina, shares a device created to bring a robot revolution to children’s education on “Shark Tank,” WEDNESDAY, MAY 6 (10:00-11:00 p.m. EDT), on ABC. (ABC/Jessica Brooks)
GREG SMITH, LISA LOVE, BRAD JOHNSTON
As Love works to help children close gaps in their learning, her Tanoshi Team was not without its own problems. Funding is an unfortunate issue for entrepreneurs of color. Yet even with that in mind, we were supposed that there was also a supply issue.
“There’s greater demand than supply for our computers, which is a good problem,” said Love. “However, we continue to run out of computers when customers need them the most, which is frustrating. Securing funding has also been a major challenge. Less than 1% of Black women founders receive VC funding. And since we have not received funding, we have not been able to grow the company to its fullest potential.”
Ultimately, we hope to see more HBCU students and alumni support this innovative product! To learn more about these innovative Tanoshi computers and how you can get involved, check them out here.
Fisk University’s famed Jubilee Singers are again making waves with their induction into a new exhibit at a new museum in the heart of Nashville, Tennessee. Learn about how the Singers will be included in The National Museum of African American Music in an article from Kristin M. Hall at the Arkansas Democrat Gazette below!
A new museum two decades in the making is telling the interconnected story of Black musical genres through the lens of American history.
The National Museum of African American Music (nmaam.org), which opened with a virtual ribbon-cutting on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, is seated in the heart of Nashville’s musical tourism district, alongside honky-tonks and the famed Ryman Auditorium and blocks from the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
Credit: Arkansas Democrat Gazette
Even as Nashville has long celebrated its role in the history of music, the new museum fills a gap by telling an important and often overlooked story about the roots of American popular music, including gospel, blues, jazz, R&B and hip-hop.
“When we think of the history of African American music and the important part it has played in our country, it was long overdue to honor it in this type of way,” says gospel great CeCe Winans, who serves as a national chairwoman for the museum.
The idea for the museum came from two Nashville business and civic leaders, Francis Guess and T.B. Boyd, who wanted a museum dedicated to Black arts and culture. And while there are museums around the country that focus on certain aspects of Black music, this museum bills itself as the first of its kind to be all encompassing.
“Most music museums deal with a label, a genre or an artist,” says H. Beecher Hicks III, the museum’s president and chief executive officer. “So it’s one thing to say that I’m a hip-hop fan or I’m a blues fan, but why? What was going on in our country and our lived experience and our political environment that made that music so moving, so inspirational, such the soundtrack for that part of our lives?”
The museum tells a chronological story of Black music starting in the 1600s through present day and framed around major cultural movements including the music and instruments brought by African slaves, the emergence of blues through the Great Migration, the Harlem Renaissance and the civil rights movement.
When Winans recently took a tour of the museum, she saw her own family of gospel singers, The Winans, represented in the museum’s exhibit on spiritual music alongside the artists that influenced her own musical career.
“You never start out doing what you’re doing to be a part of history — or even be a part of a museum,” says the 12-time Grammy-winning singer.
She notes that the museum put gospel music in context with how it inspired social change, especially during the civil rights era.
“When you look at all the different movements that have happened down through the years, and Martin Luther King Jr., it was always with the church behind them,” Winans says. “It was the gospel music that inspired us to love one another, to build bridges.”
The museum has 1,600 artifacts in its collection, including clothes and a Grammy Award belonging to Ella Fitzgerald, a guitar owned by B.B. King and a trumpet played by Louis Armstrong. To make the best use of the space, the exhibits are layered with interactive features, including 25 stations that allow visitors to virtually explore the music. Visitors can learn choreographed dance moves with a virtual instructor, sing “Oh Happy Day” with a choir led by gospel legend Bobby Jones and make their own hip-hop beats. Visitors can take home their recordings to share via a personal radio-frequency identification (RFID) wristband.
There will be a changing exhibit gallery, with the first topic to be the Fisk Jubilee Singers, an a cappella group originally formed in 1871 to raise money for Fisk University. The group sang slave spirituals at their concerts. The tradition continues today.
After a year of racial reckoning through the movement of Black Lives Matter, Hicks says the timing couldn’t be more perfect to highlight the contributions of Black music to our shared American experience.
“[It] is not an accident that we are able to finish and get the museum open in this moment, in this moment where we need to be reminded, perhaps more than others or more than in the recent past that we are brothers and we share more together than we do our differences.”
Today it has been announces that Howard University‘s 17th president, Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick, has been elected to the Board of Directors at Battelle. Frederick is quite qualified for the new role, having been elected to multiple other boards prior to this one. Read the press release from Business Wire below to understand the value of bringing on Frederick to the premiere company focused on innovative science and technology.
Battelle announced today that Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick, current president of Howard University and the Charles R. Drew Professor of Surgery, has been elected to the Battelle Board of Directors. Initially, he will serve in an advisory role and become a full voting member in 2022.
Credit: Business Wire
Frederick was appointed the seventeenth president of Howard University in 2014 and has been responsible for advancing the university’s commitment to student opportunity, academic innovation, public service, and fiscal stability. He has overseen a series of reform efforts, including the expansion of academic offerings, establishing innovative programs to support student success and the modernization of university facilities.
He previously served as provost and chief academic officer.
“Wayne’s combination of medical expertise and business acumen will bring a unique and valuable perspective to Battelle’s board and help to advance Battelle’s mission,” said Board Chairman John Welch. “We’re delighted he’s joining us and look forward to his insights and contributions.”
“I’m honored and excited to join the Battelle board,” said Frederick. “Battelle is a unique organization bringing innovative technologies and solutions to rapidly changing markets including healthcare, environmental and national security. My stewardship of Howard University with its diverse pipeline of STEM researchers will complement Battelle’s mission. I look forward to being a part of this incredible organization as a member of its board.”
Frederick received his B.S and M.D. from Howard University. Following his post-doctoral research and surgical oncology fellowships at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, he began his academic career as associate director of the cancer center at the University of Connecticut. Upon his return to Howard University, his academic positions included associate dean in the College of Medicine, division chief in the Department of Surgery, director of the Cancer Center and deputy provost for Health Sciences. He also earned a Master of Business Administration from Howard University’s School of Business in 2011.
“Wayne’s strong background in healthcare and medical education aligns so well with Battelle’s mission and strategic priorities,” said Battelle President and CEO Lou Von Thaer. “He will be a valuable addition to our board and I look forward to working with him for many years.”
Frederick is the author of numerous peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, abstracts, and editorials and is a widely recognized expert on disparities in healthcare and medical education. His medical research focuses on narrowing racial, ethnic and gender disparities in cancer-care outcomes, especially pertaining to gastrointestinal cancers.
He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond and Humana Inc.
Although he never graduated, a former student of Morgan State University has donated millions to the institution. His special reason for giving is something all HBCU students should take note of, whether they are able to cross that stage or not. Get the full inspirational story from Nick Anderson at the Washington Post below!
Calvin E. Tyler Jr. grew up in what he recalls as “very humble beginnings” in Baltimore, went to Morgan State University in his home city in the early 1960s, left school without finishing his degree for want of money, became a driver for United Parcel Service, jumped into management and retired in 1998 as senior vice president after a long and successful run with UPS.
Calvin and Tina Tyler Hall, a student services building at Morgan State University in Baltimore. (Morgan State University)
Then he and his wife, Tina, started giving to Morgan State in what has now become a landmark run of philanthropy for the nation’s historically Black colleges and universities.
Their first donation arrived in 2000, $42,744 toward fulfilling a $500,000 pledge. The Tylers kept giving, and their pledges kept rising: another $500,000, another $1 million, another $3 million.
“I wanted to make it possible for a lot of kids from the inner city to go to college on scholarships,” Tyler said.
On Monday, Morgan State announced a new pledge from the Tylers of $15 million. Their lifetime total now stands at $20 million. All will be dedicated to financial aid, with a goal of helping students graduate with little or no debt.
What sets these gifts apart is the source. The $20 million appears to be one of the largest total pledges that any historically Black school has received from a former student (and, in this case, a spouse).
For many predominantly White institutions, spanning the Ivy League, other private colleges and public universities, eight-figure donations from former students are major events but not rare or unknown. The situation for HBCUs, given the nation’s profound racial gaps in economic circumstances, is very different. Their alumni, on the whole, have not amassed the same levels of generational wealth. Many borrowed to pay college bills.
The Tylers on their 25th wedding anniversary in 1986. (Courtesy of Tina and Calvin Tyler)
For many predominantly White institutions, spanning the Ivy League, other private colleges and public universities, eight-figure donations from former students are major events but not rare or unknown. The situation for HBCUs, given the nation’s profound racial gaps in economic circumstances, is very different. Their alumni, on the whole, have not amassed the same levels of generational wealth. Many borrowed to pay college bills.
By the former-student measure, the Tyler gifts “will be a record or near-record” for HBCUs, said Harry L. Williams, president and chief executive of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, which supports HBCU students. Morgan State officials think the total pledge sets an alumni giving record for the sector. Authoritative and comprehensive data on such philanthropic records for the roughly 100 public and private HBCUs is scarce, Williams said.
He predicted that the gifts will electrify HBCU alumni around the country. “Hopefully there will be others out there that do this,” Williams said.
Tyler said he wants others to follow his lead. “You know that old saying: Don’t ever forget where you came from,” he said in a telephone interview from his home in Las Vegas. Tyler, 78, and his 76-year-old wife split time between there and a residence in Contra Costa County, Calif.
Morgan State is one of the nation’s historically Black colleges and universities. (Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post)
“I want to set an example so that others should feel obligated,” he said. “I’d like to see more people come back and support HBCUs.”
Many of the largest gifts to HBCUs have not come from their own former students. Billionaire MacKenzie Scott last year gave $560 million to numerous HBCUs, including record-shattering sums of $50 million to Prairie View A&M University in Texas, $45 million to North Carolina A&T State University, and $40 million each to Howard University in D.C., Norfolk State University in Virginia and Morgan State.
Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon founder and Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos, graduated from Princeton University.
Among former HBCU students, data from the Chronicle of Philanthropy and other sources suggest landmark donations to their schools have tended to be in seven figures — around $1 million to $3 million. One exception: News accounts in 1992 show that attorney Willie E. Gary pledged $10 million to his alma mater, Shaw University in North Carolina.
Although Calvin Tyler did not graduate with his Class of 1965, Morgan State regards him as one of its most distinguished alumni. The university awarded him an honorary doctorate in 2004, and it named a new student services building for him and his wife. Tyler Hall, built with state funding, is expected to be dedicated next fall.
“The quintessential Morganite is Calvin Tyler,” Morgan State President David Wilson said. Wilson described the philanthropist as a self-effacing leader and barrier-breaker. “His time at Morgan was cut short, but his dream was not,” Wilson said. “His dream endured.”
Wilson said Morgan State, like other colleges and universities, is “open for investments of any magnitude” and welcomes funding from “the philanthropic community far and wide.” But the Tylers, both Baltimore born, have become a powerful symbol for the university, he said.
“Our students at Morgan, they can touch Calvin Tyler,” Wilson said. “They can leave the campus at Morgan and go two miles into west Baltimore and get to the neighborhood that produced him.”
So far, 222 Morgan State students have received tuition aid as “Tyler Scholars,” according to the university. The new pledge will expand those numbers, targeting students in financial need who keep a grade-point average of at least 2.5.
Morgan State, founded in 1867 for religious education, became a public college in 1939 and is now a research university with about 7,600 students. This year, tuition and fees total about $7,600 for Maryland residents and about $18,000 for those from out of state. Those totals don’t include meals, housing and other expenses.
Most students don’t pay the full price. More than half of Morgan State’s undergraduates have enough financial need to qualify for federal Pell grants. Many are first-generation college students.
By Tyler’s account, he was the first in his family to go to college. His father, he said, was a lineman for the telephone company and his mother a nurse’s aide. He isn’t sure whether either of them graduated from high school. There wasn’t much talk of college in Tyler’s family in the 1940s and ’50s. But he was a strong student and graduated from the prominent public high school known as Baltimore City College.
From there, he said, the obvious choice for an academically driven African American in Baltimore was Morgan State. He enrolled in 1961.
“I had ambitions of getting a degree in business, but I had to pay my own way,” Tyler said. “I didn’t have a scholarship. My parents couldn’t afford to pay tuition. I was basically paying my own way, working several jobs.”
Tyler said he recalls that professors were caring as he took courses in business, accounting, French and other subjects. But he acknowledged that he grew distracted in the pursuit of a bachelor’s degree. He had little time for extracurricular campus activities. Money worries weighed him down when he left the university in 1963. “I lose track of exactly how many credits I had,” he said. “I like to assume I was halfway there.”
He saw a half-page advertisement for UPS in the Baltimore Sun. It intrigued him because it said the company promoted from within. He started driving a truck in 1964, delivering to country clubs, brokerage houses, Johns Hopkins University and other places of wealth far removed from his upbringing in west Baltimore. “A lot of things I had never seen before,” he said.
He stayed with the company, and his career took off. Eventually he oversaw U.S. operations and served on the UPS board of directors and other prominent boards.
Tyler said he knows his own narrative, thriving in the end without a bachelor’s degree, provides a somewhat complicated view of higher education.
“One of the reasons I don’t like to publicize my story,” he said, “is because some young kid might take from that, ‘Boy, I don’t need to go to college.’ That would be the biggest mistake of all. I wish I’d finished. I would encourage young people to get all the education they can.”
He also wants graduates to give back to their schools as soon as possible, without waiting to become rich. “I don’t care if it’s 10 bucks, 20 bucks,” he said. “If you get them in the habit of giving, it will grow over time.”
The history of Fisk University has been told through song all over the world. Thanks to a new article on the Jubilee Singers from Fisk that have carried Black history with them, we finally know the extent of their impact. Read a profile on one of the greatest HBCU choirs to grace a stage in a new article from Dave Paulson at USA Today below.
“Steal away, steal away, steal away to Jesus!
Steal away, steal away home, I hain’t got long to stay here.”
The famed Jubilee Singers of Fisk University rehearse May 10, 1952, for an upcoming concert.
In the mid-19th century, you’d hear those words echoing across the fields of Oklahoma, as Wallace Willis and other slaves sang while they worked in the state’s Indian Territory.
Within a decade, those same words had made their way to the Queen of England. In a private room at a royal estate in London, Queen Victoria listened as 11 brave students from Nashville’s Fisk University — many of them former slaves — sang “Steal Away” for her, with voices as lush and melodious as any traditional choir.
One hundred and fifty years later, those voices are still ringing out.
The creation, rise and endurance of the Fisk Jubilee Singers is a true American triumph. When Fisk treasurer George Leonard White assembled the group in 1871 and booked a tour to raise money for the struggling school, it introduced the world to “slave songs” or “negro spirituals” — music Black Americans made for themselves.
A century and a half later, the group still survives, rejuvenating itself with new student members each year. Just a few months ago, the latest arrivals to Fisk were learning “Steal Away,” “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” and “I’m A-Rolling Through an Unfriendly World.”
And an “unfriendly world” is important to keep in mind when tracing the Singers’ legacy. In the aftermath of the Civil War, as popular minstrel shows continued to denigrate Black culture, the Fisk Jubilee Singers were a radical development. Suddenly, a group of young Americans was sharing the songs of their own people with pride and poise.
Dr. Paul Kwami has been the group’s musical director since 1994. Along with the music, he makes sure every new member learns of the “sacrifices” made by the original group.
The Fisk Jubilee Singers pose for a portrait Thursday, Oct. 29, 2020 in Nashville, Tenn. The Fisk Jubilee Singers are vocal artists and students at Fisk University who sing and travel worldwide. The original Fisk Jubilee Singers introduced ‘slave songs’ to the world in 1871 and were instrumental in preserving the unique American musical tradition of Negro spirituals.
“Their travel happened at a time when slavery had just ended, at a time when many people did not expect much from African Americans, even though they were very intelligent,” he says.
“Many times our audiences in large halls were discouragingly slim,” original member Ella Sheppard wrote in 1911. “Our strength was failing under the ill treatment at hotels and on railroads, poorly attended concerts and ridicule.”
The group’s fortunes began to change, however, as they brought new songs to the stage. Their songs.
Their first concerts had been “made up wholly of what we called the white man’s music,” according to Sheppard: traditional hymns, temperance songs and even the minstrel-rooted “Old Folks At Home.”
But as “slave songs” — which the group would only sing after finishing rehearsals — were introduced, their concerts transformed. Six weeks after their first concert, they arrived at Oberlin College in Ohio to perform for a convention of ministers. There, they sang “Steal Away,” but through the lens of White’s training, rooted in traditional choral music.
“They originally did not even want to sing (spirituals), because the songs were sacred to them,” Kwami says. “But people began to love the music. And in some accounts that I’ve read, people talk a lot about the beauty of their voices. (White) taught them to sing very, very softly. That was said to be a unique quality of their singing. So even in their first tour, they made a very big impression upon people.”
The nine original members formed the singing group, the Jubilee Singers, in 1871 and kept Fisk University from closing and brought lasting respect to the black spiritual through their tours in America and Europe.
In stark contrast to minstrelsy, the Jubilee Singers showcased one of the first sincere blends of European and African-American influences — a blend that defined western popular music ever since. And within two years, its global appeal was evident.
In 1873, the group sailed to England. In addition to Queen Victoria, they sang for the nobility of Scotland, Ireland and Wales. Before the invention of the phonograph, it marked the first time overseas audiences had heard the music of American slaves.
They were engrossed, if condescending: “Though the music is the offspring of wholly untutored minds,” wrote the Times of London, “it possesses a peculiar charm.”
When the group returned to Nashville the following year, they had raised $50,000 for the university. With it, they constructed Jubilee Hall, the South’s first permanent structure built for the education of Black students. Additional buildings followed, including Fisk Memorial Chapel, completed in 1892.
In the decades that followed the inaugural tour, the group’s repertoire began to be preserved on paper. Many of the earliest collections were edited by Fisk graduate John Wesley Work, Jr. — and his son, John Wesley Work III, followed in his footsteps as a celebrated composer, musicologist and director of the group.
The Jubilee Singers of Fisk University perform during taping of a special production on stage of the Grand Ole Opry House April 23, 1975. The taping will be edited into a half-hour nationwide television special sponsored by the Carnation Milk Co. and set for airing in the summer.
On October 6, 2020, the latest ensemble of Fisk Jubilee Singers gathered at the chapel to celebrate the annual “Jubilee Day.” Every year, Fisk commemorates the date , when those first nine singers in 1871 embarked on a mission to save their school — and make history.
“We thank you for their melodious songs of Zion,” Reverend Dr. Jason R. Curry said in the invocation. “(Songs) which are still able to lift up a bowed-down head. They are still able to soothe an aching heart.”
On the chapel’s stage, the 15 newest members of the Fisk Jubilee Singers began one of those sacred songs: “Walk Together Children.”
“Going to sing and never tire/ Sing and never tire…There’s a great camp meeting in the promised land.”
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NEW USERS:
Start with one serving per day; gradually increase to desired daily intake. You may experience changes in bowel habits / minor bloating, as your body adjusts to increased fiber intake.
METAMUCIL EXCLUSIVE HBCU 2 WEEK CHALLENGE:
Metamucil is exclusively giving up to $10k in scholarship prizes to HBCUs and Divine 9 organizations. Support your HBCU and Divine 9 organization when you Sign up for the Metamucil Two Week Challenge. You will get to choose one HBCU and one Divine 9 organization to win the scholarship prizes.
Prizes
Metamucil will tally entries at the end of February when the contest ends, and announce winners on March 27th live at the NAACP awards. The three HBCUs, five fraternities and four sororities that had the most registrations will receive the donations below. First place winners will receive the full $10k but smaller prizes are available as well.
*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
†Diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol that include 7 grams of soluble fiber per day from psyllium husk, as in Metamucil, may reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol. One serving of Metamucil has 2.4 grams of this soluble fiber. One serving of Metamucil capsules has at least 1.8 grams of this soluble fiber.
Today Fayetteville State University is happy to announce its stellar 12th Chancellor Darrell Allison. The North Carolina Central University graduate has been a proud advocate of HBCUs, and plans to put his creativity and history of student advocacy to good use at FSU. Learn why Allison was the perfect choice for chancellor in the release from Fayetteville State below.
Credit: Parents for Educational Freedom in North Carolina
Darrell Allison, a longtime education advocate and champion of North Carolina’s historically minority-serving institutions, was named the 12th chancellor of Fayetteville State University on today.
He was elected by the University of North Carolina Board of Governors, following his nomination by University of North Carolina System President Peter Hans.
Allison will assume his role on March 15. He will succeed Interim Chancellor Peggy Valentine, who was appointed in July 2019 and previously served as dean of the School of Health Sciences at Winston-Salem State University.
“We are thrilled and excited to welcome Mr. Allison to FSU,” said Stuart Augustine, chairman of the FSU Board of Trustees. “We are anticipating great things for our university and Bronco community based on everything we know about Mr. Allison and the tools and resources he brings with him.”
A former member of the Board of Governors and former trustee at North Carolina Central University, Allison’s career and public service have been focused on education.
He is currently vice president of governmental affairs and state teams at the American Federation for Children. In this capacity, he has developed successful partnerships, led advocacy programs and generated philanthropic support for the organization.
“Darrell Allison is a creative leader who understands the value of Fayetteville State University to the community, the region, and the state,” Hans said.
“Darrell’s expansive career in education and service to the UNC System has been important to this state, and especially our HBCUs,” Hans added. “He brings with him a proven track record for student advocacy and a reputation for fostering partnerships that can further this university’s strategic goals. Through his leadership of the Racial Equity Task Force, he was a powerful voice in advancing critical issues of equity, and I know he will help us continue to push forward on this priority.”
Credit: Wendy Byerly Wood/The Tribune
Board of Governors Chair Randy Ramsey shared his enthusiasm for Allison’s new role.
“I have worked alongside Darrell for many years now and he is not only a person of great ability but one of true character,” Ramsey said. “He is deeply committed to higher education and to the citizens of North Carolina. He brings to this position a broad understanding of Fayetteville State University’s strategic role and impact in the region.”
Allison’s career in education spans decades of service advocating on behalf of students and expanding educational opportunities for underserved families in North Carolina and across the nation.
Serving on the Board of Governors from 2017 to late 2020, he was a vocal supporter of the system’s historically minority-serving institutions. As the inaugural chair of the Historically Minority-Serving Institutions (HMSI) Committee, Allison helped lead efforts resulting in all 17 campuses gaining at least $2 million for repairs and renovations – an investment that especially supported the system’s smaller universities. Allison advocated for a multi-million dollar upgrade for fundraising software and data management for the universities, which ushered in cost savings and strengthened fundraising programs.
Allison also initiated and finalized a partnership with UNC-Chapel Hill’s NC Policy Collaboratory, which awarded $6 million for COVID-19 programming and research at historically minority-serving institutions.
While on the UNC Board of Governors, Allison served on several committees, including: Budget and Finance; Historically Minority-Serving Institutions (chair); UNC System Racial Equity Task Force (chair); Educational Planning, Policies and Programs (secretary); Strategic Initiatives Committee; and UNC K-12 Laboratory Schools.
Prior to that, Allison served on the NCCU Board of Trustees, where he played a key role on the Advancement, Athletics and External Affairs, Academic and Student Affairs committees, and as a member of the NCCU Chancellor Search Committee. In 2017, Allison endowed a scholarship fund at NCCU, his alma mater, in memory of his father, Thomas Allison.
Allison holds a Juris Doctor degree from UNC-Chapel Hill and a bachelor’s degree from NCCU. He and his wife La Nica are the proud parents of two daughters.
Gilead Sciences is looking to bring on more talent that will join their ranks as the leading biopharmaceutical company. The company works to develop antiviral drugs that combat illnesses like HIV, influenza, hepatitis B and C, and more. To offer insight about what it’s like to work with Gilead, they’re offering a virtual job fair this Monday February 22, from 3-5pm PST!
Gilead has a lot planned to ensure this exciting event is an immersive experience. The event will feature a live dj, a hosted networking session, cultural groups immersion, and a giveaway of premium prizes that include an iPad, PS5, and gift cards. You can enjoy all this from the comfort of your home.
No matter what your schedule may be, Gilead has a unique opportunity for you. Tune in to the job fair to hear all about competitively paid internships, early talent full-time roles, fellowships, and rotational programs.
There will be some top executives from the Gilead team tuning in! The speakers will include: Bill Stott (Vice President, Global Talent Acquisition); Jasmine Pree Hameth Director (Talent Acquisition & Strategic Talent Sourcing); Stan Blackwell (Executive Director, Head of Global Talent Communities); and Larrishia Stanley (Director, Early Talent & University Relations). They all look forward to sharing why Gilead has been the perfect fit for them!
We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the important benefits that are available through working with Gilead. For one, the roles offer stability, as Gilead was established in 1987 and has continued to thrive. In addition to offering well-paid roles, Gilead confidently offers paid holidays, sick leave, virtual work opportunities, initiatives that support your wellbeing, and even volunteer days.
Tune in on Monday, because the Gilead team is looking for great talent to lead the way in the most important medical research and therapies for our communities. Click here to register for the job fair and learn more information today.
Congratulations to award-winning costume designer Ruth E. Carter for being selected for a prestigious star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame! Since graduating from Hampton University, she has worked on the sets of Black Panther, Dolemite Is My Name, Amistad, and more! Read the full story on Carter’s honor from Maiysha Kai at The Root.
Credit: AfriQueen Media
Ruth E. Carter made history in 2019 as the first Black person (and Black woman) to win an Academy Award for Costume Design—a feat made even more special for the fact that the film that earned her the award was 2018’s Black Panther. This month, the legendary costume designer—whose extensive list of credits also includes The Five Heartbeats, Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X, Amistad, Selma and the upcoming Coming 2 America, among others, will be cemented into Hollywood history—literally.
An outfit from the set of Black Panther/Credit: FIDM
“Motion Picture Costume Designer Ruth E. Carter will be honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame via a virtual star ceremony on February 25, at 11:30 am,” read a post from the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Wednesday morning. The announcement was confirmed by the costuming legend herself on Monday, during the Black Design Collective x Runway 360 Global Showcasewhich helped to kick off this February’s Fashion Week.
If this news isn’t exactly new to you, it’s likely because the announcement initially came back in 2019. Nominees to the walk have five years to schedule a ceremony; several were likely and understandably postponed by the global pandemic.
⭐️ ALL the STARS are CLOSER! ⭐️ Especially those on the Hollywood Walk of Fame! ⭐️ I raise my star, thankful for my life, ⭐️ to embrace the people who know my journey and are very proud of me and of my work. And now that history is made I raise my star as I am forever grateful! pic.twitter.com/NikFiKlmJz
Obviously, Carter’s ceremony on Feb. 25 will likely be pared down and socially distanced (we hope), but those looking to celebrate the designer’s storied and ongoing career can do so at the SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film in Atlanta, where “Ruth E Carter: Afrofuturism in Costume Design” is on view until September 12. The 40-year retrospective features over 60 costumes from Carter’s career, spanning from “Detroit Red” to Wakanda—and proving that even after decades in the business, Carter is always thinking forward.
“I define Afrofuturism in a very humanistic way,” Carter told the Guardian on Wednesday. “How are we able to use technology so we can be a part of what shapes tomorrow? When you can sit for your own purpose, you’re crafting your tomorrow.”
“When you see a protest march like Black Lives Matter, it’s people being empowered to change their future,” Carter continued. “It ties into systemic racism and abolishes that mindset. Afrofuturism is about trying to make a difference for tomorrow, trying to make a change.”
With both Coming 2 America and the highly anticipated Black Panther 2 on the horizon, Carter is continuing to expand our once-limited view of the African diaspora—with her own fantastical spin.
“This is African royalty,” said Carter of helping to recreate Coming 2 America’s Zamunda for a new generation. “We want to honor Africa, we want to honor the first movie and still want it to be modern and fresh.”
Ambitious actor and Morehouse College alumnus John David Washington has been bestowed the honor of making the 2021 Time100 Next list! It’s a very difficult list to make, as those chosen are the “most influential people” as emerging leaders in various industries from all over the world. However, Washington was an easy choice. What makes this even better was that fellow Morehouse alum Spike Lee wrote Washington’s Time profile. Read it in full below and grab a tissue.
Credit: Rebecca Cabage/Invision/AP
There is a Proverb: The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. In this case, the Trees are Denzel and Pauletta Washington, and the Fruit is John David Washington, my young Lion, who first appeared on the Silver Screen at the ripe old age of 7 in Malcolm X.
You might say his career started there, but it was never that simple—not as the SON of the WORLD FAMOUS Denzel. Sons like that have a rough way to go. It can be a Gift, a Burden or Both. Young J.D. found his own path, starting as a Running Back for the Morehouse football team. I’m proud to call him my MOREHOUSE BROTHER, a fellow alum of a great historically Black college. But despite his time on the field, my guess is that J.D. wanted to be an Actor from the Get-Go. When I began development on BlacKkKlansman, I knew right away that J.D. was “da MAN WIT da PLAN” to portray the real-life Ron Stallworth. I had peeped his SKILLZ in HBO’s series Ballersand I liked what I saw. And as they say, “Da Rest Iz History.” J.D. killed it as Stallworth. When Christopher Nolan, my cinema brother, saw the film at Cannes, I think I saw tears in his eyes. Then—BOOMSHOCKALOCKA! J.D. was cast as the lead in Nolan’s Tenet. When J.D. appears in his New Netflix film Malcolm & Marie in February, people will be Hooting and Hollering for our new matinee idol, our new Dark Gable. The Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Like Father, like Son. Amen.
Congratulations are in order to Howard University student Abigail Hall! She has recently gone viral after tweeting a monumental accomplishment: she was accepted into Harvard Law School! Since sharing her great news, she’s struggled to respond to each of the thousands of people outpouring their messages of support. Learn more about Hall, why Kamala Harris has inspired her, and the impact of her own membership in AKA from a recent interview she had with Stephanie Koury at Jamaicans.com.
Jamaican-American, Abigail Hall, 21, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority at Howard University, the oldest Black sorority in the United States, has been accepted to the prestigious Harvard Law School. Hall is from Atlanta, Georgia, and graduated from Howard University after completing her studies in Political Science. Hall interned in Washington, DC, for several consecutive academic semesters, gaining experience as a political scientist working with civic and social organizations in the areas of public policy and service, government affairs, and legal enterprise.
Credit: Abagail Hall
“It has been extremely humbling to receive congratulations and well-wishes from all around the world. This moment and every message reaffirms my purpose and substantiates the sacrifices that I have made up to this point. I would be remiss if I did not thank my mom, Donna Denton Hall, for exemplifying the strength and faith necessary to achieve (and sustain) greatness. As a first-generation American citizen, I understand the privilege and responsibility that comes with the honor of a Harvard Law degree. I intend to use this opportunity to advocate on behalf of the marginalized and advance the cause of justice worldwide.” said Hall to Jamaicans.com.
Abigail chooses Harvard after been accepted by over 15 other Law Schools: Columbia Law School, University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, Georgetown University Law Center, Cornell Law School, University of Chicago, Law School, University of Virginia School of Law, Vanderbilt Law School, Duke Law School, Notre Dame Law School, The George Washington University Law School, Emory Law School, Howard University School of Law, Temple University–James E. Beasley School of Law, University of Miami School of Law, Fordham University School of Law, Tulane University Law School.
Credit: Abagail Hall
The inauguration of Kamala Harris to serve as the first woman of color to be Vice President of the United States, was an inspiration to Hall and her sister members of Alpha Kappa Alpha, as Harris herself was pledged to the sorority in 1986. Hall and the other members of the “Alpha Chapter,” the organization’s founding society, are very aware of the impact the rise of Harris to high office is having on young Black women.
For Hall, the ascent of Harris has been “life-changing.” Hall noted that, as a Black woman, it is not “a familiar feeling” to see someone like herself in a position of power at the highest level. She added that it was very powerful for her, a person who wants to be a “glass-ceiling breaker” and a Black woman who wants to be the first to do something, to have Harris as a role model.
KA has a long history of seeing its members go on to become highly successful and influential in society. The sorority’s alumni include Toni Morrison, Nobel Prize-winning author; Phylicia Rashad and Roxie Roker, actresses; tennis icon Althea Gibson; Sharon Pratt, the first Black mayor of a large city; and many civil rights advocates, writers, musicians, and journalists.
In addition to following in the footsteps of successful Howard AKA alumni, Hall will become part of Harvard Law School’s legacy of trailblazing African American graduates. The first Black graduates of Harvard Law School – George Lewis Ruffin in 1869, Archibald Grimke in 1874, Clement Morgan in 1893, and William Henry Lewis in 1895 – attended the school shortly after the Emancipation Proclamation and went on to become accomplished lawyers and social activists.
Credit: Abagail Hall
Harvard Law School first admitted women in 1950, and in 1953, Lila Fenwick was accepted as a student and in 1956 became the school’s first Black woman graduate. She ultimately became the chief of the Human Rights Division at the United Nations. Derrick Bell became the first tenured Black professor at Harvard Law in 1971 and gave up his position as a professor in 1992 in protest of the school’s hiring practices, notably the lack of women of color in its faculty. In 1998, Lani Guinier, who had headed the voting rights project for the Legal Defense Fund of the NAACP, became the first Black woman to be a tenured professor at Harvard Law School.
Charles Hamilton Houston, who is considered the creator of the legal strategy that underpins the modern civil rights movement, was the first Black person to be a member of the Harvard Law Review. In 1990, former United States President Barack Obama, who graduated from Harvard Law in 1991, was the first Black man to be elected president of the Harvard Law Review. In 2017, Imelme Umana, who graduated in 2018, became the first Black woman to serve as its president.
A Morehouse College professor has been honored with a significant prize for his captivating contributions to journalism. His work has addressed not only the challenges of the justice in the Black community, but also the comradely that can be found within it. Read the article from staff at The Atlanta Voice below why David Dennis Jr. is so deserving of his new award.
David Dennis Jr./Credit: Morehouse College
The Heising-Simons Foundation has announced that Morehouse Visiting Professor of Journalism and Leadership Studies David Dennis, Jr., and Michelle García are the recipients of the 2021 American Mosaic Journalism Prize, which includes an unrestricted cash prize of $100,000 for each. This is one of the largest dollar amounts given for a journalism prize in the United States. Both Dennis and Garcia are freelance journalists.
Dennis’ journalism includes a 2020 cover story in Atlanta Magazine, “Ahmaud Arbery Will Not Be Erased,” which sheds light on the injustice—and historical pattern leading up to—the murder of a young Black man in Georgia, and a piece in Gay Mag, “An Ode To The Black Women At Dillard’s,” that reflects on the solidarity and community Black women have fostered over department store counters. García’s work includes a 2019 feature in Adi Magazine, “Hand of Terror,” about the degrading and inhumane conditions of U.S. detention centers at the U.S.-Mexico border, reminiscent of Guantanamo Bay, and a story in Bon Appétit, “In the Midst of a Border Crisis, Cooking Is About More Than Survival,” exploring how families seeking asylum have built community and found comfort through food.
“My work is all about telling the stories that need to be told, like Ahmaud Arbery’s, whose life was full of beauty and power beyond its tragic ending,” said Dennis. “These are the stories of people who are ignored and gaslit, whose perspectives are most often never shared in this country. I often write about the person who is the one marginalized voice in the room so they feel less alone.”
David Dennis Jr./Credit: Morehouse College
The Prize is awarded for excellence in long-form, narrative, or deep reporting about underrepresented and/or misrepresented groups in the United States. It recognizes journalism’s ability to foster understanding and empathy and aims to support freelance journalists.
Dennis is a freelance writer, editor, educator, and social commentator based in Atlanta, Georgia, whose work has also been featured in The Atlantic, ESPN’s The Undefeated, The Washington Post, HuffPost, and numerous publications on Medium. He frequently writes about Black American culture, and the intersection of race, politics, civil rights, sports, and entertainment.
As a visiting professor of journalism at Morehouse College, Dennis is committed to mentoring his students and has previously advised the school’s newspaper. He is currently writing a book entitled, The Movement Made Us, set to be published next year by HarperCollins, about his father’s experience in the civil rights movement written from a first-person perspective. The book is a study of memory—both individual and collective—and the trauma that can be passed down in Black families, especially from fathers to sons.
The prize is based on confidential nominations invited from more than 150 leaders in journalism throughout the country. A panel of 10 judges—including journalists from NPR, NBC News, CBS News, Telemundo, the Boston Globe, The Wall Street Journal, and Oxford American—selected the recipients.
Meg Thee Stallion is setting haters straight and set. Recently on her Twitter account, Meg responded to a fan who inferred that she was not set to graduate from Texas Southern University any time soon. As a famous artist/student, Meg has hit records out with Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj, and Cardi B. Many artists would have dropped out to trade the classes for a lifetime of red carpets. But Meg has bigger plans! Read the full story on what she had to say from FNR TIGG at Complex.
At just 26-years-old, Megan Thee Stallion has already accomplished more than some people will in their entire lifetime. Yet she’s still focused on accomplishing her original goal before the fame.
Responding to a fan who came at her in a since-deleted tweet, Megan wrote that she’s still on track to graduate from college this fall.
Mam Im abt to Graduate in the fall and still gone open my facility.. hope you get them retweets doe https://t.co/b6FmQVU2rh
“Mam Im abt to Graduate in the fall and still gone open my facility.. hope you get them retweets doe,” adding, “They swore I wasn’t gone get that degree SIKE.”
Megan has stated on several occasions that her goal is to open an assisted living facility in her hometown of Houston with the money she makes from rapping. This coincides with the goals she had prior to becoming a global superstar. Before bursting onto the scene, Megan was a full-time student at Texas Southern University studying health administration. Although her booming career has forced her to become a part-time student, she’s maintained that her goal is to finish school.
Megan Thee Stallion turned 26 on Monday, and commemorated her achievements with something of a celebratory tweet.
I’m healthy, I can take care of myself, my friends & family love me , my boo love me (he mad at me rn but he still love me) shiddd Beyoncé love me , I’m just happy and blessed lol
“I’m healthy, I can take care of myself, my friends & family love me , my boo love me (he mad at me rn but he still love me),” Megan tweeted after sharing a birthday freestyle. “shiddd Beyoncé love me , I’m just happy and blessed lol.”
