Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis recently appeared on The Breakfast Club to discuss funding for HBCUs, her role as president of Benedict College and more.
You can watch the entire video below.
Daryus Skinner of Winston-Salem State was hoping to show off his football skills at the HBCU Combine in Miami at the Dolphins training facility.
Three players from black college national champion N.C. A&T – wide receiver Elijah Bell, offensive lineman Marcus Pettiford and defensive lineman Justin Cates – were also invited to the combine, scheduled for the last weekend in March.
But those plans fell through when the combine, the first devoted entirely to players at historically black colleges and universities, was canceled by the NFL because of novel coronavirus.
The HBCU combine was created for those who didn’t get invited to the NFL combine held in Indianapolis.
Skinner made 22 career interceptions, second-best in WSSU history.
“I’m hearing that because we were actually invited to the HBCU combine that gives us something for the scouts to go on,” Skinner said by phone. “I was hoping to go down there and do what I could to get noticed even more.”
The adage of the NFL is that if you can play, a team will find you. That will be put the test for this year’s NFL Draft because the pro days at individual colleges have been canceled.
For somebody like Skinner, who is 5-10 and 182 pounds, there’s a disadvantage coming from a small school where there has been limited contact with a few scouts.
Skinner, a Division II All-America and an All-CIAA selection, has been a four-year starter. Skinner has been working out in a gym in Greensboro.
“I’ve been pretty dedicated and I’m trying to gain some good weight and it’s working pretty well,” said Skinner, who ended the season weighing 175 pounds.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — The Florida A&M University community is mourning the loss of 21-year-old Te-Andre Brown after he drowned while trying to save someone else.
The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission said 21-year-old Te-Andre Brown was in a pontoon boat with about 10 others, and was reported missing after a boating accident in St. Andrew’s Bay off the coast of Panama City.
According to a report issued by FAMU, Brown went missing after jumping off the boat to help someone in distress. However, FWC told WMBB Brown became distressed as well, went underwater and did not resurface.
In response to the news, dean of the School of Business and Industry, Shawnta Friday-Stroud, Ph.D., said,“Our hearts are saddened by the tragic loss of Te-Andre Brown, one of SBI’s high performing students.”
He made his mark in SBI and on this campus. We were eagerly anticipating seeing all the things Te-Andre was going to achieve including graduating with his B.S. in Business Administration and MBA. He was a caring and professional young man whose life was cut too short. Our prayers and thoughts are with his family, friends, and classmates during this difficult time.
Shawnta Friday-Stroud, Ph.D
Brown was a senior business administration and an Army ROTC student.
The FAMU Office of Counseling Services is open and available to assist students. For assistance call 850-599-3145. You may also contact WellConnect at 833-848-1765 for phone or online support 24 hours.
This post originally appeared on WTXL.com.
Coronavirus HBCU Updates
Posted on
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) are making amendments to course instruction and sharing announcements around the clock in an effort to keep their students, faculty, staff and surrounding communities safe from COVID-19, corona virus. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that for the next 8 weeks, organizers cancel or postpone in-person events that consist of 50 people or more throughout the U.S.
Many colleges and universities have already shifted to online course instruction. For the latest news and updates from our nation’s historically black colleges and universities on their efforts to combat transmission of the coronavirus:
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Please feel free to email us for updates info@hbcubuzz.com
Dear MSM Community:
The spread of Coronavirus across the globe and in the United States is a growing public health concern. On the evening of Monday, March 2, 2020, Georgia’s Governor Brian Kemp and other state officials confirmed Georgia’s first two cases of COVID-19 in Fulton County.
You should know that the symptoms are similar to influenza and the common cold. However, in more serious cases, the virus has resulted in death. We encourage you to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases like COVID-19 and the flu, by following federal and state guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Georgia Department of Public Health.
To protect yourself:
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Stay home from school and work when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a household cleaning spray or wipe.
While global efforts are currently focused on containing the spread and mitigating the impact of this virus, our goal is prevention and preparedness. An Atlanta University Center Coronavirus Task Force was formed to exchange information and best practices for prevention and preparedness with our colleagues. In addition, we have updated our emergency response processes and developed a business operations plan, in the event that our campus community learns of any coronavirus cases among our faculty, students, staff, or campus visitors.
As Spring Break season approaches, based on federal and state recommendations, an MSM faculty, staff and student policy has been developed to restrict travel to countries that have been issued level 3 or 4 warnings from the U.S. Department of State. All travelers will be required to register their international destination and dates of travel with the MSM Human Resources: (404) 752-1713 or dbritt@msm.edu.
Stay informed of institutional updates by visiting our Coronavirus Advisory webpage and downloading the Campus Shield app from Google Play or Apple iTunes app store.
Valerie Montgomery Rice, MD, FACOG
President and Dean
Morehouse School of Medicine
Earlier today, Howard University’s President, Dr. Wayne A.I. Frederick—who is also an active and practicing medical doctor— made an announcement that we expect many universities to mirror:
Dear Howard University Community,
I am writing to inform you of a need to escalate the university’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. A guest who attended the Howard University Charter Day Dinner has tested positive for COVID-19 (coronavirus). Out of an abundance of caution, we are asking all March 7 dinner participants to monitor and report to your doctor if you begin exhibiting flu-like symptoms. The DC Department of Health is investigating the case, locating and counseling relevant contacts in accordance with the latest national guidance and protocols. We are working closely with the department and have been advised that the chances of contracting the virus are low.
The individual has complied with DC Department of Health’s guidance to remain self-isolated. Our direct concern is the recovery and well-being of the affected individual and their loved ones. We will continue to prioritize the most vulnerable among us and do everything we can to safeguard the health and wellness of our university staff, students and surrounding communities.
We have consulted with medical and public-health experts and regrettably, our University leadership has arrived at the conclusion that a return to campus for face-to face instruction will not be possible for the Spring, 2020 semester. To be clear, we are taking the following steps:
- We will not return to face-to-face instruction of courses at Howard University for the remainder of the Spring, 2020 semester and courses will continue to transition to remote and online instruction following the scheduled Spring Break. This is an evolution from our earlier statement.
- We will close the residence halls on Sunday, March 22 at 11:59 p.m. This is an evolution from our earlier statement. We are working with our various institutional partners in consideration of any pro-rated refunds of room and board charges. Any potential refund amounts will vary based on application of Federal Aid and Title IV guidelines, current unpaid balances and the specific original room and board charges applicable to each student.
- Students who left for destinations other than home for spring break should not return to campus, but instead reach out to the Office of Resident Life to schedule a move out of your room at a later time.
- Commencement and All-Class Reunions are canceled. On Sunday, the CDC issued recommendations that for the next 8 weeks, organizers cancel or postpone in-person events that consist of 50 people or more throughout the United States. Although the CDC states that this does not apply to the day to day operations of institutions of higher education, we do not consider commencement a day-to-day operation. Given that Howard’s Commencement activities garner crowds of thousands, and the numerous elders and children regularly in attendance, we will cancel the event to avoid the potential for additional virus spread which would be problematic.
This is our best plan of action in order to ensure that this global pandemic does not proliferate the campus community. We have concerns of worsening supply chain disruptions that will decrease our ability to provide services to the students on campus. Additional details will be shared regarding departures from the residence halls, online coursework and other considerations.
We recognize that this development may cause concern among students, staff and the wider community. Over the last four days, there have been significant developments in the ongoing spread of COVID-19:
- The World Health Organization has declared the COVID-19 outbreak a global pandemic, with more than 135,000 cases worldwide and more than 3,300 known cases in the United States.
- The Federal Government has issued new guidance discouraging any travel of U.S. citizens abroad; instructing all travelers from specified countries in Europe, including U.S. citizens, to self-quarantine for 14-days upon their arrival to the United States; and restricting travel of non-U.S. citizens to the United States from the Schengen Area of Europe.
- In Washington, D.C., Mayor Bowser has declared both a state of emergency and a public health emergency and D.C. Department of Health has recommended the canceling of large non-essential gatherings.
I appreciate the continuous patience and understanding that our community has exhibited during this evolving national crisis. As an alumnus myself, I am deeply saddened that our academic season has been disrupted and I apologize for the inconvenience that these changes have caused. However, the safety of our community is our utmost priority and each hard decision to de-densify the campus is being implemented in an effort to reduce our community’s risk to exposure.
We will continue to share relevant updates for our community as the situation unfolds. As you leave campus, please continue to practice social distancing, self-isolate if you are not feeling well, continue checking the university’s COVID-19 page for updates and heeding counsel from DC Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Excellence in Truth and Service,
Wayne A. I. Frederick, M.D., MBA
Howard University President
This letter was originally shared to the Howard University Newsroom.
The state Senate voted unanimously Sunday to pass House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones’ legislation that would send $580 million more to the state’s four historically black colleges and universities over 10 years.
The legislation had already passed the House of Delegates by a 129-2 vote. It now goes to Republican Gov. Larry Hogan’s desk for his consideration.
The money would help the schools create academic programs, expand scholarships, recruit faculty and market the schools.
The legislation is designed to force the state to settle a long-running lawsuit that alleges Maryland’s government made decisions that harmed the viability of historically black colleges and universities.
This post originally appeared on The Baltimore Sun.
HBCU family, it seems that two black women, and also HBCU grads in the political world are being vetted by Joe Biden as his potential vice president choice.
When asked what advice he would give Biden, House Majority Whip James Clyburn said during a recent interview with NPR that he should consider choosing a black woman as his running mate.
“I really believe that we’ve reached a point in this country where African American women need to be rewarded for the loyalty that they’ve given to this party,” Clyburn said. “So I would really be pushing for an African American female to go on the ticket.”
Of course, there are many black women in the field to choose from. For example, take Sen. Kamala Harris (Howard University), who had suddenly decided to end her campaign for the Democratic nomination in late 2019 or serial entrepreneur and political leader Stacey Abrams (Spelman College). Clyburn also mentioned Democratic Reps. Marcia Fudge (Ohio), Val Demings (Fla.), Karen Bass (Calif.) and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms as good potential VP choices, according to The Root.
From The Root:
Incidentally, Biden had named four women who he would consider sharing a ticket with last November. Abrams’ name was among them as Biden referred to her as “the woman who should have been the governor of Georgia.” Beyond that, Biden also pledged last month to nominate a black woman to the Supreme Court if he’s elected.
Black women represent one of the Democratic party’s most important voting blocks as they are the most consistent demographic in voting blue atover 90%. Black women are also not here to be political mules for Democrats or any politician for that matter, but adding one to the presidential ticket may go a long way in showing them that they are appreciated. Maybe Clyburn is right.
In the past, Biden said that he would like for Michelle Obama to be his running mate and talked with her about it too.
Clyburn graduated from South Carolina State University.
IRVING, Texas – The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced today the 2020 College Football Hall of Fame Class during “SportsCenter” on ESPN2.
Steve McNair was among 17 All-America First-Team players and two standout coaches that were selected from the national ballot of 76 players and five coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision, the 101 players and 33 coaches from the divisional ranks and the NFF Veterans Committee candidates.
“We are extremely proud to announce the 2020 College Football Hall of Fame Class,” said Archie Manning, NFF Chairman and a 1989 College Football Hall of Famer from Mississippi. “Each of these men has established himself among the absolute best to have ever played or coached the game, and we look forward to immortalizing their incredible accomplishments.”
The 2020 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be officially inducted during the 63rd NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 8 at the New York Hilton Midtown. The inductees will also be recognized at their respective collegiate institutions with NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salutes, presented by Fidelity Investments, during the fall. Their accomplishments will be forever immortalized at the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.
The announcement of the 2020 Class was made today during the Noon ET edition of “SportsCenter” on ESPN2.
“We want to thank ESPN for the opportunity to announce the 2020 College Football Hall of Fame Class during ‘SportsCenter,’” said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. “Today’s announcement shines a light on the accomplishments of some of college football’s greatest legends.”
Steve McNair
Arguably the greatest player in Alcorn history, Steve McNair rewrote the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and school record books en route to winning the 1994 Walter Payton Award as the best player in the FCS. “Air McNair” deservedly becomes the first Brave player to enter the College Football Hall of Fame.
A 1994 First-Team All-American, McNair finished third for the Heisman Trophy, which is tied for the highest finish ever by an FCS player. The 1994 Eddie Robinson Trophy recipient as the nation’s best HBCU player, he remains the all-time total yards leader in FCS history with 16,823, and his 14,496 passing yards were a national record until 2018. The only four-time SWAC Offensive Player of the Year in history, McNair led Alcorn State to conference titles and FCS Playoff berths in 1992 and 1994. Those same two seasons, the four-time First Team All-SWAC selection led the nation in total offense with 4,057 yards in 1992 and an FCS single-season record 5,799 in 1994. McNair’s other career FCS records include 41 games with 200 passing yards, 32 games with 300 passing yards, 15 games with 400 total offensive yards and nine games with 500 total offensive yards.
Alcorn’s all-time leading passer with 14,496 career yards, McNair also owns school records for career completions (958) and passing touchdowns (119). During his remarkable 1994 senior campaign, he set single-season Braves records with 5,377 passing yards, 356 completions, and 47 passing touchdowns. Some of McNair’s top performances from that season led to Alcorn State single-game records, including 587 passing yards against Southern, eight passing touchdowns against Chattanooga and 52 completions against Youngstown State (an FCS Playoff record). The 1991 SWAC Freshman of the Year also ranks third in school history with 2,327 rushing yards. The two-time Dean’s Scholar is enshrined in the SWAC, Black College Football, State of Mississippi Sports and State of Tennessee Sports halls of fame.
The third overall pick in the 1995 NFL Draft by the Houston Oilers, McNair played for the Oilers/Tennessee Titans from 1995-2005 and led the franchise to a berth in Super Bowl XXXIV. The three-time Pro Bowler and 2003 NFL Co-MVP finished his pro career with the Baltimore Ravens from 2006-07. McNair is a member of the Titans/Oilers Hall of Fame, and the franchise retired his No. 9 jersey in 2019.
McNair left a lasting impact in the community through the Steve McNair Foundation, which served underprivileged youth through education and civic opportunities and raised more than $1 million for charities. He organized a highly successful relief drive following Hurricane Katrina, and he trained thousands of kids at youth football camps, covering the costs for nearly 70% of the attendees. McNair received multiple awards for his work in the community, including the NFLPA’s Byron “Whizzer” White Award. He died on July 4, 2009, at the age of 36.
Courtesy: Alcorn State Athletics
With universities closing campuses and moving to online classes amid the coronavirus outbreak, students across the country are scrambling to find ways to get their stuff home. U-Haul is trying to help by offering free storage for up to 30 days.
According to a U-Haul press release, the moving and storage company will offer college students throughout the country 30 days of free storage space.
“We don’t know how every student is affected. But we know they are affected,” JU-Haul’s CEO John “JT” Taylor said in the release. “More and more universities are giving instructions to leave campus and go home. Students and their parents are in need of moving and storage solutions. We have the expertise and network to help, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do.”
U-Haul currently gives regular customers 30 days of storage with the purchase of a trailer or a truck, but according to U-Haul spokesperson Jeff Lockridge, no purchase is necessary for college students. The 30-day free self-storage offer is typically extended to communities impacted by a natural disaster. This marks the first time U-Haul has extended the offer companywide.
“There is no purchase of any kind necessary for the current offer to college students,” Lockridge told the Insider. “It is merely a gesture of goodwill given the extraordinary circumstances taking place and our ability to help.”
Lockridge added that those who need storage for their belongings while they sort out where to go next, should visit the U-Haul website to find a U-Haul location near them.
Since the coronavirus outbreak has hit US shores, colleges have increasingly been canceling classes. Twelve colleges in Florida and six colleges in California including the University of California have canceled classes. At least one school in Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Maryland, Illinois, and all city and state universities in New York have been canceled.
With schools canceling classes across the country, U-Haul has said it’s prepared for an early spring moving rush. U-Haul has more than 22,000 truck- and trailer-sharing locations, across the country.
This post was written by Derek Major, a writer at Black Enterprise, where it was originally published. It is published here with permission.
In response to coronavirus, Central State University has canceled all athletic competition for the spring. The black college also announced that all spring athletic related events including, but not limited to, practices and spring football exhibitions will be suspended until further notice.
The decision was made in conjunction with protocols put in place by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) as well as recommendations from public health officials, according to a media report.
“In collaborative efforts with the NCAA and SIAC, Central State University has decided to cancel all spring athletic competition while suspending practices and team activities until further notice. Our decision is in the best interest of the safety and well-being of our student-athletes, coaches, staff, fans and the community,” Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Tara A. Owens said. “As organizations around the world continue to adapt and work together to neutralize the spread of COVID-19, we remain attentive to this situation and will continue to evaluate if additional actions need to be taken.”
CSU officials said that they have been in talks with the Ohio Department of Health (ODH), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), NCAA, and SIAC as well as all of Ohio’s public universities and colleges while the disease takes center stage around the world.
You can visit MarauderSports.com and follow official social media pages for additional information.
The hotties — the nickname given to Texas Southern student Megan Thee Stallion’s fans — are definitely a force to be reckoned with. If Meg tells them to jump, they will most likely jump and then some, supporting her at any cost, streaming her music, and expressing their love for her.
The 20 million-plus people who streamed her latest project, “Suga” on Spotify since its release earlier this month is just the beginning, if the Megan Thee Stallion hate train doesn’t step in. And even if they did have something to say about the way she’s handling her business, and in particular, her 2.7 GPA at the black college, it may well fall on deaf ears. Some people reacted negatively to it, questioning if she will be able to graduate and calling her dumb.
READ: Megan Thee Stallion Getting Dragged Online For Having 2.7 GPA At Texas Southern University
Okay, let me explain this in layman’s terms. Meg is a B student or average. But she can tour the world and still make line for a Divine Nine organization, which should be an inspiration for a lot of people. Some of those who are angry with her GPA probably don’t attend a community college or are at home not doing anything with their life, and can’t relate.
We may look back on Meg if and when she gets her degree as a bright spot for many rappers who don’t necessarily want to pursue higher education; and former HBCU students like me would love her no less.
Just as important as pursuing higher education — if not more important — is supporting each other and giving back to the community. Those who are mad and try to knock down Meg because of her GPA are not only nuts, they’re also jealous of her success.
President Donald Trump recently announced that he has waived interest on all student loans as the novel coronavirus takes center stage around the world.
On the same day he blamed the former administration for the slow response to the disease, saying that changes Obama made “only complicated things further.”
Trump has been in office for over three and a half years.
From Watch The Yard:
President Donald Trump announced that he will waive interest on all federal student loans in response to the coronavirus.
“I am announcing the following emergency actions today: to help our students and their families, I’ve waived interest on all student loans held by federal government agencies and that will be until further notice,” he stated during a press conference.
Former Federal Student Aid COO A. Wayne Johnson opened up about this move, stating that waiving interest, “basically does nothing to improve personal cash flows.”
According to him, his “specific recommendation to the President and the Congress… is that this is the moment to go ahead and effect cancellation of up to $50,000 of debt,” Yahoo Finance states.
Democratic lawmakers are also working on having a bill introduced that proposes allow students to withdraw from college during this time, and not be forced to repay their loans from this semester.
Apply now to the ETS Presidential Scholarship for HBCU Students and TMCF I NAF Scholarships.
- March 15, 2020 Deadline: TMCF I NAF Scholarship
- March 16, 2020 Deadline: ETS Presidential Scholarship for HBCU Students
Visit http://tm-cf.org/tmcfscholarships-bg to apply now!
Aspiring educators listen up! TMCF’s Teacher Quality and Retention Program (TQRP) is looking for you. Become a Fellow and inspire the next generation to change and inspire the world!
- Deadline: March 16, 2020
Visit http://tm-cf.org/tqrphbcubuzz-bg to learn more and apply!
Future entrepreneurs and project builders the Pitch 2020 is the place for YOU!
The Pitch 2020 is an excellent opportunity for students to learn, engage in hands-on exercises, and develop the three C’s of an Entrepreneurial Mindset: Curiosity, Connections, and Creating value. Develop and pitch solutions for business, social, or educational problems to an expert panel of judges.
Deadline: April 12, 2020
The coronavirus outbreak is, of course, impacting historically black colleges and universities.
Public schools and universities across the nation are adjusting their schedules. While some schools have opted to keep their normal schedules until after spring break this month, several HBCUs have already taken some precautions against spreading the virus.
On Tuesday, Morgan State University in Baltimore became one of the first universities to cancel classes for the rest of the week and announced it would move to online classes following spring break and a two-week period afterward. Dorms will remain open during spring break. Bowie State University, in Bowie, Maryland, canceled classes Thursday and Friday and plans to transition to online classes following spring break next week until April 6. Students from Bowie were told not to plan to return to campus before April 6.
“Everyone – faculty, staff and administration – is pulling together to support our learning environment in a manner that will support the effort of our county, state and government at large. These are tough times, but we, as a society, will get through it,” said Bowie State vice president of athletics and recreation Clyde Doughty Jr.
Hampton University informed staff and students on Thursday that it was canceling in-person classes starting Friday, with remote instruction continuing until another assessment of student safety is made. Hampton is also requiring all, except international students, to leave campus by Sunday.
Howard University sent an email to students Wednesday addressing campus closures and travel precautions. It said classes would continue through Friday, which is the start of spring break for the university. Classes will be held online until April 6, when another assessment will be made regarding campus safety.
The Washington area, where Howard, Bowie State and Morgan State are located, had eight confirmed cases as of Thursday. Hampton, in the Tidewater area of Virginia, is in the vicinity of two cases among the 15 reported confirmed cases in the state.
“Although the university took a little long to announce transitioning online, I think they are doing a good job in keeping students in mind. Many other universities have completely closed campus, leaving students with nowhere to go. Howard keeping campus open allows students who can’t afford or are not able to leave a sense of security,” said Josyana Joshua, a senior journalism major from Westchester, New York.
In its email, Howard’s administration said it would be leaving dorms open and adjusting hours at libraries and student centers to accommodate students.
“The dormitories are going to remain open particularly for students for whom it would be financially difficult to travel back and forth and obviously for international students. We will also be going to continue to provide meal service with Sodexo, it’s just going to be a little bit modified,” said Howard provost Anthony K. Wutoh.
On Tuesday, Lincoln University in Oxford, Pennsylvania, announced it will cancel in-person classes for the rest of the semester. In another email on Thursday, Lincoln president Brenda A. Allen asked students to leave campus by Sunday at 6 p.m. Pennsylvania had 16 confirmed cases when the second announcement was made.
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference joined more than 15 conferences Thursday in canceling the remaining games in the men’s and women’s basketball tournament in Norfolk, Virginia. The league also is suspending all sports through the end of spring 2020. The Southwestern Athletic Conference canceled its basketball tournament in Birmingham, Alabama, and suspended regular-season competition for all sports until March 31.
The NCAA canceled the Division I men’s and women’s basketball tournaments Thursday, in addition to all of the winter and spring sports championships this school year. It is up to individual schools and conferences whether to continue spring sports.
Some HBCUs and their plans to combat transmission of the coronavirus:
- Alabama A&M
- Alabama State
- Benedict College
- Bethune-Cookman
- Clark Atlanta
- Clinton College
- Coppin State
- Delaware State
- Florida A&M
- Grambling State
- Harris-Stowe State
- Kentucky State
- Morehouse College
- North Carolina A&T
- Norfolk State
- Paul Quinn College
- Prairie View A&M
- Tuskegee
- South Carolina State
- Spelman College
- Wiley College
- Winston-Salem State
- Virginia State
Nathaniel is a 2019 Rhoden Fellow and a senior journalism major and history minor from Evanston, Illinois. He has written both sports and news for The Hilltop and the Ghanaian Times. Having grown up a die-hard sports fan of everything Chicago, he is a firm believer that the Bears will be in Super Bowl contention this year.
This post originally appeared on The Undefeated.
Miami Beach Police were called in response to an apparent drug overdose of a man in a hotel where Andrew Gillum, a graduate of Florida A&M University, was found, according to a police report.
He was “inebriated” and “unable to communicate with officers” at the time, the report said. Meth was also recovered. But Gillum claims that he has never used the drug before.
He works for CNN as a political commentator since January 2019. In addition, he ran unsuccessfully for the governor of Florida in 2018, losing a close race to Republican Ron DeSantis.
From ABC News:
Former Florida Democratic candidate for governor Andrew Gillum is named in a police report Friday saying he was “inebriated” and initially unresponsive in a hotel room where authorities found baggies of suspected crystal methamphetamine.
Gillum, the former Tallahassee mayor who ran for governor in 2018, is not charged with any crime. The Miami Beach police report says Gillum was allowed to leave the hotel for home after he was checked out medically.
Gillum, 40, said in a statement that he was in Miami Beach for a wedding and did not use illegal drugs.
“While I had too much to drink, I want to be clear that I have never used methamphetamines,” Gillum said. “I apologize to the people of Florida for the distraction this has caused for our movement.”
According to police, fire rescue crews were called to the Miami Beach hotel around 1 a.m. Friday regarding a suspected drug overdose. Police say Gillum and two other men were in the hotel room.
“Mr. Gillum was unable to communicate due to his inebriated state,” the police report says.
Police say one of the men came into the hotel room and found Gillum and Travis Dyson, 30, apparently under the influence of an “unknown substance.” Officials began chest compressions on Dyson and he was taken to a local hospital, where authorities say he is in stable condition.
Gillum, meanwhile, had stable medical signs when authorities returned for a welfare check and was allowed to leave the hotel for home, the police report says.
Gillum was the first black nominee in a major political party to run for governor in Florida. He lost narrowly to Republican Ron DeSantis in the 2018 election.