HBCU Dance Interview | Dancing Dolls, Prancing J-Settes, & Golden Girls | Q&A
How To Arrange For HBCU Marching Bands
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Antonie Gibson gives music publishers a tutorial on how to arrange for bands at Historically black colleges and universities. In this video; How To Arrange For An HBCU-Style Marching Band in Less Than TEN MINUTES‼️‼️‼️‼️ he does this in under ten minutes. Tutorial outlining the process I use when arranging pop/hip-hop tunes for bands across the nation.
The Marching Force from Hampton University made history on Wednesday by becoming the first-ever HBCU band to march in the Rome New Year’s Day Parade.
The band was on the ground in Italy less than a year after the official announcement about the historic trip.
“’The Marching Force’ is an elite group of talented, young musicians who are also academically accomplished. This opportunity shows that our band is being recognized internationally. They continue to uphold THE Standard of Excellence as being one of the best marching bands in the nation,” said Hampton University President, Dr. William R. Harvey back in 2019.
The Marching Force posted to its Instagram account on Wednesday a photo from Vatican City.
Every year, thousands gather in St. Peter’s Square celebrating and receiving the Pope’s New Year’s Day blessing. The parade proceeded along the Grand Via Della Conciliazone and culminated in St. Peter’s Square.
The band will also have the chance to conduct other performances while in Italy.
Source: HBCU Gameday
Why I Left A PWI For An HBCU
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I recently completed my first semester as a transfer student at Morgan State University, a historically black college and university (HBCU), and I couldn’t be more elated.
The nurturing culture that I’ve experienced at Morgan has been invaluable, playing an integral role in me earning a 3.71 GPA and a spot on the dean’s list. From professors who are vested in my success to alumni who have taken me under their wings to ensure that I accomplish my career goals, Morgan will always be near and dear to my heart.
This story wasn’t my experience two years ago, when I attended a local, predominantly white university. Instead of feeling welcomed and appreciated for what I could offer the university, I often felt isolated in a sea of huge classes where I was among a handful of people of color. Moreover, I was concerned for my safety because of racist incidents on campus: nooses were hung at fraternity houses, and swastikas were scrawled on dormitory walls, among other more serious acts.
Some question the importance of HBCUs in an era when black students can go to any college of their choice. The funding for these institutions, which were started in the time of segregation, is constantly under attack, and some have even closed or faced the threat of closure because they didn’t have the resources to keep the institutions running.
I am here to tell you that HBCUs still play an important role in higher education.
Now that Congress has approved permanent funding of HBCUs and other minority-serving institutions, I’m even more enthusiastic about my collegiate experience at Morgan. Known as the FUTURE Act (Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for Education), the legislation provides HBCUs with mandatory annual funding to help educate students like me who want to make a positive difference in our world.
The state should also show its commitment to HBCUs and settle a long standing lawsuit by a coalition of four HBCUs in Maryland, including Morgan, to make up for decades of the underfunding of our esteemed institutions. Morgan students have been on the front line of this fight and even attended a recent rally in Annapolis regarding the issue.
HBCUs are valuable resources to our nation and have graduated many prominent people, including April Ryan, a White House news correspondent, and Earl Graves, founder of Black Enterprise magazine — both of whom graduated from Morgan and are examples of the best our country has to offer. Civil rights icon Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., famed author Toni Morrison and TV mogul Oprah Winfrey also graduated from HBCUs.
I look forward to soon being counted among the many distinguished Morgan alumni, and consistent funding will help to ensure that my HBCU experience remains a positive one. That experience includes being nurtured in a compassionate way — a way that values you as a person, not just as another number.
After I transferred to Morgan, I received extraordinary support from members of the Howard County Chapter of the Morgan State University National Alumni Association. They gave me a scholarship to help fund my education, and they helped me find other financial assistance as well. Furthermore, those same alumni introduced me to other Morgan graduates who have been supportive beyond anything I could have imagined. Morgan students are also like family, and I have found that to be the case with my friends on campus.
Another positive aspect of my HBCU experience: understanding the importance of giving back to the local community. And to that end, Morgan provides myriad opportunities to participate in public service. I’m involved with several campus groups that emphasize giving back in Baltimore. From mentoring young high school girls to feeding the homeless, I’ve learned that we are a better society when we support others.
Morgan also makes sure that its students are confident leaders who are academically prepared to stand out in their respective careers. As a nursing major, I am eager to learn from my professors who actually take the time to ensure that I understand my academic concepts.
Morgan is the right place for me to help make my dreams a reality. I just pray that the funding for it and other HBCUs will be there in the future. HBCUs provide exceptional value to their students who have made outstanding contributions to our society. It’s past time that we treated them as such.
Source: The Baltimore Sun
Rapper Megan Thee Stallion definitely had quite a successful year as a rising star in the Hip-Hop industry in 2019. Megan, who is a student at HBCU Texas Southern University, released her mixtape Fever last year and it was generally well-received by critics. In fact, the “Big Ole Freak” rapper got news that her song Cash Sh*t feat. DaBaby on the mixtape was certified as platinum by RIAA on October 22, 2019. She posted an image of her recognition on Instagram at said date, celebrating this achievement with her hotties. In addition, many other artists in the industry like Nicki Minaj has praised her for writing her own raps and her unique delivery. Minaj, of course, shocked millions of people when she announced her retirement from music again on the same day that her song featuring DaBaby was certified platinum and acknowledged Megan during the Billboard Women’s in Music event held later in the year for holding it down for all the female rappers. Let us not forget that Megan’s collaboration with Minaj on the song “Hot Girl Summer” also was certified platinum by RIAA on December 16, 2019.
Her “hot girl summer” phrase basically became a popular thing to say in regards to living your best life all summer long for many girls and boys alike. Megan is known for “driving the boat” too, which is pouring liquor into someone’s mouth that amounts to a shot and for her explicit lyrics pertaining to sex. This is why she is not a role model, but rather a success model who inspires many young girls across the country. That is to say, I would not recommend Megan’s lifestyle of drinking liquor and boasting about breaking up with her boyfriend every season as an example to imitate, especially in regards to young girls who probably look up to her as a role model. But instead, I point to the success of Megan, which is in large part to being a genuine person, her pen game, and managing it all while being a full-time student at a black university.
Megan Thee Stallion is genuine
You can tell that Megan is truly genuine. She states that she keeps “it realer than real, f*ck all the critics and fuck how they feel.” Obviously, she does not succumb easily to criticism and she has an inherent self-confidence. These qualities seem to just ooze out of her whenever she is performing live in front of thousands of people or during an interview with a leading magazine. Something that all young girls should strive to be like in all aspects of life.
Power of the pen
It is no surprise that the Houston, Texas native writes her own raps and takes great pride in doing so. Earlier in 2019, she had to set the record straight in regards to this when a fellow artist claimed that she had written some of the lyrics to her song “Simon Says” feat. Juicy J. Megan immediately addressed the rumors, insisting that she writes all of her raps and does not need anyone to assist her with ideas and things of the like. Basically, every young girl ought to follow Megan’s lead when it comes to being authentic and original in every human endeavor.
Superstar student
Many female rappers were strippers before their rise to fame. Get it how you live, I guess. But Megan’s climb up the ladder is refreshing because she is one of a few rappers who attend or graduated from college in recent memory, not to mention that she attends a black university! During an interview, someone actually asked her why does she attends a university. He did not mean any harm by his question, however, it was practically offensive that he would ask such a thing. Megan laughed it off and answered his question effortlessly and stated that the university and her studies is very important to her, implying that you can chase your dreams and further your education at the same time.
I do not know about you, but I am keeping tabs on Megan and what she has to offer this new year. Whatever it is, I am sure that she will continue to be successful because of her being a genuine person, her pen game and soon to be college degree.
President Trump Signs HBCU Funding Bill
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President Donald Trump on Thursday signed a bipartisan bill that will permanently provide more than $250 million a year to the nation’s historically black colleges and universities, along with dozens of other institutions that serve large shares of minority students.
In signing the bill, Trump said historically black schools have “never had better champions in the White House.”
“When I took office, I promised to fight for HBCUs, and my administration continues to deliver,” Trump said. “A few months ago, funding for HBCUs was in jeopardy. But the White House and Congress came together and reached a historic agreement.”
Michael Lomax, president and CEO of the United Negro College Fund, thanked Trump and the thousands of advocates who lobbied Congress to support the bill.
“We enlisted more than 20,000 supporters to write and call their members of Congress,” Lomax said. “This activated army of advocates became the frontline of support for HBCUs, and they won the battle for our institutions.”
The bill restores $255 million in annual funding that lapsed Sept. 30 after Congress failed to renew it. Facing an end to the funding, some schools had started planning for deep cuts, with some telling staff their jobs or programs would be eliminated.
But lawmakers in the Senate recently reached a bipartisan deal that saved the funding. Their compromise added an amendment that will simplify the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, the form that college students fill out to determine their eligibility for financial aid.
The legislation will allow the Education Department to gather certain information directly from the IRS, which will eliminate up to 22 of the 108 questions on the form. It’s also meant to curb a verification process some families face to make sure they provided the same information to the IRS and to the Education Department.
Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., chairman of the Senate’s education committee, called the legislation a “Christmas present for college students and their families.”
“This bipartisan provision stops families from having to give their same tax information to the federal government twice – first to the IRS, then again to the U.S. Department of Education,” Alexander said. “It should eliminate most of the so-called ‘verification’ process, which is a bureaucratic nightmare that 5.5 million students go through annually.”
The legislation, known as the Future Act, also drew praise from Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, who called it a “historic bill” that reflects the administration’s commitment to students.
My beloved Central State University family, this is good news! Let us congratulate our fellow Marauder Deon Jefferson, who recently been announced as Gather and Gown’s new designer for its 2020 bridesmaid collection!
In a press release, Gather and Gown officials said that the brand “will reveal eighteen new styles highlighting Deon’s electric personal style, his love for fashion history and his passion for dressing women of different sizes and personalities, which he calls “super powers [sic].””
“I think the industry is recognizing the fact that strapless dresses are beautiful, but there are they ways to make a bridesmaid look and feel spectacular for the wedding,” Jefferson said, hoping that his collection will provide a glimpse of the future of bridesmaid dresses.
“We wanted our bridesmaids to feel sexy but [look] appropriate for the occasion.”
In addition to designing the entire collection, Jefferson said that he also handpicked models for two photoshoots promoting the collection, selected both photographers, and chose a hair and makeup artist.
“I designed the entire Gigi bridesmaid collection listening to ‘Rhiannon’ by Fleetwood Mac, Jefferson said. “The line in the song ‘All your life you’ve never seen a woman taken by the wind,’ stuck with me throughout the design process.”
“It reminded me of the various beautiful and magical women who would wear these dresses. I even chose one special gown to bear the name Rhiannon.”
Jefferson has worked in the bridal industry for eight years. He was born in Ohio, and he currently lives in Florida.
Samples of his collection will arrive in stores towards the end of December.
h/t to Gather and Gown
Hey, HBCU family!
Our very own Megan The Stallion, who attends HBCU Texas Southern University, recently revealed in a Billboard interview that she watches old Beyonce videos when she feels down.
“Everybody knows that I super love Beyonce,” she told Billboard. “I’m from Houston, she’s from Houston.”
“I’ve been listening to her all my life, and she’s just somebody, like, when I’m feeling like “Am I’m doing the right thing?” or like when I’m feeling the wrong way, I just go back and like watch her old interviews and I watch her, like, talk about the same struggles that I feel like I’m going through now.”
“If Beyonce can get through it, I can get through it [too],” she said.
You can watch the entire video below.
HBCU family, many of us come from broken homes with only a single parent mother to fend for us or a single parent father trying to raise us upright the best way that he can, living in this country as a black man. Of course, some of us are luckier than others, enjoying the benefits of both parents being in the household, but still struggling to make ends meet.
It is all about perspective.
That is to say, if you come from one of these types of homes you cannot be a victim because of it. You have to know that you are a survivor who has people in your life who wants nothing but the best for you.
This kind of upbringing only made you who you are today and there is no reason to be ashamed of that.
One Morehouse College graduate would agree with me, writing that “This past weekend I was conversing with a friend about work. He stated to me how he desired to be promoted and work with a prominent executive at our company.”
When the black college grad, Chris Sumlin inquired more about what made his friend think that he was qualified for the position, his friend said this:
“They can’t say no to me. I come from nothing, and I’ve made it this far…”
His friend’s response led Sumlin to write an amazing piece titled “Stop Saying You Come From “Nothing” Because Your Parents Aren’t Rich.”
“On the one hand,” Sumlin writes, “I appreciated and understood his confidence. This is a man who has overcome a lot of obstacles and as a result, believes in himself. I think that self-confidence is healthy, and so when he made that statement, I felt where he was coming from. As the conversation continued, he expressed more of his qualifications, and the conversation was pleasant. Unfortunately, after our interaction, I kept replaying his words in my mind. I couldn’t help but ruminate on the idea of “coming from nothing.””
He continued, “As a first-generation college graduate, I get it. I have often muttered those same exact words in conversations, in speeches, and even job interviews. I understand what my friend was saying when he made those remarks. As I often do after discussions with friends, I began to ask myself some deep questions.”
Sumlin later admitted to being guilty of using this negative phrase himself, challenging him to think more of his own upbringing, not just revisiting bad experiences but more so remembering the good times and how his earlier memories of childhood helped to shape him up to be the man he is today.
He writes, “As much as I remember boiling water for a hot bath, and eating beans and hot dogs for dinner, I learned so much about living on faith. My parents taught me so much about trusting God and being optimistic by example. There were moments when our lights would be caught off, and my Dad would make jokes, and we would reminisce about funny church stories. I’ve grown to become a man who can smile no matter what the obstacle because of how I saw my parents act when we faced hardships. No matter what, I always have a sense of groundedness because of my experience as a young child.”
I’ve always viewed education as a vehicle for progress and mobility. I understood that the best opportunity for both socioeconomic advancement and career fulfillment would have to be accompanied by a collegiate education.
While today I am a staunch advocate for historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), ironically, HBCUs weren’t a consideration in my application process during high school. I wasn’t aware of the significance of the HBCU experience, and while I respected its dynamic history, I couldn’t have fathomed the indelible impact it would have on my life.
At HBCUs, Black excellence is not an outlier. Black excellence is a norm. HBCUs serve as pillars of heritage, progress and accountability, and to witness this magic transpire on a daily basis is to witness a wonder of this world.
I’m a native Alabamian and I’ve lived in Alabama my entire life, but when considering colleges, I was ready for something new. However, during my junior year of high school, my mother’s health began to decline. I believed she would get well, but graduation came, and I was still her caregiver. There was no way I was going to leave her side, so, Alabama it was.
Alabama A&M University became my choice. While they made it possible and financially manageable through scholarships, my college experience was far from easy.
I spent sophomore through senior years working two part-time jobs while maintaining a 4.0 GPA. I was a member of Alabama A&M’s Honors Program, served as president of our poetry club for two consecutive years and was named “Mr. Social Work” in our Social Work Association. I was pushing through all obstacles until the biggest life-changing challenge happened.
Earlier this year 14-year-old Sydney Wilson made history by becoming one of the youngest students to be accepted into Spelman College and now the DeKalb County native is making strides during her first year at the HBCU. According to Because of Them We Can, Wilson’s academic vigor landed her a spot on the Dean’s list.
Wilson completed her semester with a 3.76 GPA. The teen—who has had a passion for STEM from a young age—has taken a variety of classes focused on science, liberal arts and history. She says adjusting to life as a college student hasn’t been easy but she’s grateful for the growth that she’s experienced so far. “There have definitely been some ups and downs but the ups certainly outweigh the downs,” she told the news outlet. “It was a little hard in the beginning being away from my family but luckily I got to see them often. I am now able to see how the semester has impacted my life, refined my character and gifted me the ability to see things from different perspectives.”
Wilson, who majors in biology, hopes to enter the medical field in the future. She wants to utilize animal science as an avenue to cure human illness. “I want to use animal science to try and solve human illnesses and ailments. I want to combine human anatomy and animal science to try and figure some things out,” she told KTVU. The school works in concert with the Morehouse School of Medicine to provide biology students with hands-on experience. “She has the opportunity to do real work, like hands-on work because of Morehouse,” said her father Byron F. Wilson. “It’ll be part of getting her that real-world experience.”
Wilson is slated to graduate from Spelman in 2023.
Source: News One
The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), the nation’s oldest historically black conference, proudly announces the 2020 John B. McLendon Hall of Fame Class.
The CIAA recognizes inductees for their excellence in the conference, significant contributions in the community, leadership in CIAA sports and commitment to the CIAA mission. This year’s class, which focuses on basketball honorees as the conference celebrates 75 years of the tournament, includes Antonio Davis (Livingstone College), Albert “A.J.” English (Virginia Union University), LeVelle Moton (North Carolina Central University), Leslie Speight (CIAA Official) and the 1983 Virginia Union Women’s Basketball Team.
The 2020 John B. McLendon CIAA Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place on Friday, February 28, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. at the Charlotte Convention Center. The induction ceremony is a part of the ancillary schedule of events surrounding 2020 CIAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament, being held February 25-29, 2020 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Tickets for the 2020 induction ceremony can be purchased HERE or by visiting ciaatournament.org.
Since its inception in 1967, the CIAA Hall of Fame has enshrined 288 honorees. In 2000, it was renamed after legendary coach and administrator John B. McLendon. Inducted in 1978, McLendon is also credited as one of the founding fathers of the CIAA Basketball Tournament which began in 1946. For more information about the CIAA and the John B. McLendon Hall of Fame, visit www.theciaa.com.
One of the greatest shooters in college basketball history at any level, Davis shot 56% on two-point field goals, 53% on three-point field goals, and 94% at the free throw line for his career. He is the only known player to have finished with 50/50/90 career shooting percentages. To put those numbers into perspective, no other college player in NCAA history has ever completed even a season with 50/50/90 shooting percentages.
Davis averaged 22.4 points for his career and led the nation in scoring at 35 points per game during the 1987-88 season. He also led the nation in free throw percentage three times throughout his career, shooting 90%, 94%, and 96% from the line over those seasons. Davis earned All-CIAA, All-District 26, and All-American honors while at Livingstone College and finished his career as the school’s all-time leading scorer with 1,800 career points.
English played for Virginia Union University from 1986–1990 where he scored 2,396 points, including a single-season school record of 1,001 points in 1989-90. In 1990, English was named CIAA Player of the Year, NCAA Division II National Player of the Year and helped lead the Panthers to their second national championship under Head Coach Dave Robbins. English was an All-CIAA selection three times (1988, 1989 and 1990) and was named to the CIAA All-Tournament team in 1989 and 1990.
English was selected by the Washington Bullets in the 2nd round (37th overall) of the 1990 NBA draft. He played two seasons for the Bullets, averaging 9.9 points per game, and signed a contract with the Portland Trail Blazers in 1993 before spending time playing professionally overseas.
Moton was a guard at North Carolina Central University from 1992-1996. He was named the 1996 CIAA Player of the Year following his senior season after averaging 21.3 points per game and shooting 75.8% from the free throw line. As a junior, he finished 16th in Division II in scoring at 23.5 points per contest. Moton was a two-time NCAA DII South Atlantic Region First Team and All-CIAA First Team selection.
Moton ended his career as NCCU’s all-time leading scorer with 1,714 pts and ranked first in three-point field goals (213), third in free throws (363), fifth in assists (278), eighth in field goals (569), and ninth in steals (110). He was a key member of three CIAA Southern Division Championship teams and was a part of the 1992-93 team that won a regional title and advanced to the NCAA Division II “Elite Eight”. Following his collegiate career, he played overseas until returning to impact local youth through coaching. He returned to NCCU in 2007 as an assistant coach and has maintained the position of Head Men’s Basketball Coach at his alma mater since 2009.
After starting his career at the high school level twelve years earlier, Speight began officiating in the CIAA in 1983 where he served as a basketball & football official for the conference until 2004. Speight officiated over 500 college basketball & football games,14 NCAA postseason football games, and 11 CIAA Football Championships & Classics as a CIAA official while also serving on the CIAA Tournament staff in various roles. He has worked four NCAA postseason tournaments in his career and was selected to work the 1991 NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball National Championship as well as the1988 NCAA Division II Football National Championship.
Speight also served as an official at the professional level in the National Football League, World Football League, and other professional leagues around the country. He has worked over 1,000 high school football and basketball games, including 10 AAU National Championships, and received numerous officiating awards. In addition, Speight had successful careers as an officer in the military and in education as an ROTC administrator, serving in both capacities for over 20 years.
Led by Head Coach Louis Hearn, the 1982-83 Virginia Union University women’s basketball team finished the season with a 27-2 record. In 1983, they became the first CIAA women’s basketball team, and just the second women’s team ever, to win the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship. The Lady Panthers defeated previously unbeaten, and defending champion, Cal Poly Pomona, 73-60, in the national title game at the Springfield Civic Center in Springfield, Massachusetts.
The 1983 national championship team featured NCAA All-Tournament team selections Paris McWhirter and Barvenia Wooten. McWhirter would also be named Most Outstanding Player of the ’83 national title game.
ORANGEBURG, SC—South Carolina State head football coach Buddy Pough has been named the BOXTOROW Coach of the Year.
Pough had the biggest turnaround of the season after the Bulldogs finished last season with a 5-6 overall record and a 4-3 mark in conference play.
The 2019 season saw the Bulldogs finish 8-3 overall and 6-2 in MEAC play. He led South Carolina State to its 17th MEAC championship overall and the seventh in his tenure. The Bulldogs got a key program win over then-No. 8th ranked Wofford (champion of the Southern Conference) to start the season and never looked back.
Pough claims his third MEAC Coach of the Year honor during his career while sharing this year’s BOXTOROW Coach of the Year award with Damon Wilson of Bowie State.
The voters of the BOXTOROW Superlative Awards are comprised of media members from around the country that cover HBCU football.
Courtesy: SCSU Athletics
The brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha at Morehouse College, Alpha Rho Chapter, just revealed their Spring 19 initiates in one of the most spectacular probate shows we have seen in recent memory. You can watch the video below.
Wiley College Accreditation Warning
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KTAL/KMSS — “Wiley College has received a warning from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges that it may lose its accreditation,” shares NBC’s East Texas Matters:
According to SACSCOC Public Relations and Data Specialist Dr. Janea Johnson, Wiley College was issued a warning after they did not follow the five requirements by the accreditation board. If they don’t make the necessary changes within a year the college could be put on probation or they could lose their accreditation altogether.
These Core Requirements and Standards expect an institution to:
- Employ administrative and academic officers with appropriate experience and qualifications to lead the institution.
- Identify, evaluate, and publish goals and outcomes for student achievement appropriate to the institution’s mission, the nature of the students it serves, and the kinds of programs offered.
- Publish 12 and implement policies for determining the amount and level of credit awarded for its courses, regardless of format or mode of delivery.
- Have sound financial resources and a demonstrated, stable financial base to support the mission of the institution and the scope of its programs and services.
- Manage its financial resources in a responsible manner. A Special Committee was not authorized to visit the institution. Read more via KTAL/KMSS-East Texas Matters.
12 HBCUs Listed On Worst ROI List
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Finance 101 released a list of 30 institutions of higher education. Twelve schools on the list are historically black colleges and universities.
Journalist Matthew Black shares the list:
“National studies still show that getting a degree leads to higher wages, but not all universities and colleges are doing their part. Every year, PayScale, a national wage analytics company, keeps schools honest by rating how well their students are doing by measuring their return on investment (ROI) 20 years after they graduated…”
The list includes
25. Saint Augustine’s University
24. Stillman College
19. Shaw University
18. Paine College
17. Rust College
13. Benedict College
12. Morris College
8. Claflin University
6. Voorhees College
5. Talladega College
2. Miles College
- Mississippi Valley State University