NCAT Alumna, Jessica De Vault Hale Named Hype Hair New Editor-in-chief

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Hype Hair, the industry-leading magazine for African-American women and hairstylists, has announced its new editor-in-chief, Jessica De Vault Hale. A seasoned journalist with nearly 15 years of experience in the print media and fashion industries, Hale has also been charged with overseeing the rebrand of the reputable magazine.

The January/February 2019 edition debuting her new direction will be available to subscribers and participating salons on Feb. 7. Hype Hair will feature a fresh new design and purpose in print and online, focusing its sights on hair and beauty trends for African American women and men while digging deeper into the culture of Black haircare. Click here to view the upcoming print edition cover featuring songstress Marsha Ambrosius, and the digital cover featuring Atlanta-based rapper Yung Joc, the first man to ever grace the cover of Hype Hair!

“It was important to me that Hype Hair extends beyond a hairstyle look book. That component is important, but there are endless opportunities to explore when it comes to our self-expression through hair, beauty, and celebration of Black style,” Hale said.

“Hype Hair has been a staple in Black salons for decades, and there’s room for it to grow and evolve just as our unique hairstyles do. I grew up with this namesake magazine and appreciate the work that former editor Adrienne Moore has accomplished,” she added. ‘For this reason, I plan to take great care in elevating Hype Hair to the next level for this generation while building on its legacy.”

Hale joins the Hype Hair team while maintaining her editor-in-chief
position at OTC Beauty Magazine, a trade publication that serves the multicultural beauty supply industry. There, she is responsible for partnering with major ethnic beauty brands to connect with beauty supply stores via the monthly magazine.

Prior to that, she worked independently as an editorial stylist for a North Carolina women’s magazine and as a branding consultant for a clientele of entrepreneurs and small business brands. She’s also an award-winning journalist, having won The New York Times Chairman’s Award and the NABJ Chuck Stone Salute to Excellence Award. A graduate of North Carolina A&T State University, Hale’s unique background in print media, fashion, and branding have well equipped her for the task of revamping Hype Hair.

Hale is joined in this endeavor by Hannah Aryee, who serves as the magazine’s new art director, and long-time editorial team, Adrienne Moore, the former Hype Hair editor-turned-publisher; and Digital Media Director Stephenetta (isis) Harmon.

Norfolk State to Retire Kyle O’Quinn’s Jersey

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NORFOLK, Va. – Norfolk State University will retire Kyle O’Quinn’s No. 10 Spartan jersey at NSU’s home game against North Carolina Central on Feb. 16, the athletics department announced on Monday.

O’Quinn will be the third player in NSU men’s basketball history to have his jersey number retired, joining Bobby Dandridge (No. 12) and David Pope (No. 34). O’Quinn will be honored during halftime of the NSU-NCCU Alumni Day men’s game on Feb. 16, which tips off at approximately 6:30 p.m.

Dandridge, Pope and the five NSU women’s players with their numbers retired were honored last Saturday in a ceremony at the NSU-Maryland Eastern Shore game.

After playing a key reserve role as a freshman on NSU’s MEAC Tournament runner-up team in 2009, O’Quinn earned three straight All-MEAC awards. He was a second-team All-MEAC choice as a sophomore in 2010, then was a two-time All-MEAC first-team selection in 2011 and 2012. O’Quinn averaged 11.5 points and 8.8 rebounds as a sophomore before posting back-to-back seasons where he averaged a double-double: 16.4 points and 11.1 rebounds in 2010-11, and 15.9 points and 10.3 rebounds in 2011-12.

But O’Quinn will forever be remembered for his magical senior season in 2011-12. That year, he won his second straight MEAC Defensive Player of the Year award, and became the first player in MEAC history to win both the MEAC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year awards in the same season. He capped that off by earning MEAC tournament Most Outstanding Performer honors after leading the Spartans, who went 26-10, to their first-ever MEAC tournament title and NCAA Division I tournament berth.

From there, O’Quinn led NSU to what was (at the time) just the fifth-ever upset by a No. 15 seed over a No. 2 seed in NCAA tournament history, as the Spartans knocked off Missouri 86-84 behind O’Quinn’s 26 points and 14 rebounds. Missouri was ranked No. 3 in the national polls entering the tournament and was a Final Four favorite of many prognosticators. To this day, ESPN ranks the upset as the biggest in NCAA tournament history in terms of point spread. O’Quinn rode that performance and new-found fame to several more honors, including the Lou Henson Award for the nation’s top mid-major player – a first for an HBCU player.

O’Quinn was picked by the Orlando Magic in the second round of the 2012 NBA Draft. He was the first Spartan drafted since 1988 and first MEAC player drafted since 1998. He played six seasons with both the Magic and then the New York Knicks before signing with the Indiana Pacers for the 2018-19 season.

O’Quinn still ranks as the top shot-blocker in NSU history, with 283. He also ranks seventh in program annals in rebounds (1,092), 10th in field-goal percentage (55.3) and 15th in scoring (1,607 points). He is still the only two-time winner of the MEAC Defensive Player of the Year Award.

O’Quinn will be inducted into the MEAC Hall of Fame in March.

Hampton Adds Former HBCU Rivals to 2019 Football Schedule

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Hampton University is heading into its 2019 football season, its first in The Big South, with a bit of old mixed in with the new. 

Despite not being apart of the MEAC anymore, Hampton still managed to schedule some HBCUs, most notably Howard. After a year break, The Battle of the Real HU will be held on September 14 at Howard University.

Hampton also plays old CIAA rival Elizabeth City State, its first game since 1995. For its final game against an HBCU before homecoming, Hampton will play Virginia Union. The two private schools, separated by an hour’s distance, will face off on September 6th. This rivalry predates the one with Norfolk State. Virginia Union leads the all-time series 41-38-3.

Speaking of NSU, Hampton’s closest rival isn’t on the schedule again in 2019. No updates on whether or not there will be a meeting in the future.

Here is the schedule in its entirety. Home games are in bold.

Aug. 31 – Elizabeth City State – 6 pm – Alumni Day

Sept. 7 – Virginia Union – 6 pm – Greek Day

Sept. 14 – at Howard – TBA – Washington, D.C.

Sept. 21 – at Liberty – TBA – Lynchburg, Va.

Oct. 5 – North Alabama – 2 pm – Pink Day/City of Hampton Day/Family Day

Oct. 12 – at Gardner-Webb – TBA – Boiling Springs, N.C.

Oct. 19 – at Campbell – TBA – Buies Creek, N.C.

Oct. 26 – Virginia University of Lynchburg – 2 pm – Homecoming

Nov. 2 – Presbyterian – 1 pm – Military Appreciation Day

Nov. 9 – at Charleston Southern – TBA – Charleston, S.C.

Nov. 16 – Kennesaw State – 1 pm – Senior Day/Corporate Partners Day

Nov. 23 – at Monmouth – TBA – West Long Branch, N.J.

Howard Alumna, Taraji P. Henson Receives Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

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Oscar and Emmy-nominated actress, Howard UniversityAlumna Taraji P. Henson is the latest recipient of a star that was unveiled Monday on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, an honor that she calls “surreal.”

Getting a star on the Walk of Fame “really confirms that in spite of the circumstances in your life whether you were born into them or they just happened along the way, it doesn’t matter because with God, all things are possible,” Henson told City News Service.

“I want to say to all of the little brown babies all over the world, ‘Look at me and see you.’ I was a single mom, raised by a single mom and lived in the hood,” the 48-year-old actress said. “I never focused on my circumstances. I focused on my dream and looked at God. The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a journey through history and today my legacy will be forever etched in the history of Hollywood. I’ve worked so hard for this. It’s surreal.” 

Henson recalled walking along the Walk of Fame “and seeing all the phenomenal names and daydreaming about what they must have felt like on that day.” 

“You would always see them on TV on their hands and knees with cameras flashing and people hoping to get a glimpse of them and maybe an autograph,” she said. “One day, I literally kneeled down and put my hands inside of Bette Davis’ star. I’ve always admired her talent, then I got up, brushed off my jeans and said, ‘One day my name will be cemented in this town. I grabbed my son’s hand and as I walked away I could feel it, one day.” 

Henson’s star is on the same block — although on the opposite side of the street — from the star Davis received for her motion picture work. It is a block away — and on the same side of the street — as the star Davis received for her television work.

Davis’ stars were among the initial 1,558 when the Walk of Fame was completed in 1961. Henson’s star is the 2,655th.

Henson — whose latest film, “What Men Want,” is set for release on Feb. 8 — will be joined bt John Singleton and Mary J. Blige at the 11:30 a.m. ceremony in front of the Eastown apartment complex in the 6200 block of Sunset Boulevard.

Singleton directed Henson in the 2001 coming-of-age hood film “Baby Boy,” the 2005 crime drama “Four Brothers” and a 2015 episode of her Fox hip-hop drama “Empire,” and was among the producers of “Hustle & Flow,” the 2005 film where Henson gave her breakthrough performance as a pregnant friendly prostitute. Henson also provided the vocals for the film’s Oscar-winning Three 6 Mafia track, “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp.” 

Blige appeared with Henson in the 2009 Tyler Perry-directed romantic musical comedy-drama “I Can Do Bad All by Myself” and sang on her 2015 Fox variety special “Taraji and Terrence’s White Hot Holidays.” 

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First Black NCAA President, Dr. James Frank Has Died

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala.- The Southwestern Athletic Conference announced the passing of former Southwestern Athletic Conference Commissioner Dr. James Frank on Saturday.

Among his many notable accomplishments, Frank served as the first African-American President of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) from 1981 – 1983.

“Dr. Frank’s impact and legacy with the NCAA and the Southwestern Athletic Conference is truly remarkable,” said SWAC Commissioner Dr. Charles McClelland. “He was a true pioneer in the field of collegiate athletics and his vision and legacy continue to positively impact countless student-athletes both past and present.”

“The Southwestern Athletic Conference will forever be indebted to Dr. Frank and his contributions to the SWAC,” said McClelland. “We will continue to strive on daily basis to embody the core principles of his amazing leadership.”

After graduation, Dr. Frank served two years as a first lieutenant in the Army Corp of Engineers before earning a master’s in education from Springfield College in Massachusetts.

In the early 1970s, Dr. Frank served as Dean of Students and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn, New York.

He later served as assistant basketball coach at Lincoln University before being named head coach and ultimately the college’s President.

He began his educational career when he was awarded a four-year basketball scholarship to Lincoln University in Missouri, eventually becoming captain of the basketball team.

Under Frank’s leadership, the NCAA became more inclusive of women’s sports. Dr. Frank first served as secretary-treasurer before taking the office of the President. He believed during his tenure that “’separate but equal’ does not lead to equality.”

He led the NCAA Planning Committee that eventually led to a demographic change in Association leadership. Dr. Frank was named one of the NCAA’s 100 Most Influential Student-Athletes and in 2007, he won the NCAA’s prestigious Gerald R. Ford Award as well.

During Dr. Frank’s presidency, he was a significant influence in defining NCAA decisions:

  • Dr. Frank chaired the governance subcommittee and oversaw the governance plan that defined how and when women sports and championships would become part of the NCAA.
  • Dr. Frank presided over the passing of Proposition 48, the legislation that set eligibility standards for incoming freshman student-athletes, which resulted in raising graduation rates.
  • Dr. Frank facilitated enhanced presidential collaboration through the NCAA Long-Range Planning Committee that lead to a demographic change in Association leadership.
  • Dr. Frank was integral in the NCAA’s establishment of the Minority Opportunities and Interest Committee, a group devoted to inclusiveness in Association policy decisions.

From 1983 until his retirement in 1998, Dr. Frank served as Commissioner of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). He returned to the position as Interim Commissioner in April 2001, where he served for 20 months. During his guidance, the conference evolved to rank among the elite in the nation.

Dr. James Frank was one of a few individuals who elevated through the collegiate ranks as a student-athlete, coach, educator, college president, and conference commissioner.

During a long and distinguished career of over 50 years, Frank’s efforts and influential leadership touched the lives of countless people and resulted in positive changes in the many organizations he served.


Jesse Jackson, Jr. Challenges Shaw University Students to Assume Mantle of Leadership

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Raleigh, NC – January 28, 2019 – Shaw University observed its annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration on this past Thursday with a program that featured Jesse Jackson, Jr. as keynote speaker. The author and former United States Congressman had traveled to Raleigh to meet his father, iconic civil rights activist Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr., who had originally been scheduled to speak. Jackson learned late the evening before the event that his father was unable to make the trip due to illness, and agreed to step in as speaker upon Rev. Jackson’s request.

The event theme was “Awakening the Dream,” in reference to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s vision of equal opportunity and inclusion. Jackson told the packed audience, “I’m not so sure we need to awaken a dream as much as we need to ‘stay woke’ to this new revolution.”  Jackson recalled how President Lyndon B. Johnson’s failure to embrace civil rights legislation spurred Dr. King’s advocacy, and compared the social, civil, and political climate then and now. Jackson emphasized Shaw University’s long tradition of social and civic activism – the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee was founded at Shaw in the 1960s – and said that if current Shaw students truly wish to honor the legacy of Dr. King in a meaningful way they must take up the mantle of leadership. “You cannot hope to address the renewed resistance to change and inclusion that we are seeing across the country today without developing new attitudes and new mental responses. You are making decisions right now that will affect your ability to engage in a leadership role in the future,” Jackson challenged students.

Jackson stressed the need for people to register to vote, pointing out to students of voting age that North Carolina allows them to register to vote using their college residence. By registering to vote locally, rather than in their hometowns, Jackson said Shaw University student voters would represent a larger block of influence to elected officials. He closed by urging the audience, and especially students, to honor Dr. King by being “your best selves. Don’t sleep through this revolution. Be engaged in the process, and work together to build the community.”

Shaw University President Dr. Paulette Dillard said, “Mr. Jackson reminded us all that there is much work to do, and that the time to be involved is now.  I am confident our students at Shaw are more than equal to the challenge.”

Shaw also hosted a “Luncheon and Conversation with Jesse Jackson, Jr.” following the larger Celebration. Jackson spoke with UNC-TV producer and host Deborah Holt Noel during a live-streamed episode of that station’s Black Issues Forum program. The entire conversation can be viewed at www.ncchannel.org.

ABOUT SHAW:  Shaw University, located in North Carolina’s vibrant Downtown Raleigh, was the first historically black institution of higher education in the Southern United States. Founded in 1865 by Dr. Henry Martin Tupper, Shaw is proud to be educating more than 1,800 students who will become the change agents of tomorrow. Shaw University is committed to advancing our mission with Entrepreneurial Thinking, Positioning and Presence, Innovation, and Customer Care. Learn more at www.shawu.edu.

Alpha Phi Alpha Pledges $31,000 to Bennett College

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Bennett College has received a $31,000 donation from Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the country’s oldest African-American fraternity, to support its journey of raising at least $5 million by Feb. 1.

In addition to the donation, “Alpha men around the world are going to make contributions” to the college, said Dr. Everett B. Ward, the president of the Fraternity, who handed the gift to Bennett president Dr. Phyllis Worthy Dawkins last week. Joining UNCF & Jussie Smollett in the fight to save Bennett

In December 2018, the women’s only college was removed from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, solely for its financial problems. Bennett appealed the decision immediately after being removed and continues to be accredited during the appeal process, according to a Bennett release.

Dr. Everett B. Ward hands Dr. Phyllis Worthy Dawkins a check in support of Bennett College.

Ward, who is St. Augustine’s University’s president, said after the ceremony that he hopes other Greek life organizations will also support Bennett.

“All of our organizations are dedicated to preserving scholarship and ensuring the intelligence of the world is preserved through institutions like Bennett College,” he said.

Dawkins said that she is grateful for the support.

“Bennett College is trying gallantly to raise a minimum of $5 million by Feb. 1, and gifts like the ones we received today from Alpha Phi Alpha will go a long way toward helping us achieve our goal. On a personal note, I appreciate President Ward for taking time out of his busy schedule to travel to Greensboro to hand-deliver the check. I know how busy he must be as President of St. Augustine’s University and that his time is valuable.”

Former Atlanta Falcons Assistant Coach Charlie Jackson Hired as Kentucky State Head Coach

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FRANKFORT — Kentucky State University recently announced its new head football coach. Charlie Jackson, an assistant coach for the Atlanta Falcons in their 2017 and 2018 campaigns, has been named the university’s new coach.

Jackson says his goal for Kentucky State University football is simple: to compete against perfection.

“Every member of our football operation will demonstrate an all-consuming mindset to maximize his or her God-given potential, and we will do the same as a team,” Jackson said.

“I am ecstatic to accept the head football coach position at Kentucky State,” Jackson said. “President Brown and Athletic Director Etienne Thomas speak my language. My minimum standard is graduating student-athletes, but I am extremely encouraged to know that achieving excellence, across the board, with regard to the student-athlete experience, is a priority for this administration.”

Jackson, a veteran Air Force officer, has a long history with the National Football League and National Collegiate Athletic Association. Prior to coaching with the Falcons, Jackson served on the NCAA national office staff as a member of the college football rules enforcement group. He led and was directly responsible for the football rules development efforts in the Southeastern Conference.

His background includes multiple defensive coaching roles with the Green Bay Packers and Denver Broncos, as well as coaching fellowships with the Atlanta Falcons and St. Louis Rams. He also served as a college scout for the Seattle Seahawks organization. He has collegiate experience at Colorado, UCLA, Utah State, Buffalo, and the United States Air Force Academy.

Jackson accepted an appointment to the United States Air Force Academy, where he participated in football and indoor track and field. During his football playing career at Air Force, the Falcons were a consistent member of the national top 25 rankings, including a top-10 final ranking and conference championship in 1998.

President M. Christopher Brown II affirms that it is a new day for football on the hill.

“This is a new era for Kentucky State University football,” President Brown said. “Coach Jackson’s impressive mentorship of students on and off the field aligns with our belief of developing the whole person. He recognizes that we are not just interested in winning football games, but we are fully committed to building a championship program and addressing the campus-wide ambition to reclassify with the NCAA in the near future.”

Brown continued, “My personal motto remains ‘excellence without excuse.’ Coach Jackson’s vision of athletic competition aligns with my own. Even more, he has a clear intention to support on-time graduation and gainful employment after college. His coaching philosophy embodies the NCAA’s articulate aims of sportsmanship, amateurism and a balanced life.”

Jackson earned a bachelor’s degree in management from the United States Air Force Academy. He has a master’s degree in management and sports studies from California State University, Long Beach.

“We are delighted that Coach Jackson and his family chose to be a part of the Kentucky State University family,” Thomas said. “I made a promise to our student-athletes—to find the right leader for our program. I know that Kentucky State honored that commitment with the hiring of Charlie Jackson. Coach Jackson is a total package of experiences and expertise, including time spent in the military, the NCAA national office and the NFL.”

In accordance with the board’s bylaws, the Kentucky State University Board of Regents will approve Jackson’s contract at its next quarterly board meeting in March.

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11-Year-Old Elijah Precciely Just Started His Sophomore Year at Southern University

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Elijah Precciely, a home-schooled student who already had been taking classes at Southern University, has started full-time at the college this spring, according to WAFB. At this time he will have already published a book and submitted five patents for his inventions.

Elijah started building his own inventions at home at a young age before his mother, Pamela Precciely, a Southern University alumna, reached out to Dr. Diola Bagayoko, who is in the university’s Physic’s Department, about finding Elijah some lab space on the campus. Bagayoko encouraged Elijah to join his classes. Elijah went on to take biology, physics and business classes at Southern University.

When he graduates, he will just be learning to drive.

Elijah put a school cap on his head and a letterman jacket on over his shirt and bow tie before he academically signed with the university Friday at a meeting attended by his family and the school’s board of supervisors, according to The Advocate. 

By the time he was 5 years old, Elijah preached his first sermon and was a guest on WTQT 106.1 FM radio station, where he now has his own weekly show.

“It feels great,” Elijah told The Advocate. “I thank God that all my hard work and all the pouring (into me) did not go in vain.”

He will study physics and mechanical engineering through the honors college. When he was 8, he started taking biology, physics and business classes at the school, according to The Advocate.

He has also published a book, submitted five patents for inventions and hosts a weekly radio show, according to The Advocate.

Papa John’s Donates 500,000 to Bennett College

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GREENSBORO — Bennett College says it will get its largest-to-date donation from the foundation of a national pizza chain.

The college announced the $500,000 gift from The Papa John’s Foundation on Thursday morning.

Company CEO Steve Ritchie posted this on Twitter on Thursday:

In a news release, the company said it plans to support the college’s national fundraising efforts.

“With more than ten franchises in the Greensboro area and our renewed commitment to doing better in the communities we serve,” the company said in a statement, “partnering with Bennett College to raise funds to protect the college’s accreditation status was a natural alignment.”

A spokeswoman for the Louisville, Ky., pizza delivery chain said this is the first gift made by The Papa John’s Foundation, which will formally open in several weeks.

Papa John’s announced in August that it would start a charitable foundation to help communities after reports surfaced that company founder John Schnatter used racist language in a conference call with a marketing firm a month earlier. Schnatter resigned as board chairman shortly afterward, and the company took his image off of its advertising and packaging.

“We shared last year that the values that would drive the transformation of Papa John’s would be equity, fairness, respect and opportunity,” the company said in a statement. “We’re proud to support Bennett College, which not only shares these values but embodies them in their continual pursuit of inquiry, civic engagement, social justice, lifelong learning, and equity for all.”

Bennett is trying to raise more than $5 million by Feb. 1 in hopes of holding onto its accreditation. The college has raised about a third of that amount, according to its website.

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges announced in December that it would revoke Bennett’s accreditation over concerns that the private woman’s college didn’t have sufficient financial resources.

Bennett has appealed that decision and remains accredited in the meantime. Colleges must be accredited to accept federal grants and federal student loans as payment for tuition, fees and other expenses.

Bennett’s plight has received statewide and national media attention. The college announced that President Phyllis Worthy Dawkins is scheduled to appear on PoliticsNation, the MSNBC show hosted by the Rev. Al Sharpton, at 5 p.m. Sunday.

TVGuide: Hey Hollywood, There Are Other Black Colleges Besides Howard University

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After Jordan Peele dropped the trailer for his new film Us on Christmas, some of the giddiest reactions were not a result of the movie itself, but the sight of star Winston Duke rocking a sweatshirt that said Howard on the front. Howard University, of course, is the famous historically black college whose accomplished alumni includes author Toni Morrison, This Is Us starSusan Kelechi Watson, and Supreme Court justice Thurgood Marshall, among many others. Howard fans and alums rejoiced, bragging on social media about seeing their school represented in that way only Howard alums can. “But did your HBCU gear get worn in a horror film?” wrote one Twitter user. “No? That’s what I thought!”

But it’s not like Howard alums and fans are starved for representation. This Is Us painted Howard as a kind of Shangri-La for Randall (Sterling K. Brown), who lacked a connection to black culture at home. Howard was vaunted as a big deal on black-ish this season too, when Junior (Marcus Scribner) chose the university over the Ivy League school Stanford. (Not incidentally, Howard is also the school star Anthony Anderson and his fictional character Dre attended.) It’s even on reality TV: The Real Housewives of Atlanta star Cynthia Bailey dropped her daughter Noelle off at Howard in an episode that aired in December. It seems like any time a black kid on TV or film goes to an HBCU these days, he or she is headed to Howard.

It makes sense. Howard has earned its legendary status by nurturing some of the most accomplished minds of the day by being a school of choice for rich kids, working-class students and international pupils alike. It’s also notable for its epic homecoming weekends, during which hip-hop royalty like one-time student Diddy and rapper Jay-Z have partied. Meanwhile, on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Howard graduate and current California senator Kamala Harris spoke on campus after announcing she’s running for president in 2020. At this point, Howard has become so frequently named-dropped in mainstream culture, particularly as African Americans gain more exposure in TV and film, that it’s perhaps starting to overshadow a truth many may not know: there are a lot of other HBCUs — 101 others, to be exact — besides Howard.

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Morehouse College Receives $1.5 Million From Billionaire Robert F. Smith

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Founder and CEO of Vista Equity and black billionaire, Robert F. Smith donated $1.5 million to Morehouse College, according to a statement released by the school.

A million dollars of the money will go toward creating the Robert Frederick Smith Scholars Program. The remainder will be used to the design and creation of a park that will serve as a new outdoor study area for students.

“Robert F. Smith’s donation of $1 million for student scholarships will have a profound impact on the lives of deserving young men who have the desire to attend Morehouse College, but lack the resources,” said Morehouse President David A. Thomas in the released statement. “We appreciate his generosity and his investment in a generation of students who will follow in his footsteps as global leaders and entrepreneurs.”

Smith is the founder, chairman, and chief executive of Vista Equity Partners. His company is No. 1  on the BE100s (Black Enterprise’s annual list of the most successful black-owned companies) Private Equity list with $14 billion in capital under management.

He was also named to the Forbes 400—the magazine’s annual list of the 400 richest Americans.

Heralded as a private equity titan and Wall Street wiz, Smith started his early life out as a computer geek and even interned at Bell Labs. Although he worked in the STEM field for some time after earning a degree in chemical engineering from Cornell, the financial world beckoned. He attended Columbia Business School and ended up at Goldman Sachs. He served as the co-chief of the investment banking division.

After Goldman Sachs’ IPO, Smith founded Vista Equity Partners in 2000, investing in technology companies. In 2013, Black Enterprise named the firm BE100s Financial Services Company of the Year and Smith as one of the Most Powerful Blacks on Wall Street. Smith made a shrewd move in acquiring Sunquest Information Systems Inc. for a relative bargain price of $327 million–$200 million in equity and $127 million in debt.

In a recent transaction, a Vista Equity-acquired company, Marketo, was sold to Adobe for $4.7 billion. The acquisition was just one of many acquisitions made by Smith, who compiled mass wealth by buying companies in the technology space.

As per the Morehouse press release:

Smith is the largest private donor to the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Recently, Smith also donated $560,000 to purchase land for and build a park in Southwest Atlanta. The new park will be adjacent to the Ray Charles Performing Arts Center on the campus of Morehouse College. The College will engage students and alumni in the design and naming of the park.

Smith is a 2018 recipient of Morehouse College’s most prestigious award for community service. He received a Candle Award in Business and Philanthropy at the College’s 2018 “A Candle in the Dark” Gala, which benefits student scholarships.

Smith is the chairman of the Carnegie Hall Board of Trustees, and chairman of the board of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights. He is also the founding director and president of the Fund II Foundation, which is dedicated to safeguarding human rights, the environment, and sustaining critical American values.

HBCU Grad, Dr. Wes Bellamy New Book Monumental Talks Riots in Virginia

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When HBCU graduates step up to the forefront, the world takes notice. This has been the case for Charlottesville, Virginia city councilman and HBCU graduate (South Carolina State and Virginia State) Dr. Wes Bellamy. Dr. Bellamy is not only the youngest elected official in the history of Charlottesville, Virginia and professor at both Virginia State University and Virginia Union University, he is now the author of his new book, Monumental: It Was Never About a Statue.  

Many of us remember Dr. Bellamy for being one of the leaders to remove the Confederate Statue of Robert E. Lee in Charlottesville, which many say led to the deadly White Supremacist riot in 2017, in which one person was killed, and several others severely injured. 

Dr. Bellamy has now written a new memoir book about his experience about the backstory about what it was like to help push a city to the forefront of the nation in the fight against White Supremacy. Bellamy, who is currently on a multi-city book tour, opened up about how he and his family dealt with and still deal with weekly death threats, how his therapist encouraged him to write this book, and his love for Charlottesville at a recent book talk.

Dr. Bellamy writes, “They came with torches, they came with swords and shields, they came with guns. They came with signs that called me the N-Word. Months earlier, they tried to take my livelihood, break down my family, and send us all a message. It was clear THIS was deeper than a statue. My city was in the midst of a change that the world would see. Yet to me, it was also personal. It would become a fight that almost cost me everything, but at the same time, that fight provided me with a sense of purpose I had never known before. No matter what I did or how I was going to do it, I knew that my job was to make every moment of this fight matter –not just for me and my family, but for all who were standing alongside me, and for the generations will follow us.”
 
CNN Correspondent and Political Commentator Symone Sanders said of Monumental: It Was Never About a Statue, “Dr. Bellamy’s book tells an illuminating story that is both education and profound.” The book has been well received thus far, and will be featured in the prestigious Virginia Festival of the Book on March 20, 2019!  

Dr. Wes Bellamy, Author of “Monumental: It Was Never About a Statue” is a City Councilman in Charlottesville, Virginia, Political Science Professor at Virginia State University, and one of the Global thought leaders of the Millennial Generation. He is the youngest individual ever elected to the Charlottesville City Council post, and he came into the national spotlight after helping to lead the effort to remove statues of Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson from City Parks.
 
He developed a comprehensive plan, the “Equity Package,” which included nearly $4 million in aid for marginalized communities, and pushed it through city council. He is the founder of the Black Millennial Political Convention, a Convention focused on bringing together African American millennials from across the country to collectively use their power to create change. He has been featured in the New York Times. Washington Post, USA Today, Huffington Post, and has made appearances, on CNN, MSNBC, PBS News Hour, NPR, and On One with Angela Rye.

Community Roots Project Displays HBCUs Fruitfully

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The “Community Roots” mural is a part of the @wonderRoot sponsored, Off The Wall mural project, where the theme is: Atlanta’s Civil Rights Legacy, and Social Justice, said Muhammad Yungai

My mural is about the appreciation of HBCU’s, and urban agriculture.  Where these two entities meet, is that they’re both great for the community, they’re both undervalued, and college students of the AUC does a lot of volunteer work at the “collegetown” urban farm on Lawton St. in Atlanta.

Urban Agriculture teaches horticulture to inner-city folk, and fosters neighborhood engagement. They also donate food to the community so, the college volunteers are essential to its success. 

I spent 10 years teaching art in Atlanta, and every year we received students from Morehouse, Spelman, and Clark who would come regularly and tutor our middle school students! 

When ‘out-of-towners’ or natives, attend HBCU’s, they tend to become an integral part of the community surrounding the school. I know this is true of Morehouse, Spelman, Clark, and Morris Brown! I know this is true of Tuskegee and Howard University! They engage with the community…and essentially make it home.

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Kamala Harris Likely To Announce Run for President

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SAN DIEGO – It appears Senator, Howard University Alum Kamala Harris will seek the 2020 Democratic nomination for president, CBS reported Thursday.

CBS reported sources saying Harris will announce her candidacy on or around Martin Luther King Jr. Day in late January. The source told CBS the announcement will most likely be made at a campaign rally in Harris’ hometown of Oakland.

Harris, 54, has recently been making the rounds on talk shows and events to promote her new book.

In her new memoir, “The Truths We Hold,” Harris described her anger watching her mother become a target because she was “brown-skinned” and how that has driven her efforts to enhance the legal and humanitarian protections over immigrants coming into the US.

Harris said she was blessed with a nurturing, happy, healthy childhood, but has been dismayed by Trump’s vilification of immigrants.

During an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper Wednesday, Harris said she would make a decision soon and she believes the country is ready for a woman of color as president.

“We have to give the American people more credit, and we have to understand that the American public and the people of our country are smart people, who will make decisions about who will be their leader, based on who they believe is capable, who they believe has an honest desire to lead, to represent, to see them, to be a voice for them even if they have no power,” Harris said. “Those are the kinds of people who we are as a country. And so the pundits can talk all day, and all night, and there’s a lot of chatter about which demographic will do this or that. It has been my life’s experience that the American people are smart and they make decisions about what’s in the best interest of their household, their family and their community. And I have faith that in 2020, and in any other election, that will be their motivation when they vote.”

But she argued that the American people deserve better leadership than they are seeing under President Donald Trump.

The former California attorney general also expressed regret that she was not informed by her staff that her former top aide in that previous office was accused of gender harassment, a lawsuit that the attorney general’s office settled for nearly $400,000 after she had moved on to the US Senate.