Crowd Gathers To Welcome Roland Martin On Campus At Alcorn State University

Posted by Monique Mansfield
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Alcornites were given a special opportunity to be a part of an enlightening presentation by a guest lecturer. The Office of Student Engagement presented A Night With Roland Martin in the James L. Bolden Campus Union Ballroom earlier last week.

In attendance were Alcorn students, alumni, family, friends and faculty and staff members. The event was live streamed and streamed through Periscope to give those who were unable to physically attend, an opportunity to tune into the lecture.

The event began as senior Agriculture Science major and member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated Tevin Hudson took the podium to introduce columnist, journalist and TV-One’s NewsOne Now morning program host Roland Martin.

After the formal introduction of Martin, the men of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. presented Martin with a certificate of appreciation and posed for a group photograph.

“I was given the opportunity because, Ms. Devina Hogan (Director of Student Engagement), wanted our chapter to represent at this event and she needed someone to introduce him, so I volunteered,” said Hudson. It was an honor and a privilege to introduce a man of his magnitude.”

As Martin took the podium, he was greeted with a warm Alcorn State welcome. He started by talking about his journey to Alcorn from previous HBCU, Grambling State University in Grambling, LA as well other schools that he has visited on this tour. He also spoke about race in America today as it pertains to inequity in pay wages, career positions, academics,

He also spoke about race in America today as it pertains to inequity in pay wages, career positions, academics, housing, and finance and pointed out the history of African-Americans and the difficulties they incurred after slavery and during the years of segregation.

Additionally, Martin gave those in attendance advice on how to become financially stable. He urged students to save money versus spending it on the latest Jordan and Nike tennis shoes and instead invest in stock to allow their money to grow and begin putting in place a solid foundation for the future. He also shared some of his own personal experiences about how he was given opportunities to become the man he is today.

The event ended with a question and answer session between audience members and Roland Martin. After the Q & A concluded, Martin took a group photograph with students from the Department of Mass Communications and proceeded outside of the Union Ballroom where he took individual photos with students as they enjoyed refreshments provided by Sodexo.

“It’s all about being enlightened and able to reach folks in a unique way so that maybe it will open their eyes to think in a way that they had not thought about before,” Martin concluded about the event.

Saint Augustine’s Graduate Leaves Lasting ‘Impressions’

Posted by Kendra Sharp
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Miyoshi S. Polk is a hot commodity right now in the event planning and wedding consulting industry. Polk graduated from Saint Augustine’s University in 2011, where she studied Mass Communications.

While matriculating at Saint Augustine’s University she served as a member of the Royal Court, a blue-chip cheerleader and was initiated into the Gamma Rho chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. In 2012, she became a certified wedding consultant and later decided to launch her business Lavish Impressions Events.

In 2016, she completed her certification to become a floral designer and begin creating custom arrangements for her clients.

Today, her clientele has evolved to include a cultivation of relationships with vendors across the East Coast including, J’Marie Design Studios, Raleigh Crabtree Marriott, Master MIND Productions and Fresh Desires Catering.

Based out of Raleigh, North Carolina, Lavish Impressions Events specializes in wedding planning and has received superior ratings from its clients and guests. But it doesn’t stop at the altar. Services include full planning, partial planning, full service, semi decor’ and design, destination weddings, and on-site coordinating for any event you may have in mind including social events, graduations, baby showers, bridal showers, launch parties and much more.

To meet clientele needs, Lavish Impressions Events also provides traveling services. Miyoshi and her team have traveled extensively to various states on the East Coast and select domestic islands.

For more information about how Lavish Impressions Events can help bring your dream event to life contact Miyoshi S. Polk at lavishimpressions@gmail.com, via Facebook @ Lavish Impressions and on Instagram @lavishimpressions.

To All My HBCU Alums, Here’s Why We Should Support BET’s ‘The Quad’

Posted by Chris Sumlin
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On February 1, BET premiered a new drama series entitled The Quad. The program executively produced by the likes of Rob Hardy, Felicia D. Henderson, and Charles Holland was met with much anticipation during its first night on BET.

With the show’s heavy promotion during The New Edition story leading up to its release viewers everywhere were anxious to see what The Quad had to offer.

The compelling and melodramatic series follows Dr. Eva Fletcher played by Anika Noni Rose who just accepted a new role as the president of a (fictional) historically black university in Atlanta. The Quad does an excellent job of presenting relatable elements of HBCU life as well as captivating its audience with soap-opera-like storylines.

Anika Noni Rose does a superb job leading the cast as she struggles to resurrect the struggling HBCU. The show contains subplots involving pressing college issues such as underage drinking, sexual assault and the financial struggles of HBCUs.

The Quad lacks the sweet appeal of “A Different World” but makes up for that with its addictively melodramatic plots.

Following the show’s release, some members of the HBCU community were displeased by the depiction of HBCUs in The Quad. Most notably, HBCU President of Hampton University, William Harvey, wrote an open letter to Debra Lee, the president of BET, calling the show a “bogus representation.”

He writes:

“‘The Quad’ will lead many to believe that HBCUs exist because of their marching bands; that our presidents are unethical; that our boards are dysfunctional and have misplaced priorities; that our faculty, students, and administrators are driven by sex, alcohol, marijuana, low self-esteem, parties and a preoccupation with music; that it is acceptable to disrespect women; that university policy can be set by a band director; and that there are no standards of conduct or penalties for bad behavior. This depiction seems more analogous to a disgruntled, adolescent and unrealistic point of view that some may have. It also feeds a false narrative about the irrelevance of HBCUs.”

Although Dr. Harvey’s opinions are valid, they are one sided, pessimistic and should be reconsidered.

The Quad is a fictitious melodramatic television show.

The Quad is not a docu-series showcasing the brightest, and best HBCUs have to offer. It should, therefore, be no surprise that the series would possess story elements that are dramatic, alluring and problematic.

There wouldn’t be a plot or storyline if the characters were doing well, making good grades and living a respectable life. That is not television. To create drama, there has to be scandal, conflict, and rigor which The Quad intertwines together in an HBCU space quite well.

The Quad presents narratives that are relevant and relatable.

To say that The Quad is “not accurate; [but] rather…a bogus representation of very important and historic institutions” is simply not true.

The first episode of the series the audience is introduced to the character, Cedric Hobbs who is an aspiring musician from the rough neighborhoods of Chicago. As the show progresses the audience witnesses first hand how Cedric assimilates from the slums of Chicago to his new found life at college. There are so many young black men that can relate to that story.

Often, students excel back at home and are sent away to college in hopes of shaping a better future from themselves and their families. It will be interesting to see how the character Cedric develops.

This show portrays a pressing an issue that should be discussed.

Whether the HBCU community wants to acknowledge it or not, HBCUs are in trouble.

More HBCUs than not are facing critical financial difficulties. One thing that The Quad does well is that it depicts the struggles that many HBCUs face raising funds for their institutions. Who’s to say that some philanthropist would watch The Quad one evening and feel compassion for HBCUs and want to help? No one will be able to watch The Quad if the HBCU community labels the series as bogus and questions its validity.

The representation of the HBCU financial struggle was very accurate and should be portrayed.

Some other issues that are presented in The Quad that pose for rooms for discussion were the issues of gender-based violence and alcohol abuse in college. The National Sexual Violence Resource Center states that, one in 5 women and one in 16 men are sexually assaulted while in college.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reported on their website that about 20 percent of college students meet the criteria for an Alcohol Use Disorder.

Gender-based violence and alcohol abuse in college are problems that should be discussed. The Quad does a fantastic job of showcasing the harmful effects that poor decision making in college can have. Young adolescents entering college will see the narratives rendered out in The Quad and will make better choices after seeing these issues on television.

In Summation, The Quad is a show that if directed efficiently can do a lot of good for the HBCU community. It is important to give these types of narrative air to breathe before labeling them “bogus and inaccurate.”

It will be interesting to see how the show progresses and the positive effects it will have on the HBCU community.

The Quad team has a lot of responsibility on their shoulders, but if handled correctly they can do some serious good. The HBCU Community should support this program and give this melodrama a chance to make a difference.

Howard University DJ PWILL Drops Highly Anticipated Mix ‘You Know Why I’m Here 2’

Posted by Andrea Wooten
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Howard University’s very own DJ PWILL has recently released his highly anticipated mix You know Why I’m Here 2.

With over 12k plays, it is no secret that PWILL’s You Know Why I’m Here mix was a hit.

This mix provided listeners with over an hour of the smoothest and sexiest songs; the perfect listening pleasure for a night with bae.

Lucky for us, the series is back with a second part! You Know Why I’m Here 2 is a mix filled with the slow classics and the new and popular sounds as well.

With artists ranging from Jacquees to R. Kelly to Beyoncé and so much more, this versatile mix is definitely a hit.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/307807967″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]

FAMU Alum Mayor Gillum Is Enroute To Become First African-American Governor Of Florida

Posted by Kyle Kidd-Buckner
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FAMU Alumnus Andrew Gillum announced that he is considering running for the position of Governor of Florida earlier last week.

If elected into the position this would make Gillum one of the youngest Florida governors, as well as the first African American to secure this position that hasn’t been won by a Democrat in two decades.

During Gillum’s undergraduate years at FAMU, he was a student that was the “cream of the crop.” Gillum

Gillum received many honors and accolades. He was recognized by the National Center Policy Alternatives in Washington, D.C. as the country’s top student leader in 2001. In 2004, he was named to Ebony magazine’s “Fast Track 30 Leaders Who Are 30 and Under.” Interesting enough, Gillum served as President of the FAMU Student Government Association from 2001-2002 and was the first student member of FAMU Board of Trustees.

Gillum became Tallahassee’s youngest city commissioner after he won his position in 2003 when he was 23. In 2014 he then became mayor in 2014.

Gillum was under strong consideration to be a running mate for presidential candidate Hilary Clinton, who allowed him to speak at the Democratic National Convention.

Gillum was the first North Florida Politician to welcome gays and lesbians to marry in his city after officials in other Florida counties said would not issues same-sex marriage licenses.

Gillum said in a statement that ” I think I’ve demonstrated up to this point that I’ve never had to take this temperature in order to do the right thing.”

“There are enough people who are prepared to take the temperature,” he said. “There are not enough people who are willing to set it.”

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified the name of Andrew Gillum as Anthony Gillum.

Tennessee State University Takes On Vanderbilt University In 1st ‘Great Debate’

Posted by Delvakio Brown
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Tennessee State has battled it out on the football field and basketball courts against Vanderbilt University before but history was made on Saturday as the new playing field is a debate.

Senior Barbra Dudley and Sophomore Tomale Williams has become the first Tennessee State students to compete against Vanderbilt in Debate.

When asked about his feelings for Saturday, Williams told HBCU Buzz that “I feel so excited about Saturday. I’m ready to start a legacy that I hope will be continued for the next upcoming debaters.”

The coordinator of the event Tabitha Mundy said in a statement that she believes the debate “teaches the students to have a healthy way to conversate against difference of opinions.”

“We may not agree about the topic; however, it gives a platform to discuss, which I think is important and critical right now,” Mundy added.

The debate was held at Gordan Memorial Church, where the teams faced off head to head on controversial topics in today’s society.

Barbra Dudley has ranked 5th in the nation and 3rd in the TIFA State Championships for debate this academic school year. Tomale Williams has placed right behind Dudley with 4th in the TIFA State Championships and was a semifinalist for debate at University of Southern Mississippi debate tournament.

The Tennessee State University forensics and Speech & Debate team is lead by the Director Of Forensics, Sean Allen, and Assistant Director of Forensics, Shante Telfer.

According to News Channel 5, all the teams scored well in the debate, but the team from Vanderbilt slightly edged out TSU for the win.

Three Clark Atlanta University Students Named University Innovation Fellows

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The crowded field of candidates for elected office in the new city of South Fulton includes three more Clark Atlanta University alumni. Catherine Foster Rowell, Ph.D., Rochelle Lindsey and Darris Rollins are vying for seats on the South Fulton City Council in districts 1, 4 and 3 respectively. They join CAU alumnus and current CAU grad student Johnny Surry in bids to become the first elected leaders in the recently created city.

In a Facebook post, double alumna Foster Rowell said her platform includes public safety, health care, economic development and government transparency/fiscal responsibility. She also wants to enhance parks and recreation centers throughout South Fulton. You can learn more about her campaign at electfosterrowell.

Candidate Lindsey earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from CAU. She has lived in South Fulton more than 10 years. Her website says she won’t tell voters what they need; rather, she wants to listen and hear what they want. She also said she plans to make decisions “entrenched in your values.” For more information about Lindsey, go to vote4rochelle.com or email voterochelle4@gmail.com.

Darris Rollins has been a resident of South Fulton for more than two decades. Some of his platform initiatives include making South Fulton a safe and desirable place to live and creating first-class art, recreation and entertainment facilities for residents and visitors. Rollins attributes his candidacy to “my matriculation through CAU, which laid the foundation for years of government volunteer and political work.” Find more details about his campaign at electdarrisrollins.com.

We told you before CAU has a long and rich history of producing leaders in civil rights, government, business and more. Some of them include U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson; Evelyn G. Lowery, founder of SCLC/Women’s Organizational Movement for Equality Now, Inc.; Rev. Ralph David Abernathy, civil rights icon and Rev. Hosea Williams, also a civil rights icon, businessman and politician.  In fact, preparing our students for global leadership roles in all fields is part of President Ronald A. Johnson’s vision of “Lifting Every Voice.”

To learn more about Clark Atlanta University, visit our website, CAU.edu.

Where Are They Now? HBCU Kings And Queens Edition: Mister Huston-Tillotson

Posted by Delvakio Brown
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The suffering of self-doubt and depression was the undetected battle of Joseph Jamal Reese, Mister Huston-Tillotson University 2014-2016 & Mister HBCU 2016-2017. Growing up in the small country town of Somerville, Texas Reese became the youngest of six siblings.

Being a pastor’s kid makes it easily understood why Reese has a heart for singing and a deep adoration for worship and gospel music. Applying to only Huston-Tillotson, Reese realized that living in Somerville had limited options and nothing was left for him there. If he stayed he would run in a cycle of not growing but once visiting Huston-Tilloston University he knew that this place that felt like home, was the next step for life.

He was ready to grow and since completing college many have witnessed the change just like good friend Brooke Gordon. “Oftentimes, when we speak of change and the ways in which people change it has a negative connotation to it. This is however, not true about Joseph,” Brooke Gordon said.

Like many HBCU student leaders, Reese pondered heavily on running for Mister Huston-Tillotson.

“I said NO for an entire year until I decided to step out on faith and listen to those who believed in the leader I could be,” Reese said.

Within the history of the University Reese was the only king whom served two terms. A new administration was coming into fruition and wanted Reese to have his fair chance at the opportunity of running for Mister HBCU.

“He came in and stayed to himself in the beginning. Upon being crowned Mr. Huston-Tillotson University, Joseph immediately became the most admirable campus leader and did the best job any one person could ever do representing our university,” his classmate Charleston Samuel said.

Reese could have easily taken a comfortable and predictable job after graduation but decided to step out on faith and follow his dream career. Taking a plunge into the deep end, he decided to get fully engaged in the field of entertainment.

“Not moving with haste” is the mindset even though he still finds himself pondering his next moves. Making a career out of singing is no easy task and can be difficult and unpromising. With this realization Joseph began developing mentor relationships with several individuals that are experienced in entertainment.

“Joseph has become more confident in his callings. Experiences and opportunities have fine-tuned him into a very intelligent, confident, conscientious, spiritual, compassionate, leader, mentor, talented and thoughtful young man, just to name a few descriptors,” his mom Josephine Reese said.

While in college Joseph began to heal from hurt of losing a loved one.  Being the son of a mother who was a teacher for 38 years and a father who was a train engineer, he was always taught to take the most of academic opportunities while striving for great reputation.

On December 13,2011, his father’s battle against Pancreatic Cancer ended after a nearly 2-year fight. It wasn’t until 2 years later during sophomore year in college that Joseph could deal with the bottled-up grief. It was at a prayer gathering that Joseph finally let loose.

“I finally allowed myself to grieve with complete transparency,” Reese said, as he began to open up to HBCU Buzz.

Overtime Joseph became able to speak publicly with ease.

“His confidence level as a public speaker has risen and he is able to articulate his thoughts and messages to small and large audiences with ease,” his cousin Donna Williams said.

Dreams take time and the transition from college into the real world is a constant development. For most of life at this point, school is a normal continuous routine. Not rushing into anything he realized that the moment after college was the perfect opportunity to be studious.

“The attributes he had before have grown in strength and has caused a beautiful maturity and resolve,” is the words of cousins Walter and Mahalia Nix as they have paid close attention to Joseph’s matriculation.

He feels as if college prepared him well for the real world because of the courses and interactions he experienced. In result of the places he could travel to along with people he met, he became a better problem solver and understood hierarchy.

Reese has a unique legacy at Huston-Tillotson. Tillotson College and Samuel Huston College merged together in 1952. During his Junior year, he discovered that his grandmother was a student at Tillotson College and her sister a student Samuel Huston. No matter how far away Reese will be from his University, regardless of the many failures, setbacks, and frequent frustrations mixed with moments of joy the feeling of home will never fade.

During the transition from college to the real-world Joseph felt as if the vision he had for himself wasn’t coming to execution. Not being fully indulged in his faith, he blamed self instead of relying on God whole heartedly. College is only a moment in time, and time surely keeps going and freezes for no one.

When asked Joseph what he regretted not doing in his final year of undergrad he stated, “Honestly, I regret taking ‘time’ for granted. I didn’t believe anyone when they said that it would be over so soon; I regret allowing the stress and worries devour my time.”

The one who once worried now consumes positivity and a mindset of being patient.  In this world working in multiple careers require effective code switches and that is a trait that Joseph learned at Huston-Tillotson.

“I use it subconsciously at times because living in the world we are now, being able to converse on various levels could quite frankly save one’s life,” Reese explained.

The blessing of being out of college for Joseph was the ability to look back and understand why everything took place.

Many that surround him are very familiar with his faith. “He reflects a man of Isaiah 40:32, But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint,” is what came to mind when Alice Lewis reflected on her cousin’s college transformation.

The goal for Joseph is to become a philanthropist who provides for those in need. This professional musician wants to use his gift and then become a teacher that grooms the same gift of others.

SSU Becomes First HBCU To Win National Cheerleading Title

Posted by Tommy G. Meade Jr.
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Savannah State Universty’s cheerleading squad has become the first cheerleaders from a historically black college and university, or HBCU, to win a national cheerleading title.

“We are very excited, ecstatic, just a feeling that you can’t explain,” senior cheerleader Morgan Moore told WJCL. “It’s indescribable, it’s just a great feeling to know that we’ve made history at our school.”

According to WJCL, this is the school’s first appearance at the CheerSport Nationals in Atlanta since 2013.

“We didn’t know about it until like the last minute and thought about it when they were presenting the award,” Dathan Gooden, the lone male on the team, told the local station. “And we were just like, oh, we are really, the first HBCU to win this, so we were very, very proud of that.”

The team also got love from “Bring It On” star Gabrielle Union, who took to Twitter to congratulate them.

“They brought it,” Union said.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQtPuh_lWNd/?taken-by=_raeera

Congrats to the Savannah State cheerleading team!

Woman On Mission To Donate To Every HBCU Gives $350 To CAU

Posted by Clark Atlanta
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What began as a college endowment research project by Kira Russell-Johnson, 24, ended with a shocking and disappointing revelation. Russell-Johnson, who did not attend a black college, discovered the endowments of HBCUs are significantly less than their white counterparts. That’s when she decided to be the difference she wants to see by launching a quest to donate at least $300 of her own money to every HBCU in the nation. The effort recently brought her to Clark Atlanta University where she hand-delivered a $350 cash donation. Her donations come with one stipulation, which is the money is given directly to the needs of the student body.

“I walked away feeling I was being what I want other people to be, which is someone who is not comfortable with high student loan debt or HBCUs closing down,” said Russell-Johnson.

CAU was actually the second HBCU in Russell-Johnson’s giving campaign. She said her first gift of $300 was donated to Spelman College. Next, she plans to make a contribution to Morris Brown College then, take her HBCU campaign statewide and national.  And she’s doing it all on a salary of under $30k a year.

“I want to bridge the gap and offer aid to black students who need it most,” Russell-Johnson continued. “I did a small part, but I did my part.”

There’s no question students enrolled at HBCUs need financial assistance. Student loan debt is a substantial burden for HBCU students, many of whom are the first in their family to attend college, according to the United Negro College Fund. That’s why CAU launched its “15 or 18” campaign in October to help students reduce student loan debt by graduating in four years or less.

HBCUs themselves don’t fair much better than their students when it comes to money in the bank. According to a recent UNCF study of the top ten HBCU endowments, they pale in comparison to the tens of billions of dollars in the endowments of their white counterparts.  The lack of endowments for HBCUs translates to their students being forced to seek more costly education loans such as unsubsidized federal and private loans, the study concluded.

Russell-Johnson’s generous and bold action showcases the potential that exists to widen educational opportunities for HBCU students if more people follow her lead. She exemplifies what is expected of all CAU alumni, friends and supporters. Everyone can be part of President Ronald A. Johnson’s vision of “Lifting Every Voice” by clicking the donation link to give the gift of education: https://invest.cau.edu/give-now.

“Hopefully that random student that I’ll probably never meet will be helped,” Russell-Johnson finished.

Clark Atlanta Grad Student Is Youngest Candidate For City Council In New City Of South Fulton

Posted by Clark Atlanta
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Johnny Surry’s roots run deep in Atlanta and Fulton County.  He finished Westlake High School in 2011 then, the former student-athlete earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice management in 2015 from Clark Atlanta University.  He later joined Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. Now in his second year of graduate school at CAU studying public policy, the 24-year-old is turning heads again as the youngest candidate for city council District 3 in the newly formed city of South Fulton.

Surry explained his matriculation at CAU, a place he considers a second home, prepared him for this moment on the political stage.  He said during his undergraduate years he matured and learned the importance of leadership, determination and consistency, and now he’s ready to serve his community.

“South Fulton has truly contributed to my development as a man,” said Surry.  “I find it only befitting to give back to the place, which made me who I am today.”

He rolled out a three-point to-do list he said he plans to tackle immediately if elected.  It includes economic development, community involvement and crime prevention.  The millennial said each of these categories links directly to having a vibrant and robust new city.

Surry is following a long and rich CAU history of producing impactful community and political leaders.  Some of them include U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson; Evelyn G. Lowery, founder of SCLC/Women’s Organizational Movement for Equality Now, Inc.; Rev. Ralph David Abernathy, civil rights icon and Rev. Hosea Williams, also a civil icon, businessman and politician.  In fact, preparing our students for leadership roles in politics, business and education, to name a few, is part of President Ronald A. Johnson’s vision of “Lifting Every Voice.”

“I commit myself to the progress of our city.  We must learn to create our own and support our own,” Surry concluded.

To learn more about Surry’s campaign, visit his Facebook page, @johnnsurry4district3 or email johnnysurry4district3@gmail.com.

NCCU Trustee Michael Johnson Provides $1 Million Endowment For NCCU School Of Business

Posted by NCCU
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Board of Trustees member Michael P. Johnson made a $250,000 gift to the School of Business that became the catalyst for establishing a new $1 million endowment.

Johnson’s original donation was matched by a gift from the University of North Carolina General Administration. An additional match was received by the U.S. Department of Education’s Title III Part B program – creating the $1 million total endowment.

“Trustee Johnson’s gift has created energy – and synergy – at NCCU, where we provide our students a high quality education and produce leaders who are equipped to compete in the global marketplace,” said NCCU Interim Chancellor Johnson O. Akinleye.

“The positive impact from this gift will be felt by our students in this decade and for many decades to come. Our goal is to continue growing the university endowment and the generosity of Mr. Johnson enables NCCU to do just that,” said NCCU Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement Dr. Harriet Frink Davis.

The Michael P. Johnson Endowment will boost NCCU’s growing School of Business just as plans are underway to construct a new state-of-the-art facility for the school on campus. Johnson said his determination to assist students attending NCCU stems from personal experience.

“NCCU not only provided me with a great education, but with a vision of what I could achieve,” said Johnson, a football recruit from East St. Louis, Ill., who graduated with a degree in business administration in 1969 before launching a successful career in corporate leadership.

“I had never seen a black business person in corporate America until I came to N.C. Central,” Johnson says. “While in school, I encountered many role models who helped clear the way for me to follow my vision.” His first job was at RCA Corporation.

Johnson, who now lives in Tulsa, Okla., has been a longtime supporter of the university, often assisting with key academic initiatives and student scholarship needs. He rose through the ranks at companies such as Lockheed Martin, Amoco Corp., and The Williams Companies. In 2008, he founded J&A Group LLC, a management and business-consulting firm. He also has served on several corporate boards, including CenterPoint Energy, Buffalo Wild Wings and Quiktrip Corp. Johnson was awarded NCCU’s Distinguished Alumni honor at the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference basketball finals in spring 2016.

Ice Cube Visits Clark Atlanta University To Promote ‘Fist Fight’

Posted by Chris Sumlin
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Actor and hip-hop heavyweight Ice Cube visited the campus of Clark Atlanta University to discuss his new movie Fist Fight earlier last week.

Ice Cube told HBCU Buzz in an exclusive interview that he loves Atlanta, saying “there is a creative vibe that I get here that I appreciate.”

The movie was filmed in 2015, mostly at the old Marshall Middle School in East Atlanta.

When Ice Cube took the stage during his visit to CAU he was greeted with thunderous applause and appreciation from the HBCU students. Ice Cube took the stage and stated:

“You all could have been anywhere right now but you decided to come out to this event and hear about my new film, thank you.”

Fist Fight stars Ice Cube as he plays the lead role as a teacher, who on the last day of school, challenges a fellow high school colleague, played by Charlie Day, to a fist fight after school. With movies like Are We There Yet?, Friday and The Barbershop franchise, Ice Cube has had a very impressive movie career; from the looks of it Fist Fight will be another continuation of that success.

When asked why he wanted Clark Atlanta to be a stop on the promotional tour for the film he said, “Success should touch students, I want to be remembered as a black man that [young adults] can be proud of. If someone can look at my success and it inspires them to go a little harder and be a bit better than my job is done.”

The entire event was full of love, laughter, and support. Students walked away excited to see the film with their families and are still conversing online about their interaction with Ice Cube.

After hearing Ice Cube’s discuss this film and the reaction from the students of CAU, it is safe to say that Fist Fight will be another great success.

Fist Fight is in theaters now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aIzXYo6VCE&w=560&h=315

Women’s Basketball Player To Honor Aunt Murdered In Charleston Church Massacre With #9 Jersey

Posted by Clark Atlanta
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ATLANTA —  June 17 will mark two years since a domestic terrorist motivated by racism and hate walked into a black church in Charleston, S.C. and shot to death nine worshippers during Bible study. We told you at the time one of the victims was beloved Clark Atlanta University alumna, Cynthia Graham Hurd. Now, Hurd’s niece, current CAU Women’s Basketball player Nicole Graham, is honoring her aunt’s legacy in a special way.  Instead of retiring a framed replica of her #23 game jersey, a tradition for all seniors, Graham will be presented with a basketball jersey bearing the #9, representing all of the victims killed in the Charleston church massacre. The jersey presentation happens during Senior Day, February 23, at 6 p.m., at the final home game of the 2016-2017 season.

“This means everything to me,” said Graham, a first-year graduate student who came to CAU for her last year of NCAAII eligibility specifically to honor the memory of her fallen aunt. “This is truly a dream come true and I know she would be so proud, and to honor her by playing the game I love means everything in the world to me.”

Vanessa Moore, head CAU Women’s Basketball coach, echoed those sentiments. “When Nicole applied to attend CAU in honor of her aunt, I was drawn to her story,” Moore said. “I understood how important it was for her to finish in this place.”

Graham said she still thinks about the moment she first learned her aunt was slain in the attack. “I felt empty and I was just in disbelief,” she continued. “My aunt lost her life for one reason and one reason only, and that is because she was black. That is something I will always struggle with.”

Despite the lingering grief and pain, Graham said there are places around campus, which rekindle warm memories of her aunt. For example, the fraternity and sorority plots always evoke a smile in Graham because her aunt was a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. But the one place at CAU where Graham feels the strongest connection to her aunt is Woodruff Library. Of course, Hurd was a decades-long librarian in Charleston. “She loved books, she loved education,” Graham remarked.

On Senior Day when Graham plays her final home game, she’ll do it with “Aunt Cynthia” and the other victims at top of mind. And, if she could speak to her aunt just one more time, she would offer a simple message. “I would just tell her I love her and I’m sorry this happened to her, and I promise to continue to make her proud.”

Student Creates App That Identifies Which HBCU You Should Attend

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A Grambling State University student has created an app that helps students identify historically black colleges that could be a good match for them.

The app keeps a database of several HBCUs across the country, providing detailed information people look for when trying to find the right HBCU match. A “Report card” is also included in the app for each school that lists academics, costs, and the overall ranking of HBCU’s on a scale from A to F.

“It’s a lot easier to get information on a PWI,” said the inventor, Jonathan Swindell, to Southern Digest. “They’re a lot bigger and have a lot more resources behind them, whereas, at an HBCU, the information can be a bit scattered, so I saw a pain point within our community and HBCU HUB serves to fix that.”

“We offer a free service called HUB Packs where the user is asked to answer questions such as, are you ‘High School Faculty, High School Student, Transfer Student, Graduate Student’, from there we make the transition easy by sending the information they need to apply for said HBCU of interest,” said Swindell while explaining who can use the app.

Additionally, the app provides information on scholarships, allows users to participate in an online chat community, helps students get tips for resumes and job interviews, and much more.

Since it’s release, the HBCU HUB App has more than one-thousand downloads and is being used in more than 32 states and five countries.

HBCU HUB is available on both Android and Apple devices for free.

Debra Lee, Anika Noni Rose Claps Back With Classy Response To Criticism Of ‘The Quad’

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BET’s Chairman and CEO Debra Lee responded to criticism of The Quad, which takes viewers inside the fictional Georgia A&M, after the president of Hampton University called the show an inadequate depiction of HBCU culture and leadership.

Insisting that The Quad is a fictional story, Lee responded in an exclusive EBONY magazine interview by pointing out that fictional TV has drama. Lee stated:

“I talked to Dr. Harvey the other day and we had a good conversation. He started off by saying conversation is key, and I listened to him and he listened to me. I respect his opinion,” Lee said. “My point that I emphasized was that this was a fictional story. It’s not representing any particular college. Fictional TV has drama, you have good guys and bad guys. ”

“We had a good conversation and I hope students, administrators, and parents will take the issues that we’re dealing with on The Quad seriously and discuss them during and after the show because we are dealing with serious issues that happen on all campuses, not just HBCUs,” Lee concluded.

Anika Noni Rose, a product of FAMU’s theatre department, also addressed criticism of The Quad.

“I think what’s important when we’re referencing that letter is that this is someone who saw one episode and made a lot of opinions off of one episode,” Rose told EBONY.

“The show is a fiction, but the show is a fiction based, in fact. A lot of the things that we are dealing with and talking about are taken straight from the headlines of what has happened at schools. So to pretend that these things don’t happen is ridiculous,” she explained.

“It’s a drama, it’s not a comedy, so things are going to be larger than life. Things are going to be drawn out in a very different way, and perhaps the show is not for that person. But let’s be clear it is not a documentary,” Rose said.

Rose also discussed women leading institutions and more, head over to EBONY to read more.