Prosecutors will Seek Death Penalty for Dylann Roof in Charleston Shootings

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NY Times

State prosecutors indicated on Thursday in court documents that they will seek the death penalty for Dylann S. Roof, who is charged with the racially motivated murders of nine people in a church in Charleston, S.C.

After the June 17 massacre of black ministers and parishioners at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, it emerged that the suspect, Mr. Roof, 21, who is white, had expressed white supremacist views and hatred of black people.

Mr. Roof has been indicted twice for the killings, in state court and in federal court, and each of those cases carries a possible death sentence. Until the court filing on Thursday by Scarlett A. Wilson, the South Carolina state solicitor overseeing the case, neither set of prosecutors had said publicly whether they would seek to have him executed, but state officials, including Gov. Nikki R. Haley, have said emphatically that the case warranted the death penalty.

The documents said state prosecutors would pursue the death penalty because more than two people were killed, and that others’ lives were put at risk. read more

#TakeBackHU Students & Alumni Take to Social Media To Protest Howard University

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imrs.phpStudents at Howard University have a list of demands see what they are as Noble Black Society is on scene in the developments of #TakeBackHU

Howard University students and alumni took their frustration public — and viral — Wednesday, with a gush of complaints on social media about problems at the iconic historically black university in Washington, D.C.

Their frustrations — often paired with affection and pride for the school — were both immediate and minute, longstanding and sweeping.

They complained about the air conditioning breaking down, mold in dorms, bureaucratic run-arounds, high tuition, rats, and hassles with financial aid.

University spokespeople and an alumni leader did not immediately respond to requests for comment Wednesday evening.

The university president posted a message on Twitter:

Read Full via Washington Post

Rattler Football Turning Over A New Leaf

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imageThe Florida A&M University football team is looking to rebound after last season’s emotional roller coaster ride.

The Rattlers are under new leadership this year with head coach Alex Wood at the helm. His team will be playing with a chip on their shoulders going into this weekend’s opener against the University of South Florida Bulls in Tampa, Florida.

Under previous head coach Earl Holmes the team went 3-9. In his second year as the head coach, Holmes was fired in the middle of the season days before the homecoming game.

Despite the recent struggles with the program over the last 5 years FAMU supporters are still optimistic about the new direction of the football program. Even with the Rattler’s preseason prediction to finish conference play in 8th place, there are returning players from last year’s team that are equally optimistic about the new season.

One of the biggest concerns for the Rattlers this year will be can redshirt-junior Quarterback Carson Royal turn around an offense that has struggled mightily the past 5 years. In a recent press conference interview Wood named Royal the starter for this season’s opener this Saturday. Royal will replace four year starter Damien Fleming who recently graduated this summer. Read Full 

Trying To Decide Between A Black College Or A Predominately White Institution

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This year Black students going into the 12th grade across the country will be deciding on which college to attend. A lot of important factors play into this decision including campus setting, class sizes, location, and of course, diversity. Many studehbcunts are now struggling with choice of either attending a Predominately White Institution (PWI) or a Historically Black College or University (HBCU).

I am going to graduate this coming year from Pikesville High School in Baltimore and my peers and I often discuss the ramifications of each decision. Many believe that PWI’s lead to more opportunities and are regarded as more legitimate by graduate schools and corporations. However HBCU advocates argue that the environment is much more conducive to growth for Black students and the sense of community fostered in these schools is better for future networking. In addition, they say HBCU’s offer a better support system which can lead to more opportunities in the future.

Although college selection is difficult for everyone the PWI vs. HBCU quandary adds another level of difficulty to the decision making process for Black students. I personally feel conflicted about which type of school is best for me.

All Ivy League schools are PWI’s and wouldn’t it be better to graduate from a prestigious PWI than a lesser known HBCU? Financial Aid would be much easier to come by at a larger university than a smaller one and HBCU’s are usually much smaller than PWI’s, and a big name “White” school may help my entrance into graduate school.

However at a Black university I would receive an education geared towards me and geared towards helping me succeed in a world that may not always provide me with the same benefits as my White counterparts. Employers and large corporations often look to HBCU’s when they’re interested in hiring gifted, diverse, youth, and I would make connections with successful Black entrepreneurs and motivated students that would last for years to come. If more promising students decided to attend Black universities and colleges wouldn’t more funding and a better national reputation follow?

In addition to my personal struggle with making a decision about which type of school to attend, I also frequently have to endure the unwanted commentary of those around me. Family, friends and church members all feel the need to weigh in on my decision and offer up their “perfect solution”. “Our best kids need to attend Black schools so we can get more recognition.” “Don’t you want to give back to your community?” “Don’t you want to be around people who look like you?” Or, “A Black school will limit you.” “Don’t you want to go to a school that people actually know about?”

I still haven’t decided whether my dream school is predominately White or historically Black but I’ve come to the conclusion that it doesn’t really matter as long as the school is a good fit for me and the decision is made on my own.

Jannah Johnson was an intern in The Afro-American’s Baltimore office this summer. She is still trying to decide which college she will attend next Fall.

This article originally appeared in The Philadelphia Tribune

Thurgood Marshall College Fund And Apple To Create New HBCU Scholarship Program

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On Aug. 25, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) started admitting applicants for its brand new scholarship institute, the Apple HBCU Scholars Program.

Slated as now being the biggest scholarship program for students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, 30 high-ranking undergraduate students will be given award packages, year-long mentorships with Apple employees and a paid summer internship at the Apple headquarters in Cupertino, CA.

Bright young grads

Johnny C. Taylor, Jr. the President and CEO of (TMCF), notes the distinction between giving students money for tuition and providing students with varied resources to succeed.

“There are ‘scholarships’ and then there are ‘scholarship programs,’” said Taylor, Jr. “Apple has made an historic investment in a scholarship program that will transform the lives of HBCU star students by not only removing the financial barriers to college attendance, but by providing them additional non-financial program elements like Apple mentors

Read more here.

Black Professional Homecoming Set To Change the Way Millenials Network

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BLACK PROFEESIONAL HOMECOMING SET TO CHANGE THE WAY MILLENIALS NETWORK
Black Professional Homecoming(Washington, D.C – September 1, 2015) On Wednesday, September 16th, Suited Lifestyle will kick off their first ever Black Professional Homecoming www.bphomecoming.com An inaugural event designed to host young black professionals in and around the Washington, DC market, Black Professional Homecoming will work to enhance the social aspect of Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference week through upscale and premiere events using various networking tools.

Beginning on September 16th, Black Professional Homecoming will host their first event of the week at Lucky Strikes, followed by after parties at Ultra Bar, Eden, and the Howard Theatre, Thursday through Saturday. The Black Professional Homecoming weekend will be concluded on Sunday, September 20th with an intimate brunch hosted by Suited Lifestyle. Sponsors include Lyft, Lucky Strike, The Howard Theatre, HBCU Buzz, Just Know I’m Working, the D&T Brand, O Agency, Dash Marketing LLC., NXLDC and more.

Founders of Suited Lifestyle, Luke Lawal and Trey Poindexter, envision Black Professional Homecoming becoming a staple event during CBC week. “The goal of BPH is to showcase the excellence of all young, black professionals worldwide,” says Poindexter, Vice President of Suited Lifestyle, “ideally we would love for BPH to be home for all black professionals looking to connect with other likeminded people.”

Lawal states, “the number of black professionals and young alumni living in Washington, D.C. continue to grow at a fast pace. D.C provides a range of opportunities in which these professionals can network and build relationships of their caliber. BPH will create a timeless platform that connects like-minded individuals.”

Produced by Suited Lifestyle, Black Professional Homecoming plans to enhance the social aspect of urban millennials visiting D.C. for the Congressional Black Caucus’ Annual Legislative conference. For more information about Black Professional Homecoming, please visit www.bphomecoming.com.

For Additional PR Inquiries:

Media Contact:

Brandon M. Banks

Media Relations Director

info@suitedlifestyle.com

###

 

ABOUT SUITED LIFESTYLE

Founded in 2012, Suited Lifestyle is a group of pioneers that set the standard for young professionals worldwide through various networking events. With a commitment to leadership, philanthropy, and social engagements, the organization positions its members to the next level while aiming to curb the negative stereotypes associated with male minorities in today’s society. Suited Lifestyle focuses efforts through business, philanthropic and social channels in order to effect the change. For more information on Suited Lifestyle, visit the organization’s website at www.suitedlifestyle.com

Johnson C. Smith Alum Danielle Williams Wins Gold At IAAF World Championships

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Danielle_Williams-680x400Johnson C. Smith track and field alumna Danielle Williams won the gold medal in the 100 meter hurdles at the IAAF World Championships in Beijing, China on Friday.

Williams turned in a personal-best time of 12.57, taking the gold in a photo finish over Germany’s Cindy Roleder (12.59) and Belarus’ Alina Talay (12.66).

The win puts Williams makes her one of the frontrunners in the 100 meter hurdles in the upcoming 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

Williams’ sister, Shermaine Williams, also ran in the finals, clocking a 12.95, finishing in seventh place.

 

Jackson State Freshman Details Journey From Hardship to Scholarship

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gates.scholar.IMG_0979-1024x682Tears flowed from Adrienna Williams after learning she was selected as a Gates scholar and more recently while explaining that her then-single mother once worried whether she did enough as a parent for her children in their poverty-stricken Yazoo community.

Williams, a Jackson State University freshman biology major with ambitions of becoming a physician, candidly discussed economic hardships, including growing up in Section 8 housing. Despite some tough times, she graduated No. 2 this spring from Yazoo City High School to become among 1,000 Gates Millennium Scholars out of more than 57,000 students nationwide who applied this year.

The program of the United Negro College Fund is financed by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Given the odds of earning the scholarship, she was stunned, yet humbled, upon receiving the coveted honor. Read Full

Wilberforce University Will Learn Its Accreditation Status Soon

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WILBERFORCE, Ohio (AP) – Two small Ohio higher education institutions are set to find out their accreditation status that’s needed for students to be eligible for certain types of financial aid.

The Dayton Daily News reports (http://bit.ly/1MxbPYv) a Higher Learning Commission meeting in November will determine if Antioch College in Yellow Springs and Wilberforce University will be accredited.

Wilberforce is one of the nation’s oldest historically black private universities. The Commission told the university in 2014 that it needed to address leadership problems, deteriorating buildings, and high levels of debt, among other shortcomings.

Antioch closed during the recession in 2008. It reopened in 2011 and is trying to get accredited for the first time.

Students who graduate from an unaccredited school could face difficulties with being accepted into graduate schools or getting jobs.

Information from: Dayton Daily News, http://www.daytondailynews.com

Dillard Receives $1.5 Million Federal Education Grant

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Dillard University Newsroom

(NEW ORLEANS, LA) – Dillard University has received a five-year grant totaling $1.5 million from the U.S. Department of Education to provide tutoring, counseling and other support services to ensure students earn a college degree. The grant was competitively awarded through the Department of Education’s Student Support Services initiative, which is designed to increase retention and graduation rates among students from low-income backgrounds and would be first-generation college graduates. According to Dr. Kevin Bastian, assistant vice president for support services and the grant’s principal investigator, Dillard’s program is designed to provide comprehensive support services.  “Some students, while they have the drive to do well academically, are faced with a number of challenges, academically and socially.  These challenges often impede or even derail their path to a college degree,” said Bastian.

Dillard will implement the grant alongside other university-run support projects within its Division of Student Success, including Keys to Success, which provides academic support for student-parents.  Dillard also currently operates two additional federal education K-12 grants.  “The Student Support Services grant initiative allows us to provide a continuum support for students,” Bastian added.

“Department of Education Data show that students from lower-income families are nearly twice as likely to not complete a college degree in six years,” said Dr. Toya Barnes-Teamer, vice president for student success. “We have made a conscience effort over the past few years to engage our students to make sure we provide the comprehensive resources students require to graduate and succeed,” said Barnes-Teamer. As a first generation college student, Barnes-Teamer said that the support provided to her through a TRIO Program helped to prepare her for the career she’s in today.  She also explained that the grant goals are aligned with the University’s Student Integration Model for Success that addresses increased retention and graduation rates. Student Support Services include academic advising, tutoring, study skills training, financial aid counseling, assistance with enrollment into graduate or professional school and help exploring career options.

The grant, which is set to begin in September, will provide academic and other resources for up to 200 students each year over a five-year period. For additional information contact Dillard’s Division of Student Success at 504-816-4714.

Bowie State Student Files Ready for Kanye Organization With FEC

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102959737-RTX1QCCQ.530x298In a filing Monday with the Federal Election Commission, Eugene Craig III, chairman of the national Young Minority Republicans Fund, filed a statement of organization for a group he calls “Ready for Kanye.”

Read Full http://www.cnbc.com/

Prairie View Names Auntwan Riggins New Head Baseball Coach

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PV_Logo_Lrg-750x400PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas – The Prairie View A&M baseball team began its latest chapter Friday when the school announced it hired Auntwan Riggins as its head baseball coach.

Riggins comes to Prairie View A&M from the Warriors Baseball Academy in Houston, Texas. Prior to that, he spent 13 years with Houston’s Proway Baseball Academy as one of its premier instructors and coaches. Both academies train baseball players ages 7 through 18 years old, and can claim numerous players who went on to play NCAA Division I baseball among its alumni.

“I’m very excited to join the Prairie View A&M family,” Riggins said. “It’s almost like the day of the draft for me. You wait and you know they are going to announce at some point; it’s a feeling that you can’t really describe.”

Riggins has provided individual instruction to numerous players who have gone on to successful NCAA Division I careers, some of whom were also drafted professionally. His most recent alumnus to be drafted was Kyle Survance, who played collegiately at the University of Houston; Survance was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the eighth round of the 2015 Major League Baseball June Amateur Draft.

“I’m very happy to bring him on as our head coach, and am excited about his vision for the baseball program,” Prairie View A&M Director of Athletics Ashley Robinson said. “He brings a wealth of experience, has a great knowledge of baseball, and can teach the game and its fundamentals.”

Another player Riggins trained was Spencer Dennis, whom Prairie View A&M fans may remember as a key player on the Panthers’ 2007 SWAC championship team that advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season.

Riggins is no stranger to the Southwestern Athletic Conference, having played collegiately at Texas Southern, concluding his career at the close of the 1998 season. In two seasons with the Tigers, he hit .364, and knocked 19 doubles, 11 triples, and six home runs. In 1997, he was named the SWAC’s Newcomer of the Year after hitting .341 with five home runs.

At the conclusion of his junior season in 1998, Riggins was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 20th round of the Major League Baseball Draft. He reached the AAA level in 2001 while playing with the Portland Beavers in the San Diego Padres organization.

After he retired from professional baseball, Riggins eventually returned to Texas Southern to receive his degree, graduating from the school in 2011.

A native of east Texas and a graduate of Houston’s Madison High School, Riggins looks forward to being part of the Prairie View A&M community.

“I don’t think I’ve ever encountered people who have so much love and passion for their university and alma mater as a whole, than I have seen with the Prairie View A&M community. I was drawn to that,” Riggins said.

The Panthers qualified for the 2015 SWAC Baseball Tournament. Prairie View A&M has won three SWAC championships in the last 10 years, winning the tournament in 2006, 2007, and 2012.

Riggins will be the seventh head coach in Prairie View A&M’s baseball history – which dates back to the 1925 season – and will be the Panthers’ fourth coach since 1970. He and his wife, Deveka, have been married eight years, and they have a 5-year-old daughter, Masyn.

Coppin Alumna Stephanie Ready is the 1st Full-time Female NBA Analyst

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Coppin-Alumna-Ready-is-the-1st-Full-time-Female-NBA-AnalystFOX Sports Southeast announced that Coppin State alum Stephanie Ready will make the move from the Charlotte Hornets sidelines to the broadcast booth with Eric Collins and Dell Curry, becoming the first full-time female NBA game analyst.
Ready has been a fixture with the Charlotte Hornets. She will be entering her 12th season with the Hornets telecasts. She was previously the host of Hornets LIVE! and an in-game sideline reporter.

“I’ve had a love affair with the game of basketball for as long as I can remember, both as a player and a coach,” Ready said. “I’m honored and excited to be able to share my passion for this sport with our audience. FOX Sports and the Hornets have always taken pride in being innovative and forward-thinking. I’m extremely proud to be a part of history.”
Prior to her broadcasting career, Ready was an assistant coach in the WNBA and the NBA D-League, making her the first woman to coach a men’s professional sports team. Ready also spent two seasons as an assistant coach for the men’s basketball program under former head coach Ron “Fang” Mitchell. At the time, Ready was the first female to hold the position of full-time recruiting assistant on an NCAA Division I men’s basketball staff.

Ready was also a part-time sideline reporter for The NBA on TNT during the 2006 and 2007 NBA Playoffs, and the WNBA Playoffs on ESPN2 during 2006. Also in 2006 and 2007, Ready worked as a sideline reporter during the first and second rounds of the Women’s Final Four of college basketball for ESPN2.

“I’m excited about it,” Ready said about becoming the first full-time female NBA game analyst. “I look back at my career and the careers of other ladies who are in the same industry and I think of Ann Meyers, who is with the Phoenix Suns organization. She’s a vice president there, so she’s on the executive staff but she also is a television analyst. She’s been on their broadcasts for a while, just not on a full-time basis because, as I said, she’s an executive as well. She has proven herself and proven to people out there who might be a little more narrow-minded, that women are perfectly capable of doing the same jobs in this industry that men can do.”

A native of Takoma Park, Maryland, by the time she graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, Ready was ranked in the top-10 on the career women’s basketball list at Coppin State in steals (second), assists (fourth), points (eighth) and rebounds (tenth).

 

Howard Alum and Independent Filmmaker Debuts Award-winning ‘Black and Blue’

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If you begin with the letter “z” and work your way to the letter “a”, you are still reciting the alphabet. Black and Blue the movie mirrors this unique vantage point, depicting a story felt by the average late 1960s American home. Being one in a million is typically a desire of many but this short drama shows what happens when one young man’s stroke of fate affects his entire family.
Ciara Allen's profile photo
Without delay, the protagonist invites you into her realm, and you too feel the defeated excitement of a would-be college scholar restricted by the harsh realities of life. With a brother being drafted into service during the Vietnam War, she must successfully own her new role as the family’s breadwinner. Diana faces a new set of challenges already living in a society where she is at the bottom of the food chain. Black and Blue the movie shows what happens when a young black man is essentially given another pair of eyes in exchange for his mouth.

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“The Draft Lottery took away choice and I never saw that depicted in a film ─ I felt charged to tell it,” says film director Ciara Allen.

Actress Morgan Breon plays the main character of this short drama filmed on Allen’s family blueberry farm. Diana’s small town will soon know the oppressive effects of war and she will begin learning even what her almost-historically black college or university (HBCU) education could not teach. The drama magnifies the unsung heroes of the war that never saw a day of army training or combat ─ those loved ones who kept households and communities surviving.  Not only does this short drama leave you wanting more, it may leave you sweaty, craving an icy glass of lemonade, with blueberries.

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Black and Blue the movie premiered July at the 2015 BlackStar Film Festival and won the Audience Award for Best Narrative Short Drama. Award-winning Independent Filmmaker Ciara “Cc” Allen is a recent graduate of the Howard University John H. Johnson School of Communications. Again, she packages her distinctive and clever wit into a plot with purpose. Aside from her stellar cinematography skills,  one thing Allen makes very clear is her faith and commitment to her craft, producing a completely family-funded product. Within months, Allen raised more than $18,000 on crowd-funding website, Kickstarter. It can be confidently said that Allen will soon be raising more than funds with her deliberate, uncensored plots.

Official selection for Black and Blue includes the HollyShorts Film Festival and the Greater Cleveland Urban Film Festival. Cc Allen is currently in post-production for her next film, A-Sex Party. For more information visit blackandbluemovie.com and facebook.com/blackandbluefilm2014.

Savannah State Shooting Kills Student

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Atlanta Journal Constitution

Friends and fans of a student shot and killed at Savannah State University on Thursday night took to social media Friday to mourn the death HBCU student from DeKalb County.

In a statement posted early Friday on the university’s website, school officials said Christopher Starks, a junior, was shot during an altercation at the student union building.

“It is with great sadness that we report the loss of a Savannah State University student,” the statement said. “… Mr. Starks was the only individual transported to a medical facility following the incident. So far, no arrests have been made.”

WTOC-TV in Savannah reported Starks, who recently turned 22, was from Lithonia and graduated from Miller Grove High School.

After graduation, Starks first attended Appalachian State University, where he was a defensive back on the football team.

Student from DeKalb County killed in Savannah State shooting photo
Christopher Starks (Credit: WTOC-TV)

Starks was an aspiring rapper who performed under the stage name “Booley Boo.”

Among the comments posted on Twitter with the hashtag #RIPBooley:

“I’d be telling a lie if I said I wasn’t gone cry!” – Stephon Brown Jr.

“I loved recording you and taking pics for you.” – Jeffery Jackson

“Gone too soon. Black men stop the violence,” and “Man I’m losing it over this one.” – Call Me Beautiful

“I can’t shake this feeling. Losing a friend is not easy!” – JuicyJaye

“Heart heavy this morning. I still can’t believe it.” – Tamara

Since the university is a state institution, the GBI is leading the investigation, assisted by Savannah State police.

In a statement released late Friday morning, GBI spokesman Scott Dutton said the shooting “appeared to be an isolated incident.” read more