Former NFL Player, Willie Jackson to Direct Athletics at EWC

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Congratulations are in order to former NFL player Willie Bernard Jackson Jr., who has been recently appointed as the Athletic Director of Edward Waters College.

Edward Waters College, which is the oldest private institution in the state of Florida, released the official statement of Jackson’s new position on Jan. 7 via President Nathaniel Jackson.

Jackson succeeds former EWC Athletic Director Johnny Rember, who served in the position for 10 years until he retired this past July.

Jackson started his football career at University of Florida during undergrad where he played for three years. He started his professional career with the NFL in the 1990s. During his career, he played for the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Cincinnati Bengals, the New Orleans Saints, the Atlanta Falcons, and the Washington Redskins. 

Jackson played eight seasons and retired in the year 2004, and finished his career as a wide receiver with 284 receptions, 3,641 yards, and 24 touchdowns.

Congrats to you Willie Bernard Jackson Jr., and welcome to the HBCU community!

 

XULA Women’s Basketball Beats Tougaloo

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The Xavier University of Louisiana (XULA) Gold Nuggets beat out the Tougaloo Bulldogs 69-58 in a “slew of season and career highs” on Monday.

The Gold Nugget now has three wins in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, and remains undefeated in conference play this season.

XU led the way the entire game, leading by as much as 17 points in the first half and it seemed as if the Bulldogs were no match for XULA’s firepower on Monday.

From SportsNOLA, “Four scored in double figures for the Gold Nuggets (10-9, 3-0 GCAC), led by freshman Ireyon Keith with a career-high-tying 13 points. Donyeah Mayfield and Whitney Gathright scored 12 points apiece — Mayfield matched her season high — and sophomore Kelsee Singleton produced her first XU double-double with a career-high-tying 10 points and a career-best 10 rebounds.”

The Gold Nuggets will play city rival SUNO at 5:30 p.m next Monday at XU’s Convocation Center.

Read more at XULA.edu/athletics

Empire a New Fav?

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On Jan. 7 Fox debuted their new scripted show Empire starring some of our favorites, Terrence Howard and Howard grad Taraji P. Henson. The two play a couple who went separate ways after Henson, who plays “Cookie,” goes to prison for a drug deal gone bad.

The premiere of the FOX show attracted the attention of 9.8 million viewers. With Empire centering on hip hop culture, and drama (because really, who is not interested in both these days?), it looks as though it will turn out to be a series with longevity.

The money “Cookie” recoups from her drug dealing lifestyle is what starts her Ex-Husband “Lucious Lyons’” (Terrance Howard) multi-million dollar Music Business, Empire Records. The show centers upon Cookies’ return where she is determined to get what she believes she rightfully deserves, and also focuses in on Lucious’ decision on which of his three sons will run the company after he steps down.

Andre (Trai Byers), Jamal (Jussie Smollett), and Hakeem Lyon (Bryshere Gray), are all extremely different from one another, and each of them wants to take over the family business. It all simply comes down to who is right for the job, in Lucious Lyons’ eyes.

The series, being based upon a musical aspect, features music produced by Grammy Award Winning Producer Timbaland. We all know that Timbaland can bang out the hits in the studio, so this show definitely is not falling short of grace in this area.

Reviews for the show are exhibiting fence riding or skeptical tendencies. But it looks as though people are at least going to give the show a chance before they shoot it down completely:

From Hollywood Reporter, “Empire does much more right than it does wrong is encouraging — but it’s always hard to judge the actual quality of a series, or even what that series will eventually be, by just one episode.”

While the show is giving us good acting, the plot does seem to be somewhat broad, nevertheless it is interesting, and will create some curiosity among its viewers.

The premiere was the highest rated among Fox’s shows in the past three years. The next episode will air on Jan. 14 on FOX at 9/8c.

Tell us your thoughts on Empire by commenting below.

3 Tuskegee Students Shot in Off-Campus Incident

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Three of Tuskegee University’s students were wounded during an off-campus shooting Saturday night. The university is currently cooperating and working side-by-side with the City of Tuskegee police to investigate the incident.  

“Tuskegee University confirms that there has been an off-campus shooting involving three of its students,” university officials say. “The City of Tuskegee police department is investigating the incident. University representatives have visited and been in contact with the students and their families. The students are in stable condition and are expected to recover from their injuries. The university is cooperating with local authorities regarding the investigation.”

One victim, 19-year-old student Ayden Harris, was shot five times and is now in stabled condition in the Intensive Care Unit at East Alabama Medical Center, reports say. 

Family members of Harris, and others are still trying to piece together exactly what happened that Saturday, and the university is currently conducting its own investigation to determine whether there have been any violations to their student code of conduct policy.

“He’s in good hands here at the medical center. But he is in, ICU, intensive care, and that means a lot to me,” Harris’s uncle, Carl Hemphill told WTVM.

“He’s a real strong guy. He’s an A-student, pre-med, ROTC, he’s part of a fraternity – a real cream of the crop I would say. And I’m real surprised that this incident took place and he was involved with it. So I’m still trying to figure it out and piece together what exactly took place,” Hemphill said.

Counseling services are being made available to those who have been impacted by this incident. The university is also asking that any information on the alleged shooter be given to the City of Tuskegee police department at 334-727-0200.

This story is still developing.

40 People Reported Taken to Howard U. Hospital After Smoke Filled DC Subway Station

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Updated 1/13/2015, 4:07 p.m. EST

Some 40 people were taken to Howard University Hospital in the nation’s capital after smoke from an unidentified source filled one of Washington D.C.’s most busiest subway stations, reports say.

Authorities say the L’Enfant Plaza station was evacuated around 3:30 p.m. and at least a dozen people with injuries and one casualty was reported.

From Newser, Fire and EMS Spokeswoman Caroline Laurin confirmed that a person had died, but did not offer an official statement.

Laurin did however report that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), whose office is just seconds away from the L’Enfant metro station, where at the scene and are conducting an investigation.

More on this story as it continues to develop.

This Howard University Graduate is Running for Senate

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California Attorney General Kamala Harris, who graduated from Howard University, a historically black college or university (HBCU) in Washington, D.C., recently announced that she will be seeking a Senate seat vacated by Sen. Barbara Boxer in 2016.

Harris was the first to formally declare her candidacy since Sen. Boxer announced that she would step down from her seat, according to CNN.

Notably, the Howard grad became the first person outside the long lineage of white males to hold the AG office when she was elected in 2010.

From her new campaign website: “I’m excited to share with you that I’m launching my campaign to represent the people of California in the United States Senate,” Harris said.

She added, “Your support has been crucial to me every step of the way, and I’m asking you to help me build a grassroots campaign that reaches every community of California.”

“From my first days as a prosecutor in Alameda County, to my work as San Francisco District Attorney to my current service as California Attorney General, I have worked to bring smart, innovative and effective approaches to fighting crime, fighting for consumers and fighting for equal rights for all,” said Harris.

Jay-Z Has ‘Strong’ Views on Hip-Hop and Race Relations

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To commemorate civil rights leaders and legends, and recognize the newly released movie “Selma,” the OWN network, owned and operated by Tennessee State grad Oprah, is hosting a month-long celebration of the historic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. 

In a recent episode of Oprah’s Master Class, Jay-Z shed some knowledge on how he feels about race relations regarding Hip-Hop and police brutality.

“I think that Hip-Hop has done more for racial relations than most cultural icons,” Jay-Z said. The rapper warned that he had “strong” views on how hip-hop has impacted racism, and to many, these were some interesting choice words since the rapper usually is not very vocal on political and racial issues.

Looking back at recent incidents of police brutality occurring in Ferguson, New York and Florida, and around the country I think that his opinion is honest and is, perhaps, somewhat accurate.

The recent deaths of Mike Brown and Eric Garner have caused many rappers in the hip-hop industry to use their voices for good for a change:

A collaborative song by The Game, Rick Ross and Diddy was released in early August to honor Mike Brown and to contribute to the victim’s memorial fund. J. Cole was seen at Eric Garner protests in New York and Missouri, and released a song called “Be Free” in memory of Eric Garner. Kendrick Lamar spoke on how his song, “I,” impacted the situations of Mike Brown and Eric Garner.

These artists have used their voices to make an impact, no doubt.

Like Jay-Z said, people listen to Hip-Hop music all around the world so even if you are not engaged the issues happening in the world, in particular happening here in America–thanks to Hip-Hop, you are now informed. 

And perhaps, this is what Jay-Z meant by “doing more.”  

6 Reasons Selma is a Must See for HBCU Students

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Director Ava DuVernay impressively depicts Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s time and energy spent on Voting Inequalities in her film “Selma.” It specifically pinpoints the work King put forth in Selma, Alabama during the 60’s.

“Selma”, which made its theater debut on Jan. 9th, is already a sparking conversation among the public.

If you haven’t gone to see it yet, here’s six reasons why you should.

Directorial and writing chemistry is notable

Writer Paul Webb and Director Ava DuVernay (whom also co-wrote the screenplay), seems to have concocted cinematic gold with bringing their ideas to life. The script of the movie peaks interest by hitting the audience over the head with effect and influence; while the directorial aspect gives an exciting, dramatic, and artistic feel to the visuals.

This is not the MLK you learned about in History class

What makes this movie so unique and interesting to watch is that it doesn’t follow the pattern of the MLK stories you’ve heard since elementary school.

The movie focuses on a pivotal point in MLK’s life and the impression he had on society. “Selma” doesn’t shy away from the fact that King, just like any other human being, had flaws; yet those same flaws didn’t diminish his powerful impact. The movie touched base on his marital issues, vulnerability, etc. Nevertheless “Selma” still painted him in a positive light.

DuVernay has kept it all the way real!

The actors do a heck of a job

David Oyelowo, who has been featured in movies such as Red Tails and The Butler, put an immense deal of time and effort into practicing his role as Martin Luther King. His talent and knowledge of King’s defining presence has set this MLK depiction apart from the others.

Oyelowos co-stars Carmen Ejogo (Coretta Scott King), Oprah Winfrey (Annie Lee Cooper), and Lorraine Toussaint (Amelia Boynton), do riveting jobs on letting their characters speak for themselves, all while still showcasing their own talents. When watching the movie, one could say it gives the feeling of actually being there.

Critics are giving rave reviews.

…and the movie is receiving some great feedback.

Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritc, and a plethora of others have given the movie high praises. New York Times states, “Even if you think you know what’s coming, “Selma” hums with suspense and surprise. Packed with incident and overflowing with fascinating characters, it is a triumph of efficient, emphatic cinematic storytelling and much more than that, of course.”

No sugarcoating the violence

Selma does an impeccable job at portraying the real life acts of violence against “Selma” protestors. There was no skipping of police brutality in this movie. The audience will get to see the inhumane ways that the victims were treated, and possibly cringe at the realistic yet powerful depictions.

IT IS IMPORTANT!!

It is dire that we as African Americans, support movies that highlights and celebrates our history in in the manner in which it deserves to be. “Selma” is a movie of substance that can give its audience something to be proud of, something that can only push the culture in a forward moving direction. Right in the thick of current issues that a large portion of society has chosen to protest over (Mike Brown and Eric Garner killings), Ava DuVernay’s “Selma” is right on time with its message of standing for what you believe in.

Grammy-Nominated CSU Chorus Performs at Ohio Governor’s Inauguration

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COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Grammy-nominated Central State University Chorus performed during Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s second inaugural address today, Monday.

The only choir participating at the ceremony, the CSU Chorus entertained more than 900 people attending the event. Assistant Professor of Music & Chorus Director Jeremy Winston said, “We are honored to participate in the celebration of Governor John Kasich’s inauguration,” according to a Central State press release.

Winston added that the choir at the historically black college or university (HBCU) located in Wilberforce, Ohio is praised worldwide, and believes the Central State Chorus is “one of Ohio’s gems musically.”

“…We have continued to represent Ohio both nationally and internationally,” Winston said. 

“The Central State University Chorus is one of the most highly acclaimed choral groups in Ohio and we are thrilled to have them participate in this historic event,” said Doug Preisse, chairman of A New Day Committee, who planned the inauguration.

John Kaisch, a member of the Republican Party, is a possible candidate for president in 2016.

5 Fashion Tips for Spring 2015

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With the new spring semester the weather is looking frightful!

First you have to deal with harsh winters and then a hot spring right before summer break. Sometimes getting dressed in the morning can be hard to task when trying to stay warm or cool and still trying to look good.

Here are 5 fashion tips for Spring 2015:

1. Invest in a good coat

A coat can not only be fashionable but it will keep you warm for the winter in the beginning of the semester. Peacoat’s are always a great choice! They’re stylish yet still professional and classy.

2.Accessories: Useful & Stylish

Accessories can really make or break an outfit. For men a nice watch can make all the difference. Using scarves, gloves and hats will not only add some flare to outfit but it will also keep you warm on those cold walks across campus.

3. Layer, Layer, LAYER!

With unpredictable weather layers are your friend! They keep you warm but are easy to take off when you need to cool down. Thermals are an easy way to keep warm, while sometimes it might come in handy to wear an extra camisole or cardigan just in case you need to shed a layer later on in the afternoon.

4. Less isn’t always more 

When it does warm up later in the spring time that doesn’t necessarily mean its time to get naked. Ladies I know we love our crop tops and high-wasted shorts but we don’t have to wear them immediately at the first sign of sunlight just to go to class.

5. Be Yourself!

No matter what the weather forecast is, or what everybody else has own, find your own style! The best way to sell an outfit is to actually feel good in what you have on.As long as you’re comfortable nothing else matters.

No. 24 Gold Rush Rallies Against No. 16 Panthers

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Xavier University of Louisiana (XULA) rallied past Philander Smith in stunning fashion on Saturday.

The No. 24 Gold Rush outscored No. 16 Philander 20-1 during the last 10 minutes. From the XULA athletic website, Junior Guard Morris Wright said, “Sometimes we find ourselves stuck in a hole, but we know how to get out if it.”

“Our team has a lot of fight in it,” Wright said, scoring 12 points on the night among two other teammates. “The defense picked it up in the second half, and the offense got better.”

Wright led the team in crucial moments in the game.

He scored 5 points during their rally past the Panthers to take the lead with one minute left, and his three pointer put the Rush up by 4 points.

Crashing the boards was important in XULA’s win over Philander. They out-rebounded Philander 18-6 in the final 11 minutes, and totally controlled the entire game at rebounding, 45-29.

The Panthers had dominated this season at rebounding, but XULA managed to beat Philander at their own game.

The Gold Rush obviously played great defense. Jarvis Thibodeaux had seven boards and a career-high two blocks. Aquil Baynard finished the game with just 8 points but entered this contest with 18.5 points per game. He struggled 3-11 from the floor and had a season-worst seven turnovers.

To make up for Baynard lack of scoring Philander shot terribly from the free throw line. They were 6-16 while the Gold Rush shot 14-19.

XULA will play Tougaloo on Monday. Tougaloo is undefeated after blowing SUNO out by 20.

A version of this article originally appeared on Xula.edu/athletics

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Central State Cruises Past Davis & Elkins, 82-60

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Sophomore guard Sterling Gilmore had a stellar performance on Saturday, scoring a season-high 20 points as the Central State Marauders cruised past the Davis & Elkins Senators 82-60 in their first G-MAC win of the season.

Central State University led the entire game, and led as much as 26 in the 2nd half. It was their largest margin of victory this season.

In 24 minutes of play, Gilmore impressed with 4 three pointers made and 7 free throws. Guard Masceo Harmon had a second team high with 19 points and added 6 assists and 5 steals in the Box Score.

The Marauders improved to 8-6 and travels back home to play the 6-8 Trevecca Nazarene Trojans on Thursday at 7:30 pm.

Read more at MarauderSports.com.

Tennessee State Moves to Four Day Class Schedule

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President Glenda Glover and Tennessee State recently announced that the university will move to a four day class schedule in the Spring of 2015.

Tennessee State University will hold classes from Monday-Thursday, and the offices will be open five days per week. Dr. Glover said this change will allow more time for advising, faculty office hours, and more time for faculty to research in their expertise.

According to My FOX Memphis, “It is the first university in the Tennessee Board of Regents system to condense classes to four days. Institutions that have adopted the change include Southern University in Baton Rouge, and Northeast Mississippi Community College in Booneville, Mississippi.”

This switch does not mean that TSU students will spend less time in class–in fact, 50 minute classes will be extended to one hour and 20 minutes for each class, according to the university’s website.

From TSU News, Vice-President for Academic Affairs Dr. Mark Hardy said, “We have a president who is innovative and always looking for new ways to help our students succeed. The four-day class schedule ad our book bundle effort, which started last semester, are just some of the ways that demonstrate this administration’s commitment to providing an academic environment that promotes student success.”

Chris Attaway, who is President of ACA Ministries, told HBCU Buzz, “In a moment where mentorship is minute, I believe that TSU is moving in a productive direction. I salute Dr. Glover for taking the academic arena from a ‘typewriter–do it if you can’ model to a ‘computer assist and always possible’ praxis.”

Attaway added, “We thank her for her leadership, her covering, and tutelage in this time. We’re praying that the All-wise and Knowing God will continue to lead her in her cutting edge endeavors.”

Walter Kimbrough Remembers College Prez Dream and Says ‘Do What You Love’

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This story is a part of the series “Presidents Corner” about the unique experiences, vision and leadership styles of each president at our nation’s 107 historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs)

Many call him the “Hip Hop Prez” because he is still one of the youngest HBCU presidents in the country.

Walter M. Kimbrough is the 7th president of Dillard University, a historically black college or university in Gentilly Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana. He talks with the Buzz in this exclusive interview on his goals and achievements, advice for those of us wanting to be an HBCU president in the future, and new things happening at Dillard.

Here’s our conversation…

Robert: Anything new at Dillard?

Kimbrough: The main new thing at Dillard is our center for law and public policy. We had Benjamin Crump in December speak for our annual law and society lecture and then announced we would work to increase the number of students who go into the legal profession. With all the high profile issues (Mike Brown, Eric Garner) we have seen that the prosecuting attorney is a key person, and there are so few people of color in the pipeline we are at the mercy of whomever is in that role, and most of them have no real sense of diverse perspectives. Does not make them bad people, but that is a limitation.

Robert: Was it always your desire to become a college president?

Kimbrough: I ended up wanting to be a president after being an involved student at the University of Georgia and active in Alpha Phi Alpha. I met and got to interact with college presidents and it somehow became my goal. So I was about 21 when I made that my goal. Prior to that I always wanted to be a veterinarian, which is why I went to Georgia and even spent 2 quarters in vet school.

Robert: You have accomplished a lot over your time in Higher Ed. Your time has been full of many awards and high achievements. What has been the most important thing that you have learned over time?

Kimbrough: Not sure if there is one most important thing. I think in general it is to keep learning. See how other schools and leaders do things well and maybe adapt. Learn from people outside of higher education and try something in which you have no model for success- that is take risks. And probably most important, study failures. You can learn what not to do (and sadly, this is what so many people do not do so they repeat mistakes of the past).

Robert: A while ago, you wrote an article on Dr. Dre’s multi-million gift to USC, and your critique had a lot of attention.

Kimbrough: It really was not much of a critique but rather wondering why would he not look at an HBCU? I tried to argue that we could do some of the same things, and because HBCUs enroll students with backgrounds more comparable than students at USC, it makes sense. But in the end, it was his money and we have to learn how to reach out to entertainers differently.

I never heard from him (and did try to connect). A music publisher, also a USC grad, did reach out and connected us to receive a grant for our music industry program, plus connections for a music industry conference that our students could attend.

But I continue to connect with a range of people. MC Lyte co-taught with me in the fall, and she created a new scholarship program for black men to attend Dillard in the fall of 2015.

Robert: As the times are changing, what advice do you have for future HBCU presidents?

Kimbrough: My single recommendation is do jobs that you first love so much that if possible you would do for free, and then do the best job with the job you have now. There are 107 HBCUs (about 80 four year) so those jobs are not in excess. In addition, you have no control whether or not you will ever become a president. There are great people that will never get a presidency, and bad ones who get multiple ones. So be the best with the job you have.

4 Ways Sigmas Set The Bar High

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1. Seekers of Superior Scholarship

“The Dean”, Alain Leroy Locke, the First Black Rhodes Scholar in 1907, is an excellent member of our wondrous band. Enough said? I think so! Adding to that, Brother Rod Paige went on to be the first African-American US Secretary of Education from 2001-2005 under the George W. Bush administration. Sigma brothers show scholarship!

2. Changers of Public Policies

A Phillip Randolph was known to be a nonviolent and direct action strategist. In fact, he helped push President Franklin D. Roosevelt to issue an executive order banning racial degradation on government defense factories. He also pushed FDR to establish the Fair Employment Practices Committee. Furthermore, Randolph later challenged President Harry S. Truman to issue an order banning racial injustice in the U.S Armed forces.

Randolph helped changed many public policies as a Sigma man. Like Randolph, Sigma brother Rev. Al Sharpton is known today as one of the most efficient organizers in the country. Despite the naysayers, there are so many great things that Sharpton has done to help better the country and its citizens, in particular African-Americans.

On his show, Politics Nation he always talks about the policies that perpetuates injustices in this nation. Sharpton, Randolp and numerous other Sigma brothers, like John Lewis and Hosea Williams, have shed blood and tears for humanity. They purposely live our motto: “Culture for service, service to humanity.”

3. Quality Treatment To All Women 

When I meet Zetas, we share a deep bond that can never be trivialized.

Sigmas have always been known to have an unbreakable bond with Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. Zeta and Sigma are the nay constitutional bonded Black Greek organizations. Sigmas treat Zetas well and it doesn’t stop there!

4. Mentoring Youth

One of the great things about Phi Beta Sigma is that we have a very powerful mentoring program: The “Sigma Beta Club”. This program is responsible for mentoring young people through the challenges that they face in life.

The Sigma Beta Club is all about investing in the young people, the future leaders of tomorrow, so that they are ready to lead and serve whenever called upon, and no matter the obstacles.

Sigmas sets the bar high, and always think and act on being a part of the DNA of the community rather than being separate from the community. This makes us who we are when we enter the world to serve humanity.

Happy Founders Day, frat!

Follow the author of this article on Twitter: @mindofRKH

Obama Wants First Two Years of Community College Free

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Today, President Barack Obama is heading to the state of Tennessee to announce a huge proposal that will make sure the country’s 1,1000 community colleges is more accessible, and “free for everybody who is willing to work for it,” according to a statement by the Commander-in-chief.

The proposed two years of tuition free community college program will, according to the White House, make community college as universal as high school is today.

From USA Today, “Put simply, what I’d like to do is to see the first two years of community college free for anybody who’s willing to work for it,” said Obama aboard Air Force One amid a three-state tour to preview his State of the Union Address. “It’s something we can accomplish, and it’s something that will train our workforce so that we can compete with anyone in the world.”

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Post by The White House.