Simmons College in Kentucky Named the Nation’s 107th HBCU

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Since no place in the United States would allow their doors to be opened to educate freed slaves, freed blacks, supporters  and the like took the obligation upon themselves to educate the freed race to read and write.

Inasmuch, that’s the story of the founding of Simmons College in Louisville, Kentucky, and several other institutions of higher education across the nation known today as historically black colleges or universities (HBCUs). Earlier this month, Simmons College learned that it has been accredited by the Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE).

As a result Simmons College becomes the nation’s 107th HBCU.

[The Higher Education Act of 1965 defines an HBCU as “…any historically black college or university that was established prior to 1964” with the intention of serving the black community.]

“Simply put, accreditation is value,” said Simmons College President Kevin Cosby. “It is proof that Simmons has met national standards necessary to produce graduates who are prepared to enter into selected professions.”

President Kevin Cosby: “The accreditation of Simmons College of Kentucky will have a ripple effect throughout west Louisville and the Commonwealth of Kentucky and is the most monumental achievement, by African Americans, to take place in the state in the last 100 years.”

At an event Feb. 24, Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, who also visited historically black Howard University in Washington last spring, delivered remarks as Simmons celebrated its major milestone.

“Simmons College has a rich history that stretches over a hundred years,” Paul said.

“…There’s no greater equalizer than education. My hope is that Simmons College continues this proud tradition.”

For an institution of higher education whose principle mission as an HBCU is to educate African-Americans, Simmons College has plenty of disadvantaged and underserved people to reach. The four-acre campus is in the heart of a population of low-income, first generational college students with limited resources to attend college.

Tommy Meade Jr. is HBCU Buzz’s Editor-in-chief. Join the discussion and comment below. 

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Wiley College Women’s Basketball Team Advances to NAIA Fab Four

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It’s not whether or not they win or lose Monday night against a worthy opponent that counts. For the women’s basketball team at Wiley College in Marshall, Texas, the players and coaches recognizes that the team has already accomplished something no other HBCU has done in over a decade. The Lady Wildcats will be the first historically black college or university to play in the NAIA semifinals since 2002.

But no one wants this Cinderella story to end.

After topping last season’s 29-4 record, the 30-4 Lady Wildcats advanced to the Fab Four in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Women’s Basketball Championship, defeating Westminster College of Salt Lake City, Utah, 75-58, Saturday in Frankfort, Kentucky.  “We had a game plan coming in to the game, which was turn our defense into offense, and it proved to be effective,” said Coach Garrett-Pruitt, who is 79-17 in three seasons with the Lady Wildcats.

“We wanted to keep building on that lead, because Westminster is a very good team that had the capability of getting back into that game, and we tried our best to stick to our game plan and not let them back in,” he said.

“As everyone focuses on action in the NCAA, we wanted to share our good news in the NAIA,” Wiley College Director of Public Relations Tammy Taylor told HBCU Buzz via email.

Wiley College became the first HBCU to advance to the NAIA semifinals when former member Central State advanced to the semifinals in 2002. The team now faces the NAIA No. 1 ranked team Freed-Hardeman (Tennessee) Monday night at 7 p.m. CDT.

“I know it’s going to be a tough game,” said Coach Garrett-Pruitt. “Freed-Hardeman is a very good team, they have a historic program and great coaching, so I know that we are going to have our work cut out for us, but I believe it’s going to be a very good game.”

Every Cinderella story is meant to have a “happily ever after ending,” right?

Tommy Meade Jr. is HBCU Buzz‘s Editor-in-chief. Follow him on Twitter.

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FAMU Officially Signs Contract for New National TV Network

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Tallahassee, Fla. (WTXL) With a few signatures and lots of applause, the FAMU School of Journalism and Graphic Communication is now home to the Black Television News Channel. 

The BTNC, is the first 24 news channel geared toward an African-American audience. 

Former Congressmen Kendrick Meek and J.C. Watts were on hand to be a part of the celebration. Watts is a part of the group that is bringing the network to FAMU.

“I think the United States and the world, only gets a sliver of who the community is and what the community is all about. This channel, is a great chance to open the door and show them even more”, said Watts.

Also on hand for the signing were, State Representatives Bobby Powell, Shevrin Jones and Alan Williams, Leon County Commissioner Nick Mattox and Tallahassee Mayor John Marks, who were all instrumental in the process. Representatives for the offices of Congressman Steve Southerland and US Senator Marco Rubio were also present.

Interim FAMU President, Dr. Larry Robinson said that this opportunity was a game changer for FAMU.

Robinson said, “We’ve got the best deal possible and we got it done in a timely manner. This was really a team effort.”

Journalism Dean Ann Wead- Kimbrough, said that students will benefit the most from this partnership.

“It’s a great opportunity for Tallahassee as a whole, with more that $30 million dollars of economic impact to the community but students at FAMU will see the most benefit”, said Kimbrough.

“They will have a chance to work with high quality professional journalists daily and that will help them develop real work skills that they can use for life.”

The channel is expected to launch in 2015 to an audience of nearly 40 million households.

Hampton University Panel Discusses Gun Violence, Media

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dp-panelists-on-gun-violence-20140321-006Nardyne Jefferies showed photos of her daughter Brishell to an audience in the Hampton University Student Center Friday morning. Each picture showed a smiling young lady coming of age.

Then, she showed a final one — her daughter’s bloodied face with a bullet wound beneath her ear as she lay lifeless.

Jefferies was a member of a panel that addressed gun violence in the black community. She was participating in the university’s annual Conference on the Black Family, with her panel moderated by ABC News chief national correspondent Byron Pitts.

The conference at Hampton University has focused on the way media has portrayed modern black families, including some of the misperceptions, inaccuracies and stereotypes frequently used in news coverage and entertainment.

“When my daughter was murdered, not only I failed her, but her community, society and everyone else,” said Jefferies, who lives in Washington, D.C. Her daughter had earlier attended a funeral when she was the unintended victim of a shooting by a group of young men armed with assault rifles similar to AK-47s. Four other young people died in the 2010 shooting.

After her daughter’s death, some news outlets made comments to her that she found insensitive and condescending after she spoke, such as “You’re so articulate,” or “You speak so well.” Jefferies said she was taken aback. “So you didn’t expect me to be able to conjugate a verb?” she said.

She said she wonders if the treatment would have been different if she had been from a richer area instead of Southwest D.C. Frequently, she said, black victims of crime are made to feel “as if they don’t matter.”

Pitts said he doesn’t like using the phrase “black-on-black crime,” which he said can be used to de-sensitize the public. News reports sometimes quickly dismiss gun crimes as “drug-related” or “gang-related” without delving into more detail, he said.

Candice Wallace, an assistant professor of social psychology at HU, said media outlets perpetuate an image of black men being universally violent. “Many times we internalize that image,” Wallace said.

There’s no disputing gun violence is a major problem permeating black communities, panelists said.

Pitts asked for a show of hands from the conference attendees if they had had a friend or loved one killed. About two-thirds of the audience of more than 300 raised their hands.

U.S. Rep. Robert C. “Bobby” Scott, D-Newport News, told attendees that it’s difficult to pass laws that curtail the proliferation of weapons because some communities have a gun culture where violence isn’t a problem.

“In some places, guns are like fishing rods. Everyone has them,” he said. “There’s not a gun violence problem in Montana, but there is in the inner cities.”

Nate Cadogan, 23, an HU graduate student from Portsmouth, Ohio, said he witnessed while growing up how gun crimes affect a community.

“Half of the people I grew up with are dead,” he said. “I feel like in society we have this principle of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But what you wind up with is no one can see and no one with any teeth.”

Cadogan said he was encouraged by the forum to take action in his own community to help present a positive image. “I picked up a lot of advice about the things I can do personally,” he said.

Education Opportunity for Black Students Tops GOP Agenda at CPAC Conference

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If you attended the first day of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) two weeks ago, you would have heard one major recurring theme: school choice and giving parents the option of where to send their kids to school. United States Senator Tim Scott (R-SC),  U.S. Congress hopeful Dan Bongino, and others led the charge to push for policies that allow for more opportunity and parental control of education.

Sen. Scott gave a personal account of how education played a major role in his life, and how after the 9th grade he was on the verge of flunking out. He would then go on to highlight how a mentor literally saved his life and his future. Bongino, a former NYPD officer and Secret Service agent now running for U.S. Congress in  MD-6, highlighted how he witnessed the despair many families in New York City suffer from with a public education system that is failing these students and their families and painting a picture of tomorrow that isn’t like the rest of the country.

Bongino would further highlight that, though when some of the people in the room think of tomorrow they may see a bright future, many of the families he interacted with as a NYPD officer vision of tomorrow was nothing more than the next day.

Both individuals urged the crowd to take action on the issue, saying that the fight to provide all children with a better future is our fight, and that we have an obligation to fight for educational opportunity for underserved families.

Sen. Scott unveiled his Creating Hope and Opportunity for Individuals and Communities through Education (CHOICE) Act and recently (Feb. 24) Bongino participated in a panel discussion on Black economic opportunity at Bowie State University hosted by the Bowie State Young Americans For Liberty Chapter, the Bulldog Chapter of Groove Phi Groove, the Rho Chapter of Alpha Nu Omega, and Black Agenda organization on campus.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuIk92S3PwE]

Eugene Craig is a Contributor to HBCU Buzz and is a senior majoring in History at Bowie State University. Craig is also  a candidate for the office of Clerk of the Court of Baltimore County. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

Iowa State Too Much for NCCU in NCAA Debut

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SAN ANTONIO — N.C. Central introduced its men’s basketball team to America on Friday night.

The No. 14 seed Eagles ran their motion offense, found their shots and used their suffocating defense to great effect in the second round of the NCAA tournament. They held an early lead, trailed by just six at halftime, made great plays, and scared No. 3 seed Iowa State, but in the end, the Cyclones were too talented and too deep, pulling out a 93-75 victory at the AT&T Center.

The Cyclones disrupted N.C. Central’s offense during the second half, limiting senior guard Jeremy Ingram to 28 points. Meanwhile their trio of senior DeAndre Kane, junior Dustin Hoge and sophomore Georges Niang took over offensively and helped Iowa State open a 15-point lead with 10 minutes, 55 seconds remaining.

The Cyclones had five players score in double figures and shot 63 percent from the field.

“It’s extremely difficult to slow them down,” N.C. Central coach LeVelle Moton said. “You’re basically picking your poison. Those are pros out there, man, and you’ve got to decide if you’re going to double Kane and leave out some shooters and be late on rotation , or if you’re just going to play it straight up. … It’s a nightmare.”

Kane’s smooth perimeter game coupled with the hustle of Hoge and Niang inside wore the Eagles down. Once the Cyclones were moving in transition, the Eagles had little hope – and Iowa State’s lead inched to 20 points with eight minutes to go on a Niang 3-pointer from the top of the key.

The Cyclones went 9 of 17 from 3-point range.

Despite Friday’s disappointing loss, N.C. Central fans will mark this season down as one for the ages, considering the exciting run their basketball team made.

The Eagles made the NCAA tournament as a Division I team for the first time in school history. They captured the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament championship for the first time, having moved from Division II to Division I in 2011.

There were signature wins over N.C. State and Old Dominion. There was a dominating stretch of play during the MEAC regular season where the Eagles finished 15-1 and captured that title.

They were unbeaten at home (14-0) for the first time since the 1997-98 season – dispatching teams at McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium.

The team won the second-most regular-season games (25) since John McLendon’s squad finished 26-5 in 1950-51.

“Right now it’s kind of hard for me to swallow this and give out how proud I am of our accomplishments,” N.C. Central guard Emanuel Chapman said. “But the thing I’m most proud of is that everything that we did and everything that we accomplished in our conference … we did everything together.”

Dog Dies, Two Escape from Hampton University Apartment Fire

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Hampton, Va. – Two people were forced from their home early Saturday morning after an apartment fire in Hampton.

Hampton firefighters say the fire started around 3 a.m. at an apartment on Mariners Cove Rd. Units arrived and found flames coming from the third floor balcony doorway.
We’re told the two residents smelled smoke and the smoke detector alerted them to the fire but they were not able to leave through the front door, so they had to escape from their balcony through the outside stairway.
One dog was found dead as a result of the fire.

Firefighters say the home was heavily damaged from fire, smoke and water throughout the apartment.
A fire investigator responded to the scene and determined the cause of the fire was due to ashes from incense falling into a trash can which ignited and spread to a couch.
The Red Cross was requested to assist the residents of the apartment.

6 Reasons Why Every HBCU Student Should Attend TMCF Leadership Institute

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“If I could describe the TMCF Leadership Institute in one word, I would say motivational,” said Tony Innouvong, a student at Alcorn State University. Several other “carefully selected” students brought together to this four-day conference has similar responses about the 2013 Leadership Institute.

The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) hosts the annual, premier recruitment conference for public HBCU students that enable the future leaders of tomorrow a unique professional development experience.

Here are 6 reasons why every HBCU student should attend the TMCF Leadership Institute:

Leadership Skills

“From the first day of conference, I really felt the competition in the room,” Alabama A&M University student Oneia Baldwin said. “I need to be on my A game.” Sometimes, great leaders need to be pushed to go that extra mile, again and again and again.

Networking

According to the TMCF website, students should “come prepared and don’t forget to bring your resume!” With over 60 companies and government agencies offering job and internship opportunities, one could argue that it would be absurd to miss out on such an opportunity.

Scholarships

The average TMCF merit based scholarship award is $3,100.00 per student per semester.

Recruitment Fair

Everyone loves the Recruitment Fair. Everyone. In addition to career opportunities with over 60 recruiters, some recruiters will be interviewing and hiring on-site during the conference, which is totally awesome.

Workshops

At the Leadership Institute, TMCF gives a set of circumstances that makes it possible for students to participate in “interactive discussions and workshops designed to provide professional career strategies, skills, and guidance from experienced individuals in the corporate, education and government fields.”

Keynote Addresses

Do any of the following names ring a bell: Ime Archibong, Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, Pamela Jolly and Dr. William U. Latham? These are the names of leaders who watch over companies like Facebook, Wal-Mart, Torch Enterprises and Gallup. The Leadership Institute offers some of the nation’s leading public speakers inspire attendees by sharing their life stories and work experiences.

And by attending this year’s Leadership Institute, you, too can be TMCF–where education pays off.

About TMCF:

Representing nearly 300,000 students attending its 47 member-schools that include public Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), medical schools and law schools, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) helps students with a clear intention and the motivation to succeed and acquire a high-quality college education at an affordable cost. 

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Bad Girls Club And Basketball Wives: Are Reality TV Shows Negatively Impacting Our Women?

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Dear women of the world,

What is going on?!

Whether we care to admit it or not, TV permeates our lives, our habits, and our language. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air brought us a lot of cheesy Carlton dancing that we faithfully recreated, and baseball caps worn sideways and of course the intro song we’ll never forget. The Cosby Show brought us 8 years of love and laughter and Rudy’s sassy Uh-uh’s, and showed us black families are normal. What about Martin? We’ll never forget the sarcasm, the bond between friends, Martin’s love- hate relationship with Pam and Shanaynay’s overuse of Oh no, you di-int!!

TV distorts the way we perceive ourselves. Remember in the 80s when we all had shoulder pads? I know, I want to forget it too. How about those neon colors? You could be spotted from a mile away! And in the 90s we were star struck by the Wayans brothers? Doc Martens and flannel, parachute pants and LA Lights, or oversized sweaters and eyeliner anyone? The good, the bad and the ugly, we do get influenced by TV.

Aggressive reality shows inhabit the “ugly” category. What have they added to our lives? A whole lot of women-on-women cruelty, overly sexual girls, distortion of body image and poor role models.

Take Bad Girls Club, for example. It can be summarized like this, a bunch of girls living together and being paid to fight each other. There’s little reality behind Reality TV, just to clarify. The meaner the girls are to each other, the more likely it’ll be that they will be hired for another season, so if you’ve ever watched the show you already know there will be a bunch of hair pulling and throwing of punches for no reason at all. Does this empower you much?

The show is so – fortunately – bleeped, that half of the heartfelt yelled exchanges can’t be heard. But they’re easily guessed. The myriad of “biatch” that girls throw around is the least of our worries, because, surprise, that’s how girls are calling each other when they’re not even being rude.

Another show that has caught our attention – for all the wrong reasons – is Basketball Wives. Though Nicki Minaj is a fan of the show she isn’t a fan of bullying. Apparently, Miss Minaj feels that yelling and slapping isn’t the way to face any problem.

The summary of the show is, a group of women who are married, engaged, have been married or engaged, or are having affairs with basketball players, for some obscure reason, followed in their everyday pre-scripted lives. Backstabbing ensues.

Oh, they’re consenting adults all right, so they should know about consequences. But how about their audiences?The women in both shows get their hair and make-up done by professionals, step into the limelight and make it glamorous to bully, to criticize, to be backstabbing and confrontational.  With their skimpy little dresses they go around having intercourse with random partners and making promiscuity look cool. What about STDs and unwanted pregnancy? When do we get to see the consequences of reckless behavior?

The icing on the cake is that most girls from this Bad Girls Club are black women. The demeaning stereotype of bullying, loud and coarse black women. A stereotype that we can’t so easily debunk, but TV is insisting on fostering.

According to recent research, black women are ranked by the National census statistics as the most educated group by race and gender. So why are we still allowing Bad Girls Club into our homes, and into our minds?

You know what real feminism looks like? Not like this. African American women didn’t come this far to fall back. It seems today women are finding more value in their bodies, by how little she weights, how much she shops, how many people she sleeps with, how loud she yells and how good she looks. These shows are the most un-feminist approach to femininity.

Women are meant to be appreciated as wholesome, wonderful and beautiful beings. Women today can use their platforms to inspire change in the world and be a positive influence on the younger generations. But why don’t we see more of this positive change?

Kim Kardashian becoming famous just because she’s been strutting her stuff isn’t quite the role model after all, is she?

Some people argue that her life is inspirational, because she leaped to stardom out of the blue. Kim, misrepresented as a “model” and an “actress” became known after a sex tape got leaked to Vivid entertainment, who distributed the film as “Kim K Superstar”. Looks like an easy way to achieve notoriety, doesn’t it?  Maybe. But since Kimmy cannot act, cannot sing and has no evident talents, the only way to stay in the limelight is by showing her assets everywhere. I wouldn’t be able to look my mother in the eye if that was me.

So you know who Kim Kardashian is. Do you know Ursula Burns? Rosalind Brewer? They’re two of the most powerful African American women. You’ll see them from time to time in the news, making it big as CEO’s of Xerox  and SAM’s club. True, they probably won’t be in a show every Tuesday night, and for sure they won’t be giving any butt-whooping, but that’s because they’ll be doing something worthy of their time, like leading an international company.

Or how about Oprah Winfrey? She’s one of the most influential women in the United States, and you won’t catch Oprah being anything less than appropriate, because she has devoted her life to become an inspiration to all generations. You see, there are role models out there, but maybe it’s time to change the channel and let’s get to know them.

Just like The Cosby Show was a great portrayal of African American families, promoted values and had a huge dose of healthy humor, we have some modern shows to choose from that don’t base their ratings in cursing and name-calling. Tune in to OWN, Oprah’s TV network, and you’ll be spoiled for choice.

If you like to watch glamour, then the reality show Mom’s Got Game is for you. There’s no need to be throwing around curse words and pulling people’s hair, because that doesn’t even happen in real life!

Want a bit more drama? Then have your tissue ready for Iyanla: Fix My Life. And maybe there will some butt-whooping there, but it’s metaphorical and it’s the kind of whooping you’d get if you needed a reality check.

We’re not asking you to embark in a crusade against reality shows and entertainment. But we do want you to stop validating shows that are fed by your ratings and in return give you nothing of worth. Nothing at all.

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Fire In Meridian Hall of Howard University – Letter from Andreya J. Davis

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photo 2Dear Bison Community:

On Saturday, March 15, 2014. I returned to the Hilltop a changed woman after, experiencing my fourth trip as a participant of Howard University’s Alternative Spring Break program. This year, I spent my week in a building sleeping on cots, and without hot running water, I woke up everyday at 6:45am with more than 20 strangers ready to teach, mentor and explore. I was experiencing one of the best weeks of my life!

The Lower Ninth Ward was the setting; the theme was some inexplicable mixture between catastrophe and communal love. We, a cast of 29 Howard University representatives were first-hand witnesses of things the media could, rather would, never tell us. We learned many lessons; the greatest being take care of your own people, protect them, nurture them and most importantly, love them.

On Tuesday, March 18, 2014, reared against the eastern sky, the Howard community was put to the test again. A fire in Meridian Hill Hall wrecked havoc on the fourth floor of the near-capacity residence hall. An angel of protection ensured that no students (potentially 93) or staff was injured. However, several have been left displaced and without housing. We are now charged to meet the needs of our fellow Bison. WE must protect them, nurture them and most importantly love them. Even when the cameras are not rolling it is our duty to serve one another even as we seek to serve the global community.

I ask that you donate as you can. Necessities include but are not limited to male and female clothing, toiletries, and residence hall necessities such as cooking/cleaning/ school supplies, and non-perishable food items. Checks can be sent to Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel CC/Memo: Meridian Hill Hall Relief

 

Material Donations can be sent to:

Carnegie Hall Office of the Dean of the Chapel 2395 6th Street NW Washington, DC 20059

In Truth and Service,

Andreya J. Davis

Scholars of the Culture: Wiley College Hip-Hop Conference ; March 21-22

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Wiley College seeks to establish the first annual conference at a Historically Black College that addresses hip-hop culture from an academic perspective. The aim is to facilitate student and attendee exposure to the history, art, rhetoric, and industry of hip-hop, and to increase participant awareness of the transformative possibilities and academic value of hip-hop. Through discussions of complex cultural issues that center on hip-hop, students will be encouraged to develop their skills of critical thinking and reflection by using the language that they are already familiar with as media consumers.

Scholars of the Culture is essential for successfully shaping Wiley College’s 21st century identity as a vibrant campus where students participate in critical contemporary dialog and become informed citizens who are influential in their communities. Scholars, graduate students, undergraduate students, and artists will participate in paper panels, Show and Proves, Cyphers, and creative performances.

As a Historically Black College, Wiley College is dedicated to educating and empowering its students, many of whom are the producers and consumers of hip-hop culture. The College, in fulfilling its basic purpose of providing a liberal arts education with a global focus, endeavors to provide an intellectually stimulating environment, promote student competencies in communication, and foster critical and analytical thinking. Scholars of the Culture responds to the College’s mission by demonstrating to students the educational and global importance of hip-hop culture.

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How an HBCU with 35 Students Keeps its Doors Open

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If historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are an endangered species, Morris Brown College could be closest to extinction.

Most buildings on this silent campus are boarded up and abandoned.

Before the school lost accreditation in 2003, a few thousand students were enrolled at Morris Brown. Almost overnight, most fled out of fear their degree would carry no weight. Today, there are just 35 students.

Joquala Walker is one of those students. The 26 year-old aspiring singer is the only student in a class called “Promotions in Recorded Music.”

When I ask her why she chose Morris Brown, she quickly responds “why not Morris Brown?” She says the school wants to help and deserves a chance just like any other.

Walker’s instructor is Makisha Funderburke, who wants to help so badly, she teaches without pay.

“I just think Morris Brown should be given a chance,” says Funderburke. “And it’s been done pretty well surviving 10 years. A lot of people are wondering ‘Why and how’?”

The “why” is easier to answer than the “how.”

Morris Brown has to survive.

If the school closes its doors, even for a short time, its land could go to nearby Clark-Atlanta University. That’s the school that originally donated the land.

“We are upholding a great tradition of former slaves, of people in the early 1900s [who] struggled to make sure this institution will remain open,” says Stanley Pritchett, Morris Brown’s president.

Pritchett says Morris Brown survives because its entire history is one of hardship and triumph.  He says the college has always been resourceful.

“A church member down in South Georgia told me they used to have a campaign called ‘Dollar Money.’ Everybody who came to the meeting brought a dollar for Morris Brown.”

But Morris Brown College needs $30 million to get out of debt. That’s about a million dollars for every current student.

Most would say it’s time to turn out the lights and let nearby HBCUs step in. Not alumnus Charles Barlow. When he started at Morris Brown, he brought with him a 550 on the SAT and read at a tenth grade level.

“But Morris Brown accepted me in, took me through a remedial reading program to teach me how to read—because if you can’t read, you can’t do college work—and I finished in four years in the top 10 percent of my class,” he says.

Barlow went on to become a top executive at Xerox for nearly two decades.

He says his story explains why Morris Brown must exit bankruptcy and rebuild.

But how?

“The biggest strength they have is their property,” says Mary Beth Gasman, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania. She led a graduate class that looked into options for saving the school. “And so the property is really the key to their livelihood and their success.”

Lots of folks have eyed the school’s land, which sits adjacent to the planned site of Atlanta’s new NFL stadium.

A bankruptcy judge has given the green light to sell off about 85 percent of the school’s property, despite past protests from students and alumni.

President Stanley Pritchett says with the debt gone, Morris Brown can focus on building back its academics, and hopefully bring in as many students as there used to be.

Hampton Lady Pirates Earn No. 12 Seed, Draw Michigan State in NCAA Tournament

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It would be entirely accurate to call David Six a happy man.

And why not? His Hampton University women’s basketball team, fresh off its unprecedented fifth straight MEAC Tournament crown, earned a No. 12 seed in the Stanford Region. The Lady Pirates will face No. 5 seed Michigan State on Sunday in Chapel Hill, N.C. at 12:30 p.m.ncaa march madness 150w

The game, to be played in Carmichael Arena, will be televised live on ESPN2 and ESPN3.com.

“We’re real happy [with a 12 seed]. We’re elated,” Six said. “I thought we were a 12, and it’s nice to see the NCAA did the right thing.”

It is not only the highest seed the Lady Pirates have ever earned, but it is also the highest seed ever for a MEAC team in the 64-team format – bettering the No. 13 seed the Lady Pirates received in 2011.

Hampton (28-4) has won its last 18 games after defeating Coppin State 50-47 on Saturday in the MEAC championship game. The Lady Pirates, who have won their last 49 games against conference foes, are making their fifth straight NCAA appearance and eighth overall.

The Lady Pirates are led by freshman guard Malia Tate-DeFreitas (Harrisburg, Pa.), the MEAC Rookie of the Year who is averaging 18.5 points per game. Senior forward Alyssa Bennett (Hampton, Va.) is a two-time MEAC Defensive Player of the Year and the MEAC Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.

The First Team All-MEAC selection averaged 22.3 points and 15.0 rebounds per game in the MEAC Tournament.

Senior guard Nicole Hamilton (Hampton, Va.) was also a First Team All-MEAC selection after ranking second in the conference in both assists and assist-turnover ratio, and her 20-point performance on Saturday keyed the Lady Pirates’ victory.

No. 20/24 Michigan State (22-9) won the Big Ten regular-season championship this season after tying Penn State with a 13-3 mark in league play. The Spartans had their six-game winning streak snapped on March 8 in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament, falling 86-58 to Nebraska.

Redshirt-freshman guard Aeiral Powers, a First Team All-Big Ten selection, leads a balance Michigan State attack, as four players are averaging double figures in scoring. Powers is averaging 13.4 points and a team-high 8.0 rebounds a contest, while freshman guard Tori Jankoska and senior forward Annalise Pickrel are each pouring in 12.4 points per game.

Junior forward Becca Mills, shooting a team-best .506 from the floor, is averaging 10.1 points per game.

Pickrel was named Second Team All-Big Ten, while Mills, Jankoska, and senior guard Klarissa Bell each earned honorable mention accolades. Bell was also named to the All-Defensive Team.

Hampton and Michigan State have never met.

Sunday’s second game in Chapel Hill will pit No. 4 seed North Carolina against No. 13 seed UT-Martin. The winners of Sunday’s game will meet in the second round on Tuesday.

NCCU coach Shares Secret to Success as Eagles Head to NCAA Tourney

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24998352_BG1 Making the NCAA tournament is a lifelong dream for North Carolina Central University Coach LeVelle Moton, but the reality that his team is actually going to the big dance still hasn’t set in.

“It’s 100 miles per hour, but needless to say I’m exhausted,” he said. “But it is a good exhausted.”

The Eagles just won their first conference championship since joining Division I in 2011, beating Morgan State on Saturday 71-62 for the MEAC title.

“It was really emotional for me, because when you’re born into poverty and labeled an outcast, and you’re placed in the box,” he said, “all you have is your dreams.”

They are dreams Moton wasn’t sure would come true. He grew up in a fatherless home in the Raleigh projects and said the odds were stacked against him.

But he credits a lot of family support and prayers for the life he has now.

“I saw a vision beyond my circumstances, and I am extremely grateful for that,” he said. “Especially when it comes to life through the course of a championship.”

“It’s really about believing in who you are,” Moton said. “You really have to be your own best friend because so many people have dreams. The dream is free; it’s the journey that’s expensive.”

It’s a journey he is taking with his team to the NCAA tournament.

“We’re trying to go play a really good Iowa State team and try to play the best we can,” Moton said. “It’s going to be business as usual.”

N.C. Central plays Iowa State on Friday.

WNCN: News, Weather for Raleigh. Durham, Fayetteville

Howard University Dorm Fire Sends Three to Hospital

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1395225215000-howard-fire-kishhh Three people were transported to a hospital after a fire at a Howard University dorm early Wednesday morning.

According to D.C. police officials, the call came in at approximately 12:31 a.m. regarding a fire in a room on the 4th floor of 2601 16th St., which is Meridian Hill Hall.

We’re told two students and a security guard suffered smoke inhalation. Police say they were conscious and transported to a local hospital.

The nine-story building was evacuated until the scene was cleared. Everyone was allowed back inside and road closures were lifted at approximately 3:15 a.m.

When Fashion Comes Across Art: Christian Drye, Fashionably Late Presents “Greek Fashion Week”

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sgrho.jpgBy Tommy Meade Jr., HBCU Buzz

Black Greeks, get ready to wear your Sunday’s best.

With the intent to dispel the myth that blacks show lack of taste in selection of their dress, Christian Drye, a Central State University alumni and fashion designer, is certain that his latest endeavor will turn heads.

The independent fashion blogger and founder of the “movement” called Complex Heart wants to let you in on a little secret: blacks can be creative dressers.

Highlighting each member of the ‘Divine 9’ organizations for an entire business week and showcasing different styles of outfits and school spirit, Drye says his “Greek Fashion Week” will dismiss the perception that blacks are merely the pants sagging, baggy clothes wearing people that too often the media and Hollywood depicts the race as.

“To my knowledge this has never been done,” Drye said, whose biggest influence in fashion is rap artist Kanye West. “I want the world to see these organizations in a professional manner representing their brands. There are kids all over the world who need someone to look up to for various reasons.”

When asked how the concept came across, Drye said it came to him just as much as he came to it. “We had just finished up ‘sock week’ on my blog and I was still getting sock submissions from people. So I tried to come up with another ‘spirit week’ that could involve a lot of people,” he said. “There are a lot of fashion weeks in the world and I think Greeks deserve one as well.”

In his book “The Mis-Education of the Negro”, Carter G. Woodson, the father of black history week now month, said: “[Blacks] have the prettiest people in the world, when they dress in harmony with the many shades and colors with which we are so richly endowed.”

Inasmuch, Drye thinks likewise, and believes the best way to shed light on students and black fashion today is by targeting the Black Greek Lettered Organizations.

“Black Greeks were created to serve. These are our leaders made up of people who look like me, who study where I studied and striving to obtain the goal I was after, which is getting a degree,” Drye said. “They deserve to be highlighted for their service and dedication to humanity—they have a voice, and on campuses around the world they are looked to for everything.”

This is bigger than college campuses, said Drye. This is about “reaching out to the community and fulfilling their needs. The world needs clothes and creativity—that’s fashion!”

“As long as the outfit is nice, it will be showcased. Even if it’s 1000 outfits, they will be showcased,” he said.

The best outfit for each respected week will be featured on the front page of Christian Drye’s site, with special mention given to the best style as a whole for the sororities and the fraternities. The showcase is open to all Divine 9 members. Visit christiandrye.com for more information. 

Check out the schedule below for each BGLO week:

March 17th – 21st — Sigma Gamma Rho

March 24th – 28th — Delta Sigma Theta

March 31st – April 4th — Alpha Kappa Alpha

April 7th – 11th — Zeta Phi Beta

April 14th – 18th — Omega Psi Phi

April 21st – 25th — Kappa Alpha Psi

April 28th – May 2nd — Alpha Phi Alpha

May 5th – 9th — Phi Beta Sigma

May 12th- 16th — Iota Phi Theta

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