Should Rand Paul receive credit for outreach to black community at Howard?

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By Tommy Meade, HBCU Buzz

I wonder if freshman Kentucky GOP Senator Rand Paul knew what he was getting himself into when he spoke at the ‘Mecca’ Howard University earlier this month.

Paul said his friends told him he’s “either brave or crazy” for showing up at Howard but should he receive credit for his outreach to the black community at Howard? Carl Tate writing for The Daily Progress thinks so.

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The Daily Progress:

Kudos to the junior senator from Kentucky, Rand Paul. Paul dared to venture where few Republicans do nowadays: He gave a speech at Howard University, the historically black university headquartered in Washington. I can finally say I Stand with Rand.

Sen. Paul, son of Ron, was the first prominent Republican to actually show up at the HBCU in more than 20 years — the last, of course, being former Republican National Committee Chairman Lee Atwater, who sat on the Howard board of trustees before a forced resignation (I could write a whole column on that debacle).

And he actually made a richly compelling case for the students to support the Republican Party and conservative policies.

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Indeed, Sen. Paul should receive credit for his visit to Howard, simply because no other notable Republican step foot on the yard in more than 20 years.

(Former chairman of the Republican National Committee Lee Atwater once served on the board of trustees of Howard University, but student sit-ins at the school’s main administration building led to his resignation.)

Though Republicans won’t make inroads with blacks by speaking on events that happened 150 years ago, President and chief executive officer of the NAACP Benjamin Jealous believes that they can champion civil rights issues.

“Moving from “tough on crime” to “smart on crime” would be good for this country,” said Jealous in a op-ed article on CNN. “It would also be a smart move for the Republican Party if they ever hope to get on base with black voters.”

But if the GOP wants to “embark on a year-round effort to engage with African-American voters,” or “engage historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) with the goal of educating the community on Republican ideals and the Party’s history,” they will need a lot more than a guideline (the “Growth and Opportunity” project) on how to have peace relations with minorities.

Black Voter Turnout Rate Passes Whites In 2012 Election

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In a first, black voters turnout rates surpassed whites in 2012.
In a first, black voters turnout rates surpassed whites in 2012.

America’s blacks voted at a higher rate than other minority groups in 2012 and by most measures surpassed the white turnout for the first time, reflecting a deeply polarized presidential election in which blacks strongly supported Barack Obama while many whites stayed home.

Had people voted last November at the same rates they did in 2004, when black turnout was below its current historic levels, Republican Mitt Romney would have won narrowly, according to an analysis conducted for The Associated Press.

Census data and exit polling show that whites and blacks will remain the two largest racial groups of eligible voters for the next decade. Last year’s heavy black turnout came despite concerns about the effect of new voter-identification laws on minority voting, outweighed by the desire to re-elect the first black president.

William H. Frey, a demographer at the Brookings Institution, analyzed the 2012 elections for the AP using census data on eligible voters and turnout, along with November’s exit polling. He estimated total votes for Obama and Romney under a scenario where 2012 turnout rates for all racial groups matched those in 2004. Overall, 2012 voter turnout was roughly 58 percent, down from 62 percent in 2008 and 60 percent in 2004.

The analysis also used population projections to estimate the shares of eligible voters by race group through 2030. The numbers are supplemented with material from the Pew Research Center and George Mason University associate professor Michael McDonald, a leader in the field of voter turnout who separately reviewed aggregate turnout levels across states, as well as AP interviews with the Census Bureau and other experts. The bureau is scheduled to release data on voter turnout in May.

Read more here

North Carolina’s 5 HBCUs placed in unfavorable position

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Student on campus

Both Sen. Gladys Robinson and Sen. Angela R. Bryant once served on the University of North Carolina Board of Governors but aren’t too happy with their latest course of action. Find out why they believe North Carolina’s five HBCUs could face an extremely unfavorable experience by the state’s university system:

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On July 1, when newly elected members of the UNC Board of Governors begin their four-year term, pay close attention to the blatantly unbalanced selections made. For the first time in many years, there is a lack of representation from historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), African American women or Democrats in the selections made by the Republican-dominated N.C. General Assembly.

Our state university system, which prides itself on its five historically black universities, will have its least-diverse Board of Governors in recent history. Statutory provisions required at least two minority race members, minority political party members and two women, but that provision was repealed in 2001 after legal challenges. However, the Democratic majority always ensured the election of women, HBCU alumni, Republicans, African Americans and Native Americans.

In 1971, legislation was established to incorporate HBCUs into the UNC system, and in 1972, the first Board of Governors was appointed to govern and oversee the development of a well-planned and coordinated system of higher education, to improve the quality of education, to extend its benefits, and to encourage an economical use of the state’s resources.

This mission has less chance of being accomplished without input from the significant and diverse components of the UNC system. Although HBCUs serve diverse populations, they remain the gateway to a promising future for African Americans. These institutions provide access to some modicum of equity in careers and transforming dreams into realities.

While the Board of Governors will only include five Caucasian women, the absence of African American participation speaks volumes during a time when African American women represent a significant percentage of the college demographic and are critical to economic recovery within their communities.

Read more here

Photo: Albany State University welcomes class of 2017

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The Metro Atlanta ASU Alumni chapter held a luncheon for incoming students titled “Welcome to the Family” that helped make the transition of the newly accepted students “as smooth as silk.”

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Justice Antonin Scalia: Voting Rights Act is a “perpetuation of racial entitlement”

Posted by Tommy G. Meade Jr.
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There’s some controversy over the new cover of the NAACP’s quarterly journal The CRISIS that depicts Justice Antonin Scalia with a Confederate bandana.

The cover is a result of some choice of words the conservative justice said when he called the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (an act that prohibits discriminatory voting practices) a “perpetuation of racial entitlement.”

Check out what people are saying about it:

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Detroit Lions draft Linebacker Brandon Hepburn of Florida A&M

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With the 245th pick in the 2013 NFL draft, the 12645436-mmmain selected linebacker Brandon Hepburn out of Florida A&M University.

Hepburn is 6-foot-2, 240-pounds. He had 86 tackles (9.5 for a loss), 5.5 sacks, seven pass breakups and a forced fumble as a senior.

Here’s a little bit more on Hepburn:

The path from Division I-AA walk-on to being selected in the NFL draft has been “a process”, according to Brandon Hepburn. It was an uphill battle from the start.

In April, Hepburn presented the results of his findings for a cure for cancer to an international audience at the American Chemical Society conference in Dan Diego, Calif.

Hepburn redshirted in 2008. In 2009, he mostly was relegated to special teams duties and had 13 tackles on the year. The following year, Hepburn played in all 11 games, recording 63 tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble. In his final season, Hepburn racked up 86 tackles, 5.5 sacks, seven pass breakups, and one forced fumble.

Hepburn graduated from FAMU in 2012 with a b.s. in biochemistry, and then enrolled in the School of Business and Industry pursuing an MBA. He has stated that the combination goes toward his goal of one day owning a biochemical company. Read More

Kansas City Chiefs sign Jackson State’s Rico Richardson

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6828556As with several of the other signings the Chiefs have made during this post draft, undrafted free agent frenzy, the team is sticking close to home with Richardson. Richardson did not participate in the NFL Combine, but he did have a showing during Jackson State’s Pro Day.

2013 Jackson State Pro Day: A total of 10 players from Jackson State worked out at the school’s pro day on March 8. The workouts were held outdoors on grass in front of six NFL teams. Rico Richardson, WR (5-11 ½, 167 pounds) – Richardson proved impressive enough to earn an invite to the Super Regionals in Dallas. He ran a time of 4.38 seconds in the 40-yard dash and recorded a 35½-inch vertical jump and 10-foot-1 broad jump. He ran a 4.12 short shuttle and 6.77 in the cone drill. Richardson recorded 12 bench presses and worked out as a wide receiver. – Gil Brandt, NFL.com

While he didn’t wow anyone enough to get drafted, his numbers aren’t terrible by any means. His career stats won’t frighten Dwayne Bowe into thinking his job is in jeopardy, but they’re nothing terrible. In his senior year at Jackson State, he caught over 1,000 yards in passes and 11 TDs. Not too shabby. Read More

Buffalo Bills sign Howard University OLB Keith Pough

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Keith_PoughOnce upon a time, Keith Pough was a 5’8″ wide receiver at Scotts Branch High School in South Carolina.

That was a long time ago, however, and now Pough is a 6’2″, 239-pound linebacker who leaves Howard University as the all-time FCS leader in tackles for loss. Now was drafted by the National Football Association to the Buffalo Bills More information coming soon.


Saints draft UAPB’s Terron Armstead makes Arkansas-Pine Bluff History

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tempPhotoGalleryArmsteadA--nfl_mezz_1280_1024

The New Orleans Saints have selected Terron Armstead, an offensive tackle out of Arkansas-Pine Bluff, with their third-round pick in the NFL draft.

The 6-foot-5, 306-pound lineman, picked 75th overall, represents New Orleans’ lone pick on Friday night. The Saints were docked their second-round selection as part of their punishment stemming from the NFL’s 2012 bounty findings.


Armstead gives the Saints depth at offensive tackle following the departure of former starting left tackle Jermon Bushrod to Chicago in free agency. Charles Brown, a 2010 second-round pick out of Southern California, could be Bushrod’s successor at that spot. The pick of Armstead was announced by former Saints special teams leader Steve Gleason, who has ALS.

The Saints took Texas safety Kenny Vaccaro with their first-round pick, 15th overall, on Thursday night.

Community Organizing 101 in Cyberspace: American Baptist College introduces online activism class

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Community Organizing 101 in Cyber Space is about preparing students to be digital activist for justice. This is a course of American Baptist College.
Community Organizing 101 in Cyber Space is about preparing students to be digital activist for justice. This is a course of American Baptist College.

American Baptist College recently had its first online activism class, “Community Organizing 101 in Cyberspace.”

Community Organizing 101 in Cyberspace is about preparing students to be digital activist. The class teaches students community organizing strategies through social media tools.

The class also examines the arguments regarding the effectiveness of on-the-ground social protest in comparison to online activist movements.

Through learning social media tools like Wikipedia, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, students learned several essential skills that will help them launch an online campaign to bring issue awareness to a problem of social injustice.

In order to situate the new media training’s, the class discussed traditional forms of community organizing as well as discussed four case studies of online community organizing (e.g. Trayvon Martin, 2007 Be Bold Be Red Be Brave: Ending Violence Against Women of Color, and Obama re-election efforts).

The final project for the class will consist of students working as a team to create an online campaign for a critical issue in their community.

For over the last 30 years, the Metropolitan Interdenominational Church Technical Assistance Network (MICTAN) has been committed to both serving persons newly infected with HIV/AIDS and to serving those faith leaders who are in need of the tools to address the issue of HIV/AIDS in their churches.

And, from their commitment of “WHOSOEVER”, John 3:16, MICTAN founded in 1993 the First Response Center.

Though MICTAN started providing services and training’s at the height of the AIDS epidemic in the U.S., the MICTAN First Response Center is still needed today as the African-American community grapples with the increase in HIV newly infected cases.

The Community Organizing Class,chose MICTAN First Response Center to continue to do the work that MICTAN does it will need a web presence.

Now, MICTAN cordially invites all to attend the re-launch of it’s First Response Center online presence on Monday, May 6, 2013 at 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm in the Susie McClure Library on the campus of American Baptist College.

For more information about the Re-Launch, follow MICTAN on Twitter and like their Facebook page.

Posted by Robert Hoggard Posted on 231 articles

5 ways to take advantage of the summer before freshman year

Posted by Tommy G. Meade Jr.
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Stay ahead of the game and prepare for the 'HBCU experience' this fall.
Stay ahead of the game and prepare for the ‘HBCU experience’ this fall.

Once you’ve graduated from high school, summer seems like the perfect opportunity to relax and do nothing before you enter college. Taking time to unwind and hang out with friends and family is important, but you should also consider some simple steps to make the transition into college life easier. Here are five tips to help you prepare for the fall:

• Brainstorm potential careers

Whether you’re looking to develop new political philosophies, communicate your ideas to a mass audience, promote cooperation between different nations, pursue your passion in the arts or something else entirely, it never hurts to get a head start. Parents, teachers, guidance counselors, even strangers on the street have probably told you that it’s OK if you don’t know what you want to major in or what field you want to go into. They’re right. Nonetheless, exploring the possibilities will save you time down the road and get you thinking about your future long before it arrives.

• Take a summer class

Summer vacation is obviously a time for relaxing and taking a break from the seemingly endless school-year workload, but there’s no shame in wanting to get ahead and continue your education year-round. Community colleges usually offer introductory-level courses with cheaper prices than what you’ll pay at the bigger universities you might be attending in the fall. Be careful, though. Before you enroll and pay for a course, check with your university’s academic department to make sure that you can earn credit for it later on. It’s no fun to repeat a course you’ve already taken, and there’s certainly no reason to pay extra money. Your parents will be thanking you later.

Read more here

Top 20 cities for college graduates

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Ranking in the top five cities, New York is 'the Mecca' for college graduates.
New York is ‘the Mecca’ and a social hub for college graduates.

Graduating this May and leaving the yard not sure what to do next? Check out USA Today‘s article on the top 20 cities for college graduates.

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5. Minneapolis

A metropolis with a down-home vibe was exactly what Sarah Cutler was looking for. The senior at Truman State University in Kirksville, Mo., grew up in the suburbs of St. Louis, but she always considered herself a big-city girl. So when she was offered an internship at Target last summer in Minneapolis, she jumped at the chance … and fell in love with “The Mini Apple.”

“The people were very kind, very Midwestern and very warm and friendly,” said Cutler, who is moving to Minneapolis in August to be a business analyst for Target. “You don’t have to compromise a big city for stone-cold people.”

Cutler found that she didn’t have to sacrifice her love for the outdoors, either. Although it has a population of nearly 400,000, the city prides itself on its abundance of bike paths, lakes and hiking trails.

With an affordable cost of living, an exceptional transportation system and company headquarters such as Target and General Mills, the city offers a range of opportunities for grads and is an attractive home for 20-somethings.

“I’m looking forward to making a new circle of friends,” Cutler said, “and I think that’s going to be really easy to do in Minneapolis.”

4. Seattle

There’s more to Seattle than the Space Needle and Starbucks.

“A lot of people think, ‘Oh, it just rains all the time,’” said Adam Sherman, a third-year law student at the University of Washington. “But I think when you’re talking to people who actually live here, they get past that rain really fast because of all the other things it has to offer.”

For any graduate who is looking to diversify their life, look no further than Seattle, home to Microsoft and Boeing. The city is a melting pot for a wealth of cultures, boasting museums as well as neighborhoods housing all nationalities.

But, Sherman says, one of the biggest appeals is the affordability. Because Seattle is home to many universities, the food and entertainment is priced toward those on a budget.

Finally, like Minneapolis, the kindness of Seattle residents is an undeniable draw.

“I feel like more here than other places that I’ve been, people are allowed to be who they are,” said Sherman, who has lived in the Seattle area his whole life. “I have traveled around the country a lot, and every time I travel, I love where I am, but I come back, and I’m like, ‘Wow. This is where I need to be.’”

See the full list here

Skylar Diggins Signs With Jay-Z and Roc Nation Sports

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WNBA play Skylar Diggins signs with Jay Z's Roc Nation Sports.
WNBA play Skylar Diggins signs with Jay Z’s Roc Nation Sports.

Recently I penned an article about Jay-Z and Roc Nation Sports explaining the multimillion dollar venture and how his agency would be the go to agency for the hottest in the game.

Well add Skylar Diggins to the roster.

The former Notre Dame basketball star was selected third overall in the WNBA draft by the Tulsa Shock.

Today Life and Times welcomed the basketball playing beauty to their elite clientele list.

I’m expecting big things from Diggins and more from Jay as well.

Four charged with hazing after Virginia State student drowning

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Four men have been charged with hazing following the drowning of at least one Virginia State University student, who was swept to his death as he attempted to cross the Appomattox River as part of an initiation rite, police said on Tuesday.

A second student remained missing on Tuesday, three days after seven male students were pulled down the river by the current as they tried to cross on April 20 as part of their initiation into a group known as “Men of Honor.”

The rest of the men were pulled to safety or drifted to shore, a police statement said.

College hazing has attracted attention since the high profile 2011 death of 26-year-old Florida A&M University drum major Robert Champion during a band trip. That death was ruled a homicide and led to felony charges against a number of band members.

In Virginia, police in Chesterfield County said they charged four men with five counts each of hazing following the drowning of 19-year-old Marvell Edmondson, a freshman at Virginia State University in Ettrick.

Edmonson’s body was recovered on Monday, while fellow freshman Jauwan M. Holmes, also 19, remained missing. Police divers were searching the river for his body.

Read more here.

Watch: Ques Hop with two white members

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZdfbz8ntuk

The white kid got moves. Watch Omega Psi Phi members hop at a college campus.

[The title of the video says “Ques Hop and Stroll with white fraternity” but it seems like they are actually members of the fraternity.]

About Omega Psi Phi:

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. was founded on November 17, 1911, at Howard University in Washington, D.C. and is the first international fraternal organization to be founded on the campus of a historically black college.

Paul Quinn College named Bill Cosby as 2013 Commencement Speaker

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The cat is out of the bag.

Paul Quinn College recently named comedian and activist Bill Cosby as its Commencement speaker on May 4, at 10 a.m.

Cosby will address the class of 2013 who witness the institution transform academically and physically into a model for other HBCUs and suchlike institutions.

The Dallas Observer‘s Eric Nicholson notes how six years ago “wooing a high-profile commencement speaker” was the least of Paul Quinn’s concerns.

But now with retention rates up at 83 percent and being named the “2011 HBCU of the Year,” Paul Quinn College is experiencing one of the greatest turnarounds in the history of higher education.

Indeed, it is safe to say that the college is “Nation Building.”

Read more here.

About Paul Quinn:

The mission of Paul Quinn College is to provide a quality, faith-based education that addresses the academic, social, and Christian development of students and prepares them to be servant leaders and agents of change in their communities.

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